Saturday 26th March 2022
The club was founded in 1912 as a works team for the Reyrolles company. Playing under the company name, they joined Division Two of the Jarrow and District Junior League. After World War 1, they joined Division One of South Shields Combination League, before switching to the Tyneside Combination in 1923. They joined the Tyneside League in 1927 and were league champions in 1938–39. During World War 2 they joined the Northern Combination in 1941, winning the league title three years later. The club remained in the Combination until rejoining a relaunched North Eastern League in 1959. In 1960 Reyrolles joined the Wearside League and were league champions in 1966–67. In 1986 they were renamed Hebburn Reyrolles, before changing their name to Hebburn in 1988. In 1989 they moved up to Division Two of the Northern League, and after finishing fourth in 1991–92, In 1960 Reyrolles joined the Wearside League, and were league champions in 1966–67. In 1986 they were renamed Hebburn Reyrolles, before changing their name to Hebburn in 1988. In 1989 they moved up to Division Two of the Northern League, and after finishing fourth in 1991–92, a season that also saw them win the Durham Challenge Cup for a second time, they were promoted to Division One. Despite finishing eleventh in 1994–95 the club was relegated back to Division Two due to issues with their ground. They were promoted again after finishing third in 1999–00 and then adopted their current name. However, they finished in the bottom two in their first season back in Division One and were relegated again. they were promoted to Division One. Despite finishing eleventh in 1994–95 the club was relegated back to Division Two due to issues with their ground. They were promoted again after finishing third in 1999–00 and then adopted their current name. However, they finished in the bottom two in their first season back in Division One and were relegated again. A third-place finish in Division Two in 2011–12 saw Hebburn promoted to Division One. However, they were relegated back to Division Two at the end of the 2013–14 season. In 2017–18 the club were Division Two runners-up, resulting in promotion to Division One. After the 2020–21 season was also curtailed, the club was promoted to Division One East of the Northern Premier League.
Hebburn Town's best FA Cup run came in 2011 when they beat Gillford Park, Whitehaven, Penrith, Runcorn Linnets and Radcliffe Borough before a defeat to Gateshead in the 4th Qualifying Round. They won the delayed 2020 FA Vase beating Sunderland Ryhope, Lower Breck, Vauxhall Motors, Longridge Town, Plymouth Parkway and Corinthian before beating Consett 3-2 in the final at Wembley Stadium. Local cup wins include the JR Cleator Cup in 2021 and the Durham Challenge Cup in 1943 & 1992. Their record win was 13-0 over Birtley Town and record attendance was 1,705 in the Quarter Finals of their successful FA Vase run. Hebburn is a small town in South Tyneside located between Gateshead and Newcastle and with a population of just under 19,000. There's another team in the town, Hebburn Reyrolle who revived the club's former name and play in the Northern Alliance Premier Division. Athletics is also catered for at Monkton Stadium, home of Jarrow and Hebburn Athletics Club, where Brendan Foster, Steve Cram and David Sharpe are notable past runners.
MY VISIT
When looking for a game for Saturday afternoon during my trip to the North East, I had plenty of options, probably around 15 in all. I narrowed it down to the two best options in my opinion, Hebburn Town and Seaton Delaval. The former won out as from my Saturday morning game in Wallsend it offered the best chance of a decent pub lunch. It was also decently located for heading into Newcastle for watching the England game, should I be so inclined. It was also ground at a higher level than any of my other games but despite being at step 4, entry was only £7, great value. Not so great value was my 'Day Rover' ticket that I'd bought for £7.80. Not only was the Metro kaput with delays and suspensions galore, an alteration in my times meant that I could have got away with a Metro only ticket, rather than one that included buses too.
I'd walked back to Howdon from my morning game and had ten minutes to wait for my train. Once it got moving, it then stopped for ten minutes in between Gateshead and Gateshead Stadium owing to a signalling problem. The latter was the station I needed for my pre-match pub of choice, The Schooner. There was a game going on at the stadium so plenty of fans were milling about. It's a ground that I wouldn't mind visiting again under the right circumstances, but this wasn't it. It was 15 minutes walk to the pub and although it wasn't as good as when I visited in September, I still had a nice pint of Olivers Farmhouse Perry. I decided against another and decided to have the cans I already had at the game. After another Metro trip, I walked to the ground although Google Maps' route was far from stellar, expecting me to enter the ground via someone's back garden. Once I'd found the proper entrance, I had to wait outside the turnstile while they found some change but I was in eventually. I later got a burger and chips for £4.20 which was good value and filling.
This was a mid-table clash with Hebburn Town in 12th and Tadcaster Albion in 17th. The hosts had won all three of their games in March, having won 1-0 at Yorkshire Amateur last week. They'd also beaten Worksop Town 3-0 and won 4-1 at Lincoln United. In the same time period, the visitors were without a win having drawn 0-0 at Worksop Town in their latest game and 1-1 against Stocksbridge Park Steels. They'd also lost 3-0 to Shildon. Hebburn briefly started brightly, but Tadcaster soon took control. The visitors took the lead on 21 minutes, Kesi Omolokun with a close range finish. The visitors doubled their lead on 28 minutes, Mark Ferguson latching onto a good ball in and finishing from close range. The hosts pulled a goal back just before half time thanks to an own goal by Jack Howarth. A curling corner would provide Hebburn's equaliser on 67 minutes with a Carl Taylor header on the end of it. The game was decided by a hotly contested penalty on 76 minutes, Jack Donaghy sent off for Hebburn and Ferguson getting his second from the spot.
The game had attracted a great crowd of 667 but the game was not as good as the scoreline suggested. Tadcaster deserved their win though on the balance of play. I got some pictures of the bar area and used the facilities before leaving. I listened to the England game as I walked back to the station and went back into Newcastle. My phone battery had not been able to keep up with my usage all weekend and so I got myself an extra power bank from Poundland for £2. I'd have preferred something better as this only provided a small stopgap. I then headed to The Mean Eyed Cat across the road and as usual, it didn't disappoint. I had a pint of Ross On Wye Dabinett which was by far the best pint I'd had in ages. Not wanting to go mad, booze wise, I took a stroll up the Tyne to Gateshead, but of course, it would still end in a pub. The Free Trade Inn was decent and gave me an opportunity to charge my phone to 100% before I walked back.
I had half an hour to kill and so got some chicken and chips which filled me up. I really should have had another couple of drinks were I to know what was to come. My coach was ten minutes late which I didn't mind. What did bother me was the journey. Up to Durham was great, I nodded off for a while only to be woken up my someone who said I was sitting in their reserved seat, which was not marked. My new seat was dreadful, absolutely boiling due to being next to a radiator, so I stripped down to my T-Shirt. Even worse was a horrible brat behind me who didn't give up making noise all night and later vomited everywhere. It meant pretty much no sleep and was typical of a Sunday where the very worst of the general public are out and about. My phone was dead again by the time I got back to London around 20 minutes late but at least all the trains were running smoothly. I got back to Chalfont at 8.30 and was home half an hour later. The weekend had been enjoyable, though not without its challenges. I had a day to relax and type my blog before going back to work tomorrow.
THE GROUND
HEBBURN SPORTS CLUB is a venue that has seen a lot of changes in recent times, mainly through the use of bought-in stands, though not the usual dull ones you see elsewhere. On the turnstile side is a sizeable covered area that can be used for seating or standing. There are also some seats open to the elements. Behind the bar end are more uncovered seats. On the opposite side it is open flat standing and on the other end is a small wooden shelter that is out of use due to storm damage. The best part of the ground is the bat which is large and offers a viewing balcony. A good range of food is also available but I didn't see any merchandise for sale.
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