Getting to know the Blue Square Premier : Gateshead

Gateshead are one of the few games where Lincoln will actually travel North next season. The Heed Army have risen the non-league in recent years and will join a rare club to have play both of the main teams in Lincoln in competitive fixtures.

Website - Fan's Site 

The links between the Imps and Gateshead include players such as Paul Musselwhite, Clark Keltie, Shane Clarke and Gijsbert Bos and the fact that the highest ever attendance for any football match in Gateshead was 20,752 watching Gateshead face Lincoln in September 1937....but that is now completely irrelevant as that club no longer exists, and now Gateshead FC are in their place.

"The Heed Army" as their fans nickname them, have had an interesting 34 year history since their inception in 1977. They started in the Northern Premier League before quickly winning promotion to the Conference after heavy investment through sponsorship, however, when that money dried up they fell quickly down the structure.

In 2007/8 they were in the same division as Lincoln United (now known as the Evostik Premier) and I saw them come from behind to lead 3-1 at Ashby Avenue that season, only to concede two late goals for Lincoln United to steal and unlikely point. It would end happily for Gateshead though as they won promotion via the Playoffs at the end of the year, beating Buxton 2-0 in the final.

They were quickly promoted again by winning the Conference North Playoffs, beating Southport in the semi finals before beating Telford in the final. They have generally struggled in the Conference since then, but remain in non-league's top tier and are one of the few professional sides in the division to have never played in the Football League.

Gateshead play at the Gateshead International Stadium, one of two grounds in the division with a running track (the other being Newport County). It has an official capacity for football fans of 11,800 and depending on how many fans the Imps take, we will either share the main stand with home fans or sit in the stand opposite the main stand, having it entirely to ourselves.

Gateshead are one of the favourites with several bookmakers to struggle next season, although if they survive they are hoping to kick off their 2012/13 in not only the Conference, but in a new ground, as they plan to move into a new near-8,000 capacity stadium a few miles from the arena.