Steve Russell talks to the team behind the resurrection of an iconic Tyneside football club, Newcastle Blue Star, whose ambitious recent development has established a vital community hub in the west end of the city.
When Lady Elsie Robson performed ceremonial duties at the opening of Newcastle Blue Star’s new Scotswood clubhouse in 2018, she did so in the knowledge that the values of her legendary husband would continue to guide and inspire the youth of his beloved city. The Sir Bobby Robson Lounge represents the heart of the club, and a huge mural of the man himself, accompanied by words typifying his unconquerable spirit, dominates the room. This was installed as a permanent reminder of the positive impact which sport, and the values it instils within young people, can have on a community.
Scotswood has always had a tough reputation, and the effects of austerity in recent years have exacerbated issues like crime and anti-social behaviour. Local businessman and club chairman, Steve Best, originates from the area, and explains the motivation behind the project:
“I grew up here and I’ve attended far too many funerals of lads I grew up with. I want the kids in the area to have the opportunity to take a different path and Sir Bobby’s values of decency and respect, represent everything I believe in, which is why we named our lounge after him”.
Blue Star, which took over the Scotswood Sports Centre site from Grainger Park Football Club, was originally established in 1930, and its successes include winning the FA Vase in 1978. They won promotion to the Northern Premier League Premier Division in 2008/2009 (whilst ground-sharing with Newcastle Falcons), but off-field issues led to the club winding up shortly afterwards. It was this rich history, which inspired Steve and his team to relaunch the club in 2018, but the vision was to make it something more that it had ever been before.
On the football side, the club now has multiple junior teams, ranging from under 6’s all the way through to the seniors, who are currently playing in the Northern Alliance Premier. That is the seventh tier of non-league football, but if the team’s success matches the ambition of those in the boardroom, they’ll rapidly climb the football ladder. Senior matches have recently attracted crowds of up to five hundred, and work is underway to capitalise on that popularity by building two new stands, with a combined seating capacity of 480. Crucially, this redevelopment will bring the club into compliance with FA legislation, paving the way for the club to bring FA Vase and even FA Cup football to Scotswood. The scheme includes the opportunity to purchase a personalised stadium brick, and at £24.99 a pop, who wouldn’t want to achieve immortality by etching their name into local history?!
With coaching staff including ex-NUFC players such as Kenny Wharton, the footballing part of the operation is flying, but that only tells part of the story. The club has forged strong links with Grainger Park Boxing Club, who share the site, and they also host regular social events for the community. Events Manager & Junior Coach, Mark Lane, expands on the community aspects of the club:
“We really want to become a social hub for the whole community, whether you like football or not, and we are definitely moving in the right direction. We’re always looking to put on great entertainment, and we recently had a fundraiser with the excellent local comedian, Gavin Webster. We’ve also had an evening with Micky Quinn, and a similar event with Lee Clark and Rob Lee. Kevin Keegan has also shown his support for the club”
Next on the slate is tribute act, Garry Cinnamon in June, but as with the rest of us, their plans for a foot-stomping night of fun have been thrown into chaos by the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. No doubt the real Mr Cinnamon could eloquently describe this virus in his inimitable Glaswegian style, but in spite of it all, the club are determined that they will prevail and thrive when life eventually returns to something resembling normality.
In these worrying and unprecedented times, when we are all going to need the power of community more than we ever have before, Newcastle Blue Star stands as a shining example of the amazing things which can be achieved when people power is harnessed to its full potential.