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The present Whitley Bay Football Club was formed in 1950 and was known as Whitley Bay Athletic. From 1950 until 1955 Athletic were members of the Northern Alliance and during those five seasons they won the League Championship, the League Cup (twice) and in 1952/53 they became the first amateur team for sixty years to win the Northumberland Senior Cup.
In 1955 the Club decided to join the powerful North Eastern League which was comprised wholly of professional sides and for three seasons Bay struggled at the foot of the league. In 1958 a limited company was formed, the Athletic dropped from the title and a successful application to the Northern League was made.
During the 1960's Bay became one of the top amateur clubs in the country. They won the Northern League title in 1964/65 and 1965/66, as well as the League Cup in 1964/65. The Club won the Northumberland Senior Cup six times in ten years and they were runners up on another occasion. It was in the Amateur Cup that Bay rose to national prominence, reaching the semi-finals twice and the quarterfinals four times. The quarter final against Hendon in 1965 set the ground record, when 7301 supporters packed into Hillheads Park only to see Hendon win 3-1.
The early 1970's Saw Bay's successes continue with the League Cup being won in 1970/71, and the County Cup 1970/71 and 1972/73. With the demise of amateur football the Club's fortunes took a nosedive, culminating in them having to apply for re-election to the League in 1979/80. During the early `80's the Club slowly pulled itself around and when the Board of Directors appointed former player, Bobby Graham, as team manager in 1986, the team's performances took a huge turn for the better. During his first season in charge Bobby took Bay to their highest League position (5th), for fifteen years and the team enjoyed their best ever F.A. Trophy run, when they reached the last sixteen. To cap a great season the Northumberland Senior Cup once again came to Hillheads, when Bay beat highly rated Blue Star 2-1 in the final.
In Bay's final season in the Northern League (1987/88), after looking likely League Champions for most of the season, only a bad run of injuries prevented the title coming to Hillheads. With the Club on the up and up, it was decided to apply to the H.F.S. Loans League, an application that proved successful.
In season 1989/90 Bay had their best ever run in the F.A. Challenge Cup, when they got to the third round proper, beating Scarborough and Preston North End, only to lose 1-0 at Rochdale.
In season 1990/91 Bay's move to the H.F.S. Loans League was justified, as they won not only the First Division Cup for the second time (the first being in 1988/89), but also the Championship and promotion to the Premier Division. Bay finished in 11th spot in the 1993/94 season, their best position in the Premier Division. The 1994/95 season proved to be a disastrous one for the Bay. The side struggled in the League, and continuing poor results led to Bobby Graham's resignation in February 1995. The new manager, Derek Bell, hampered by financial restrictions, was unable to stop the slide and Bay finished in 21st position, resulting in relegation to the First Division.
Bay made an excellent start to the 1995/96 campaign, but after a series of poor results Derek Bell shocked the Club by resigning. The Directors appointed his assistant, Kenny Parker, in a caretaker capacity, but soon upgraded him to permanent status in the February following a run of seven wins in his first nine games. The initial success was not sustained however, and Bay finally finished in 8th position, after some inconsistent form towards the end of the season. Worse was to follow in the 1996/97 season, when Bay failed to register a win in their first ten league games and also crashed out of the F.A. Cup 6-0 to Harrogate Town. However, Parker rallied his troops and by the end of October they were awarded the Unibond team of the month. The inconsistent form returned however, and after a semi-final defeat in the County Cup by Morpeth Town Kenny Parker was relieved of his duties and his assistant Paddy Lowrey, took over till the end of the season. Paddy was appointed permanent manager for the beginning of the 1997/98 season, and consolidated the Club by winning Unibond team of the month for December.
Things didn't progress and the Bay were confined to the bottom 3 places of the league for the whole of the 1998/99 campaign and only escaped relegation when Cristen Priest scored a dramatic 89th minute equaliser against Trafford on the final day of the season. Relegation was to follow the next season.
The Bay's first season back in the Northern League proved to be as tough as expected and they ended the season a disappointing eleventh, but the club did enjoy a fairly successful run in the F.A. Cup beating Unibond Premier League Clubs Worksop Town and Gainsborough Trinity before going out at Barrow in the 4th Qualifying round.
The 2001/02 season proved to be one of the most memorable in the clubs' history when under the manager ship of Andy Gowans they reached the Final of the F.A Carlsberg Vase at Villa Park and won the trophy with a spectacular Ian Chandler header in extra time against their Jewson Eastern League opponents Tiptree United. The Vase run had an effect on their League position, when after leading the League for the first half of the season, the combination of League, Vase and League Cup games, which saw them reach the semi-finals and postponed fixtures the team had to play 13 games in the final 28 days of the season, resulting in a final League position of 5th.
With expectations high, things didn't go quite to plan the following season, although the club did reach the Final of the Northumberland Senior Cup losing 2-0 to a strong Newcastle United Reserves and also making the last 16 of the FA Vase losing to a last minute extra time goal by Oadby Town, having played for over an hour with ten men. Our league form proved erratic and we finished the season 10th the highest position we achieved all season. Manager Andy Gowens shocked the Board by resigning immediately the season had finished and the Directors appointed ex Blyth Spartans boss John Charlton to the 'hot seat' who brought his assistant from Blyth Graeme Clark with him. Charlton's stay however lasted only six months before he resigned. The Directors acted quickly and former striker Ian Chandler was installed as the new Manager who appointed 'keeper Terry Burke as his assistant. Ian brought in another ex player when he appointed Steve Cuggy as coach.
Ian Chandler's first full season in charge brought some silverware into the club when Whitley Bay won the Northumberland Senior Cup beating Newcastle Benfield Saints 2-0. A respectable 5th place in the league was also attained, but the club faired less well in the other cup competitions. The 2005/06 proved to be disappointing with early exits from all the cup competitions and inconsistency in the league resulting in a 10th place finish.
The 2006/2007 season was a one to savour for the fans as the team reached the 4th Qualifying Round of the FA Cup. On the way there they defeated Unibond League sides Stocksbridge Park Steels and North Ferriby United before meeting neighbours Blyth Spartans in an epic 3rd Qualifying round tie. In front of 2,023 fans at Hillheads Blyth earned a replay when a last minute goal gave them a 2-2 draw and in the return at Croft Park two early goals from Mark Sheeran and Phil Bell put the Bay on the way to a famous victory in front of 1,700 supporters. Bays run came to end at Gainsborough Trinity where they went down 2-0.
In the FA Vase Bay reached the last 32 going out to Gloucester based Slimbridge where a late goal put paid to Bays chances. However it was to be the league where Bay took the honours. On the final day of the season a 3-1 win at Durham City and Sunderland Nissan slipping up at home to Billingham Synthonia gave Bay the Arngrove Northern League Title on goal difference from Billingham Town. The honours didn't end there as 'keeper Terry Burke picked up the Arngrove Northern League Player of the Year and Lee Kerr won the inaugural Bob Moreland Trophy for the Young Player of the Year. Lee also picked up the prestigious Radio Newcastle Player of the Year and manager Ian Chandler took the Manager of the Year award. As the only club to score more than 100 league goals their brand of exciting attacking play was a joy to watch and will take some following this season.
The 2007/08 season has got off to a good start when the club won the Cleator Cup beating Newcastle Benfield B.P in the league's annual curtain raiser between the League Champions and League Cup Winners. Another successful season followed and although Whitley failed to retain the league championship, they just missed out on the runners-up spot when Consett won their final game of the season. However the main focus of the season came in the FA Vase when they reached the semi-final stage having beaten the holders and hot favourites Truro City 3-0 on their own pitch. Another long trip in the quarter-finals took them to Hungerford Town and a Paul Robinson goal set up a two legged semi-final tie with Lowestoft Town.
Disaster struck in the first leg at Lowestoft where a 4-0 win for the 'Trawlermen' made them firm favourites, but in a fantastic second leg the 'Bay' just failed to pull it back despite taking a 3-0 lead after just 20 minutes. Both legs were played in front of just over 2000 spectators. Of the field Lee Kerr was again presented with the Bob Moreland Trophy and Paul Robinson was voted as runner-up for the Northern League Player of the Year and long serving secretary Derek Breakwell was presented with the Arthur Clark Memorial Trophy for his services to the Northern League.
Whitley also reached the semi-final of the Northumberland Senior Cup only to lose in extra time to a strong Newcastle United Reserve side.
Whitley Bay capped a fine season last year when they beat Glossop North End at Wembley Stadium to win the FA Vase for the second time in our history. A goal a piece from Man of the Match Lee Kerr and 40 goal man Paul Chow were enough to claim the trophy for Whitley Bay.
After a tight opening to he game Whitley nearly took the lead in spectacular fashion when Adam Johnston hit a 50 yard+ effort from well inside his own half which Glossop keeper Matt Cooper did very well to turn on to his crossbar. Just 5 minutes later Nick Bailey rattled Whitley's woodwork with a great strike from just outside the area.
On 36 minutes Lee Kerr opened the scoring, having created space on the edge of the area he clinically smashed the ball to the keeper's nearside to send Bay fans wild. And just minutes before half time Paul Chow and Adam Johnston broke following a Glossop attack and after excellent work Chow calmly finished to claim his 40th goal of the season.
Whitley started the second half brightly and had several chances to put the tie beyond Glossop, and although Glossop pushed Whitley hard in the last 10 minutes Bay held on to claim an excellent victory in front of 12,212 fans.
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