Gateshead F.C.

The original Gateshead club was formed in 1899 as South Shields Adelaide and became members of the Football League in 1919. In 1930 financial problems saw the club moved to Gateshead, where they adopted the name of their new town. However, the club was voted out of the Football League in 1960 and folded in 1973. History repeated itself as the South Shields club formed to replace the original one was also moved to Gateshead, becoming Gateshead United in 1974. However, they were dissolved at the end of the 1976–77 season. A new club was established, taking over from United in the Northern Premier League. The following season saw the club win the Northern Premier League title and the league's Challenge Shield, earning an immediate return to the (now renamed) Football Conference. However, they lasted only one season in the Conference, and were relegated back to the Northern Premier League after finishing bottom of the table. In the 2008–09 season, Gateshead were Conference North runners-up. In 2013–14, the club finished third in the league, qualifying for the promotion play-offs. They beat Grimsby Town 4–2 on aggregate in the semi-finals, setting up a Wembley final against Cambridge United, which they lost 2–1. In the following season the club reached the third round of the FA Cup for the first time; wins over Norton United in the first round and Warrington Town in the second led to a third-round tie with Premier League side West Bromwich Albion, with Gateshead losing 7–0. and were demoted to the National League North the following month. The curtailed 2019–20 season saw Gateshead finish seventh (with the league table calculated on points-per-game), qualifying for the play-offs. In 2021–22 Gateshead were National League North champions, earning promotion back to the National League. The 2022–23 season saw them reach the final of the FA Trophy at Wembley Stadium, where they lost 1–0 to FC Halifax Town. After finishing sixth in the National League in 2023–24, the club were barred from competing in the play-offs after failing to meet the entry criteria for the Football League due to not obtaining a "10-year security of tenure" for their stadium. They also reached a second successive FA Trophy final, this time defeating Solihull Moors on penalties following a 2–2 draw to win the competition. ==Colours and crest==

The club initially played in all red strip with a white and blue vertical slash on the shirt. Gateshead continued to play in odd-coloured variations until the mid-1980s, when the club changed to the colours of the previous Gateshead incarnation – white shirt, black shorts and socks – and have played in these same colours ever since. Since 2011, Gateshead has adopted their original colours of claret and blue as the club's away strip. The club's crest incorporates an image of the statue the Angel of the North. ==Stadium==

The club have played at the Gateshead International Stadium since their establishment. The record attendance of 11,750 was set in a 1995 friendly match with Newcastle United. However, after the failure of England's bids to host the World Cup in 2018 or 2022, the stadium, which would have acted as a training base for teams playing at nearby St James' Park, was put on hold indefinitely. In 2014, it was reported that chairman Graham Wood "no longer considers a new purpose-built football ground vital to the future of Gateshead Football Club". In December 2015, the club's new owner, Richard Bennett, announced that the club had restarted the search for a new stadium location, although he described the International Stadium as "fabulous". Despite Gateshead qualifying for the National League play-offs in 2023–24, they were excluded due to Gateshead Council failing to grant the club a ten-year security of tenure for the International Stadium, which is required for all teams that apply for EFL membership from the National League. ==Current squad==

Out on loan ==Non-playing staff==

• FA Trophy • Winners 2023–24 • National League • National League North champions 2021–22 • Northern Premier League • Champions 1982–83, 1985–86 • Challenge Shield winners 1985–86 ==Records==

• Best FA Cup performance: Third round, 2014–15 • Biggest win: 8–0 vs Netherfield, Northern Premier League • Most goals: Paul Thompson, 130 ==See also==