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Gateshead: 10 Things

Posted by FC Halifax Town
Posted on Sun 1 Apr 2018
Posted in First Team

Hoping to bounce back following defeat to AFC Fylde on Good Friday, FC Halifax Town will host Gateshead on Easter Monday.

The Shaymen will be hoping to put their wrongs right at the MBi Shay Stadium after seeing their 6-game unbeaten run come to a bitter end.

Here are 10 things of note about our upcoming opposition:

In a topsy turvy history, the current Gateshead to represent the town on a football pitch is the 4th formation of the club, being established in 1977. Gateshead AFC were originally formed, replacing South Shields in the Football League Third Division North. Gateshead Town and Gateshead United would follow before the disbandment of the latter allowed Gateshead FC to rise from the ashes.

The Heed play their home games at the 11,800 capacity Gateshead International Stadium. Initially an athletics track, Gateshead AFC moved to the stadium before eventually dissolving, but all the other amalgamations called it home, including the current team who have been here ever since.

Had Englandโ€™s bid for the 2022 World Cup come to fruition, the stadium was going to be used as a training base for teams playing in the nearby St. Jamesโ€™ Park.

The current manager of Gateshead is former Newcastle United defender Steve Watson. The 43-year-old, who also plied his trade for Everton and Aston Villa, amongst others, replaced Neil Aspin back in October when Aspin left to take over at Port Vale.

There will be some familiar faces amongst the current roster at Gateshead when they travel down on Monday. Former Shaymen Jordan Burrow and Richard Peniket will be returning to the place they called home in the not so distant past.

The record goal scorer for the visitors is striker Paul Thompson, who represented the club on 3 occasions between 1995-1997, 1999-2004 and 2005-2008. During his times with Gateshead, the now 44-year-old banged in a total of 130 goals.

James Curtis holds the record for most appearances for The Heed, racking up a total of 596 appearances over a 13 year stay, playing for them between 2003-2016.

The clubโ€™s badge depicts the symbolic Angel of the North which welcomes any visitors as they enter Gateshead. According to the Gateshead Council website, it is seen by 33 million people every year.

As well as the Angel of the North, the town is well revered for its architectural heritage, with the Gateshead Millennium Bridge, the Sage Gateshead concert venue and the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art making up an impressive skyline alongside the River Tyne.

The town of Gateshead, in which the club is based, is the hometown of a variety of famous faces, including England international Andy Carroll, ex-England star Paul Gascoigne, former athlete Jonathan Edwards and AC/DC lead singer Brian Johnson.

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