HAVING captained his home town club through their most successful spell, Mark Storey has ended his long association with Haltwhistle Jubilee.

Club captain for the past few years, he was a regular as Haltwhistle completed their first quadruple of 2013-2014.

But with first team opportunities becoming less frequent throughout last season, Storey decided to step down a division and answer the call to manage new team Haltwhistle Railway Hotel.

The stalwart who turned 35 just this week isn‘t planning on hanging up his boots just yet, though,  and he still aims at playing each Sunday for the newcomers.

A former player with Haltwhistle Red Star, Storey then joined Haltwhistle‘s Sunday team and he remained there until the summer. Now he is looking forward to the new challenge.

He said: “I’ve played with Haltwhistle since the late 1990s with Red Star, and I‘m good friends with everyone at the Jubilee.

”I have enjoyed a lot of success with them but it was a case that I was in and out of the tam as younger and better players were coming in.

“Plus, at my age, I was wanting to go into management any way but this was a little bit earlier than I expected.

”It was really hard leaving Jubilee but I still get on great with them them and I will still have a drink with them, and there was no ill feeling about the move as they’ve all sent their well wishes.

“It will be strange dropping down a division after being so successful, but I‘m looking forward to it and starting the new team.”

Similarly to the first division, it looks like Division Two, consisting five new teams, will be touch tight too with any amount of teams capable of posing a title challenge.

Below, the Courant profiles each team in preview of Sunday’s big kick off.


HEXHAM HEARTS

Home pitch: Tyne Green, Hexham. 2014-2015 position: 4th.

Welcoming another raft of youngsters into the team, Hexham Hearts are blending youth with experience.

Many players are making the step up from junior football for the first time, but they will be well guided by the experienced players such as Tom North, Dan Toward, Duncan Scott and captain Dan Sempers, who has turned 40.

The reports from their game against a Division Two Select XI were all promising, and the league’s oldest team want to continue bringing through young members to keep the team going.

North said: ”There are of young lads coming through and we want to make sure we continue to introduce them to senior football through the experienced players for years to come.

“This is the most important thing to us but we want to be competitive too. Everybody loves a cup run and we got the semi-finals of the division cup last year so hopefully we can go one better and get to the final.”


SWINBURNE ARMS STAMFORDHAM

Home pitch: Stamfordham Cricket Club. 2014-2015 position: 5th.

Whipping boys up until two seasons ago, last season‘s capture of the Division Two Cup illustrated Swinburne Arms Stamfordham’s rapid improvement.

A team who will be able to give Division One outfits a game on their day, they are tipped for promotion as they continue their strong links with Northern Alliance side Ponteland United.

With manager Craig McDonald a committee member of United, they have managed to bring brothers Ethan and Zac Bewley to the club, while Otterburn‘s Josh White is another new face. Former Newcastle United junior Greg McDermott also remains at Swinburne.

They have lost Rob Howorth to fellow new boys Heddon St Andrew’s but are looking in great shape ahead of the season.

McDonald said: “It looks like it‘s going to be a tough season but you can’t really say until the season starts. We fancy ourselves to do well but there will be three or four teams going for the league, and hopefully we will be one of those.”

HAYDON BRIDGE ANCHOR 

Home pitch: Low Hall Farm, Haydon Bridge. 2014-2015 position: 6th.

Cursed with injuries last season, Haydon Bridge Anchor will be hoping to push on as long as they can keep their players off the treatment table.

Key players midfielder Kev McDonald and goalkeeper Adam Boyd are back from long term injuries, and they will be a welcome addition alongside some new faces. Warden trio Tom Waugh, Kieran and Ryan Robley are signed up, as are former Bardon Mill player Scott Makepeace and ex-Barrasford defender Paul Makepeace.

Manager Jonny Flanagan is happy that he has kept most of his squad together, and hopes are high at Low Hall Farm.

Flanagan said: “I think it‘s going to be a strong league because, traditionally you had some whipping boys, but now that team is one of the favourites for the title!

”Most of the team has been together for seven years or so, and as long as we avoid our injury curse then we should do okay.“

ROSE AND CROWN BELLINGHAM

Home pitch: Bellingham Middle School. 2014-2015 position: 8th.

Finishing bottom of the pile last year, things can’t get any worse for Rose and Crown Bellingham from a positional point of view.

But they are hopeful of putting together more of a challenge this year round despite few changes to personnel.

Long term absentee Andy Hall looks set to miss most of the season, if not all, after injuring himself 10 minutes into his return in midweek, but Adam Stephen, the teenager who collapsed with a cardiac arrest, is back playing after his near fatal experience on the pitch in February. Bellingham also welcome a few juniors from Haydon Bridge, including Ross Milburn and Josh Buchanan.

Manager David Turner said: ”Really we haven‘t made a lot of changes, but the lads seem a lot more committed than last season, and they were desperate for the club to carry on when I asked if we should pack it in or not.

“We go into the season hoping for the best, but if we can get a team which shows the commitment then I would expect us to finish nearer the top than the bottom.”

HEXHAMSHIRE

Home pitch: Whitley Chapel. 2014-2015 position: N/A.

For the first time in 10 years, competitive football is returning to Hexhamshire.

A team with a great history particularly in Saturday football, the area has been without until a bunch of young farmers and friends decided 2015 was the right year for a revival.

The team is made up of players from Hexhamshire, Slaley and Blanchland without a local team to join, and their main goal for the season is just to enjoy whatever is thrown at them.

Secretary Lewis Short said: “I was 17 or 18 when I played for Hexhamshire all those years ago, and we just decided to bring it back as there was a lot of interest from the lads.

”We’re not hoping for anything special with it being a new team playing together for the first time, but we just want to build a bit of a squad and enjoy it.“

HALTWHISTLE RAILWAY HOTEL

Home pitch: River Tyne, Haltwhistle. 2014-2015 position: N/A.

A group of mates drinking in the Railway Hotel decided to form a new team, Haltwhistle sport currently booming following the success of the triumphant football and cricket teams.

Calling on Haltwhistle Jubilee stalwart Mark Storey to manage them, he has brought in ex-Bardon Mill trio Andy Kennedy, Andy Wrightson and Stuart Sproul, who he describes as the most improved player he‘s ever seen.

With the entire squad hailing from the town, there is a buzz around the team as they look to continue the success the town has enjoyed recently.

Storey said: ”There’s a few young ones joining and it is quite refreshing to have everybody in the squad from the town, especially as there’s no excuse to miss training!

“I keep saying to the lads that the best thing about this league is that we can‘t get relegated, but I have already seen a big improvement from our first preseason game to our fifth and final one.”

RYTON SOCIAL CLUB

Home pitch: Newburn Centre. 2014-2015 position: N/A.

Having played in the Tyneside Sunday League previously, Ryton Social Club have moved to Hexham following the resignation of neighbours Ryton and Crawcrook Albion.

Albion stalwart David Tremble has been coaxed out of retirement to captain the club by manager Michael Lowrie, while Martin Smith, Ant Sanderson and Andrew Below have also switched from the other Ryton club.

Pretty much an unknown quantity in Hexham, Ryton go looking to spring a few surprises.
Tremble said: “To be honest, we haven’t won a lot of games in preseason but we have matched teams and silly mistakes have cost us. 

“I lost interest in playing during last season when I helped run things there, but now I‘ve got the hunger back and I’m looking forward to another season where I can just concentrate on playing.”

ADAM AND EVE PRUDHOE

Home pitch: Prudhoe High School 3G. 2014-2015 position: N/A.

Making the step up from junior football, the latest product from the fantastic Prudhoe YC junior ranks are making their senior debut.

Having challenged towards the top as U17 last year, Prudhoe Adam and Eve are hoping to emulate the success of their colleagues from Halfway House who have won many admirers for their attractive football.

While new to adult football, they eagerly anticipate what awaits them throughout the season.

Peter Walker said: “The team is shaping up very well and we have strong numbers, even if we are a young and inexperienced side.

”We‘re all just hoping to carry on this season where we left off as juniors last year.“

HEDDON ST ANDREW’S

Home pitch: East Heddon. 2014-2015 position: N/A.

Finalists in this year‘s Clayton Charity Cup, Heddon St Andrew‘s caught the eye as they came close to earning the crown in an entertaining final with Ponteland United.

Joining from the North East Sunday League, and no longer playing on a Saturday, they are everybody’s favourites to lift the crown first time of asking.

There is talent throughout the squad with striker Dan Walker and midfielder Mark Murtagh the men to really watch out for.

 Gary Howorth said: ”In the last few years we have crept up the North East leagues, and judging by the Clayton Cup performances I think we should have a good shout of the title.
“However, it‘s been a bit of a mixed bag and judging things by our preseason then it’s going to be very hard to win it.“

OPENING DAY FIXTURES

The Phoenix Hexham Division Two

Haltwhistle Railway v Haydon Bridge Anchor. 

Hexhamshire v Hexham Hearts. 

Swinburne Arms Stamfordham v Ryton Social Club.

Heddon St Andrew‘s v Adam & Eve Prudhoe.

Rose and Crown Bellingham no game.