Steve Beauchampe goes behind the scenes of Blues’ trip to Blyth.
To football fans of a certain age the name of Blyth Spartans is forever associated with the FA Cup, and in particular their epic run to the fifth round in 1977-78 . Defeat finally came at the hands of Wrexham in front of 42,000 fans at Newcastle’s St. James’s Park – and only then courtesy of a controversial penalty. The cup run had included a 3-2 win at Stoke City’s old Victoria Ground, and by the time Blyth went out of the competition ace marksman Terry Johnson and his team mates had become legends both in this small coastal town and throughout the whole of the north-east.
A run to the third round in 2008-099 saw Spartans beaten 1-0 at their Croft Park home by Blackburn Rovers, denying them a lucrative fourth round tie with Sunderland, but this season the club have once again been back to their giantkilling ways having reached round three via victories over Darlington (following a replay) and Hartlepool United, whom they overcame in front of Match of the Day cameras with a late winner to set up the encounter with Birmingham City.
Located a five minute walk from the market square and main shopping street, Croft Park was packed out for the tie, and in the large social club supporter Tom Sawyer, decked out in Spartans green and white and surrounded by family and friends, is the definition of someone who follows their local team: “I started supporting Blyth in 1969 and I live right behind the ground. I could bunk in via the fence in my garden but I always pay. I go to every home game and I used to go to every away match too when we had a travel club, but since that stopped I just get to the occasional match although I’ve been to all the away FA Cup matches this season, including Darlington and Hartlepool. We’re a strong side, particularly so in the final twenty minutes of a game, as we proved in the home replay against Darlington, coming from behind to win 4-1 at home.”
As for today’s fixture, Tom is realistic: “We’re at it again, at this stage it’s the glory that counts. We’re not going to win the FA Cup but whatever happens we’ve had a fantastic run and we can enjoy the atmosphere and being in the spotlight. So if we lose I wont be dissapointed.”
Naturally, the talk turns to that late seventies cup run. Tom Sawyer: “I remember it all really. We were in the Northern League then, which is a lot further down than we are now (Blyth are currently in the Evo Stick Premier), but we had a good team and we were a big fish in a little pond. We could have gone further in the cup that season and we were drawn to play Arsenal in the quarter finals if we’d got through, which is unbelievable.”
Also in the social club is Alex McNeil, an Airrie supporter who’s come to watch his nephew and Blyth player Damon Mullen. “This is a very special occasion for both him and the family and it’s undoubtedly the biggest game of his career so far. He’s realistic though, a draw would be great but they’re stepping up a few divisions with today’s opponents so it’s going to be very tough.”
Over at the club shop trade is steady rather than brisk, but as Chris Ferguson, who helps out on matchdays says, the run up to the game has been manic for the shop. “Replica home shirts, scarves, beanie hats – we’ve completely sold out of them all. We’ve been here every day this week. If we do get through though, I’d prefer an way tie next because I don’t think we’ll have enough time to get much more merchandise manufactured!”
Passion aside, these cup runs are vital to the club’s short term future, as Secretary Colin Baxter explains: “It will help us to keep going for the next couple of seasons. It’s the biggest game of the season so far, hopefully not our biggest but I’m keeping my fingers crossed. But it’s also the prestige. We’ve had messages from all the clubs in the Evo Stick wishing us well and we’re conscious that we’re representing the league today as well as ourselves”. Colin wasn’t with the club in the late seventies but appreciates the significance of that team’s achievement. “I was living in the Fens back then but I was here for the Blackburn game, and you can’t be associated with this club and not appreciate the importance of the FA Cup to everyone associated with it.”
We watch the game from the packed home terraces, green and white clad fans surrounding us and the atmosphere and surroundings are the epitome of FA Cup third round day. In the winter sunshine Blyth power into a two goal lead, and at half-time all around us is optimism and good humour. Under Lee Clarke, I fancy Blues would have been down and out and making the cup headlines for all of the wrong reasons. Yet with Gary Rowett in charge, this almost full-strength team, albeit including several squad players, are made of sterner stuff and, as has been well documented by the Match of the Day cameras, Blues stormed back with three goals in seven second half minutes to take the tie 3-2.
Blyth to their credit, and as we had been promised repeatedly by the fans we spoke with before the match, kept going to the end, but on the final whistle those green and white hordes were left with what might have beens and memories. Memories that will stay with them for a long time, of a cup run that once again had made this small north-eastern town national news.
