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When Alan Shearer recently scored his 200th goal for Newcastle
to become the highest scorer in the club’s history, some of
the media’s attention focused on Jack Milburn, the man whose
record he had broken. If you chanced upon one such report, then
the name of Ashington FC will be familiar. For it was this small
North East club that Milburn got his first chance to play the game
at a senior level.
Formed in 1887, the club’s golden era came in the 1920’s
when they were founder members of the Third Division (North), where
they played for eight seasons before eventually drifting off to
the non-league. Apart from Milburn, the club’s most famous
sons are Bobby and Jack Charlton both of whom turned out in their
colours, even if as ball-boys.
Today, the professional clubs’ academies and centres of excellence
greatly diminish the possibilities of clubs like Ashington from
having the likes of the Charlton brothers running after loose balls,
much less nurturing the next Jack Milburn.
Yet doing so has never been their main focus: in most cases such
clubs are the sporting heartbeat of the community.
Only that, in Ashington’s case, not everyone within the community
seems to appreciate their contribution. What’s worse, it is
the section that you would least expect to be ungrateful that is
guilty of just that.
For the past twelve years, Ashington have been well aware of the
Wansbeck District Council’s eagerness to sell off the club’s
Portland Park for development. This year – ironically the 99th
in which the club have played there – they’ve finally
found a buyer and have given notice to leave their home at the end
of the current campaign.
Since it has been coming for so long, in itself that decision has
not been a major shock. That there are no apparent plans to re-house
the club, however, is.
Gay Bell is a life-long fan of the club and is distraught by Ashington
FC’s current plight. “In 1907 the Duke Of Portland gave
the people of Ashington Portland Park for their use. He placed upon
the land a covenant that stated that the land could only be used
for sport and recreation,” he explains patiently. “Unfortunately
there has been a change in the law with regards to covenants and
the council are now in negotiation to buy that covenant to allow
this development to go ahead.”
“Is it not therefore reasonable that the council should replace
this land by giving the people of Ashington a new football stadium
to replace to one that is being taken from them?”
It is certainly a legitimate question that deserves a better answer
than the one currently being provided by the council; “Wansbeck
Council is fully committed to working with the club to ensure the
long-standing football tradition in Ashington is maintained by identifying
a site for its long-term move to a new ground.”
Yet so far nothing has been decided. For Bell, this is unacceptable.
“The council have had twelve years to have a site ready for
development to provide a replacement ground before we had to vacate
Portland Park. Still they are unable to provide any clear indication
of where or when this will be. If they can't get their act together
in twelve years then why should we believe that they will suddenly
come up with the goods?”
“Secondly the council in previous discussions with the club
about failed developments have always maintained that they would
provide us with a ground and facilities to at least the standard
that we currently enjoy, now when it comes to the crunch it would
appear that the council are reneging on this promise and have told
the club that they will need to obtain their own funding to build
a ground. This despite the vast profits that they stand to make
on the sale of Portland Park.”
It is a worrying state of affairs which could orphan this proud
footballing town of its club. For Bell is under no illusions as
to what would happen should they be deprived of their lifeline which
is their own ground and clubhouse.
“If we are to move out of Ashington for any length of time
then it will be meaningless whether the council eventually provide
us with a new home or not as, without the resources to raise the
funds to run the team, we will cease to exist long before the new
facility could be built.”
“The town has always been linked with two things football and
mining.
The mining is now gone and so the people of Ashington cling proudly
to their football achievements. The only time England has won the
World Cup two brothers born and raised in the town graced the side.
This is an achievement no other town, village or city can match.
Newcastle's greatest centre forward was also born and raised here,
living all of his life in the town he loved so dearly. This is the
heritage that they are blindly tearing from the heart of this community.”
“The club itself provides a focal point for people of all ages.
We have youth teams from the age of 8 upwards, we have girls’
teams, a woman's team is under development. Our clubhouse plays
host to many community groups with diverse needs.”
“When we die this all dies with us.”
As has happened elsewhere throughout England, the club’s fans
won’t allow this to happen without a fight. Bell and a group
of Ashington FC supporters have launched the Keep Football in NE63
campaign where they’re aiming to add as many signatures as
possible to a petition that will eventually be presented to the
District Council.
“The reaction has been fantastic so far and at times quite
moving. We have almost 900 signatures on our on-line petition. Many
of these have included messages of support which show the strength
of feeling that there is on this matter. These messages come from
locals and ex-pats as well as people who have never been to Ashington
before but have heard of our plight and feel moved to back us.”
It used to be said that you could shout down the mine shaft at Ashington
Colliery and Newcastle's next centre forward would be winched to
the surface. Now most of the shouting, figuratively, is being directed
towards the Wansbeck District Council in the hope that they avoid
pushing this proud club towards the fate that befell the mining
community.
To sign the Keep Football in NE63 petition, visit www.ashingtonfc.com.
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