Boldon CA vs Newcastle Blue Star (05/07/2025)

It may only be 63 days since Newcastle Blue Star’s Northern League playoff final defeat but at the same time it feels like an age since missing out on penalties to Blyth Town.

Obvious disappointment just over a couple of months ago but now it is time to turn the page and look ahead.

With a new league campaign beginning at the end of the month, it is time for the playing personnel to be put through their paces across six scheduled pre-season friendlies – the first of those being later tonight against Boldon Community Association.

This fixture against the Northern League Division Two outfit is the only time when Marc Nash’s men will be on the pre-season road but with five further home friendlies before the opening day of the league programme, it will not be the only time his group of players will have to break sweat.

A group that will be largely familiar to the Scotswood faithful and although the recruitment policy at this level can be rather transient, manager Nash has largely kept the same squad who missed out on promotion back in May.

Therefore, it is a case of evolution rather than revolution at the KD Stadium and although the bulk of the squad is the same, that does not mean the door has been closed for new arrivals. A point reinforced by three players putting pen to paper in the past weeks.

Two players who would have played in the very game that saw Blue Star denied further progress up the pyramid. Dan Wilson and Liam Wotherspoon may have been on the winning side that evening, their task is to now emulate their recent achievements with Blyth Town nine months from now.

Also joining the squad on a permanent basis is Jack Walker and after being on a dual-registration with Dunston at the back end of last season, his string of impressive performances were enough to secure his services without the need to be shared elsewhere.

While tonight’s friendly against Division Two Boldon is the first of two skirmishes that Blue Star will contest in the space of 24 hours. The second of those being at home to Pause United but there is no time to pause as the pre-season action soon gets underway.

Something which sets up this clash rather nicely indeed. A big thanks to Boldon Community Association for their upcoming hospitality and for those attending from an away perspective, safe travels both there and back.