Newcastle Blue Star vs Newton Aycliffe (12/09/2026)

With over a quarter of the Northern League Division One season already in the history books before even reaching October, it is time for a change of course and one that comes in the form of knockout football for Newcastle Blue Star.

Blue Star’s first attempt at driving down the road to Wembley was foiled back in August after losing to Blyth Spartans in the Extra Preliminary Round of the FA Cup and although the thought of a lengthy cup run was an enticing one, a 2-0 reverse at Croft Park put paid to it.

However, the same cannot be said of this season’s FA Vase. No big guns from the top tiers of English football in the hat, not even the top clubs from the non-league pyramid, the competition for teams in Step 5 and Step 6 serving as the perfect playground for those dreaming of Wembley.

This season’s competition already getting underway last month and the draw for the First Qualifying Round was rather favourable from a Blue Star perspective. So favourable that Paul Brayson’s men were handed a bye to the second.

The winners of the tie between Newton Aycliffe and FC Hartlepool then moving on to a trip to the KD Stadium in the Second Qualifying Round. The former booking their visit to Scotswood with a 4-2 win over their Northern League Division Two opponents.

Now though, it is two Step 5 sides going head-to-head on Saturday and with Newton Aycliffe suffering relegation from the Northern Premier League – East just a few months ago, FA Vase success is not their only objective.

They, like Blue Star, will be just as keen to be part of the playoff conversation at the end of the season but for now league matters will have to wait as a place in the First Round is up for grabs for the winner of this tie.

Blue Star come into this clash having been held at Whitley Bay last Saturday, Newton Aycliffe’s slightly sluggish start to the campaign now a thing of the past as they find themselves sitting fifth in the table and they will be keen to carry their momentum into this FA Vase clash.

Something that sets up this clash nicely. A warm welcome goes out to the visiting Newton Aycliffe team and support and for those who lend their voice to the home team, make sure to bring the noise throughout.