North Shields vs Newcastle Blue Star (02/08/2025)

The Road to Wembley is open to the public this weekend and it is a road that Newcastle Blue Star have seemingly walked before.

Back in the greatest knockout club competition in the world, back where they started their previous journey 12 months ago.

North Shields playing the role of hosts and opponents on exactly the same weekend last year. The same outfit being presented with the same double duty in just a few hours as both they and Blue Star find themselves up for the cup once more.

Last season saw Marc Nash’s men come from behind to win 2-1 and secure progress to the Preliminary Round – a stage of the competition that would create some of the greatest memories that the club’s supporters have ever been treated to.

However, there will be no treats on offer on Saturday as the two local rivals look for far more than early season bragging rights and with the visiting outfit having yet to pick up a league win, the opportunity to change temporary focus will be welcomed.

Saturday’s away side having picked up a single league point from the first six on offer – three less than that of Shields themselves and after grinding out a point at home to Whitley Bay a week ago, Blue Star failed to add extra investment to this season’s points account in midweek.

A 3-1 defeat to Shildon is far from season defining but Tuesday’s reverse will have no doubt smarted on both sides of the touchline. A win on Saturday does not only offer cup progress but the chance to find the ignition spark in the first few weeks of the campaign.

Although a trip to Wembley is a far more likely proposition through the pathway of the FA Vase, there is no doubt that manager Nash and his players will want to take as many steps towards the capital as possible.

At the same time, you can only make those steps if you first focus on what is right in front of you. That focus is the challenge set by the Daren Persson Stadium outfit. The challenge is to have your name in the hat for the Preliminary Round draw.

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