This article is part of the ‘League Preview’ series, in which every day we take a detailed look at one of Aldershot Town’s 23 prospective opponents for the upcoming National League season.
Today’s focus is 2021/22 National League North champions, and 2023/24 FA Trophy winners, Gateshead FC.
Founded in 1977, ‘the Heed’ may forever boast the claim of being English football’s first ever centurians, winning the Northern Premier League with exactly 100 points in 1983, just two years after the introduction of ‘three points for a win’.
A typically extreme away-day for all of the division’s southern-based clubs, the Heed are due to gain another piece of history on the October 25th, as visiting Truro City will make the longest ever journey in English domestic football (~478 miles).
Led by ‘one of their own’, Gateshead-born Alun Armstrong in the dugout, the Tynesiders will be looking to continue their strong recent history in the division, missing out on play-off contention by a mere point last campaign.
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Where is Gateshead?
The town of Gateshead is situated deep in the north east of England. South of the river Tyne, it falls directly adjacent to the city of Newcastle, and may be best identified as the home of ‘the angel of the north’, which can be seen on the club’s insignia. With a population of roughly 200,000, it is the third-largest settlement in the county of Tyne and Wear. Approximately 306 miles from the EBB Stadium, this 5h 51m journey will mark Aldershot’s second-furthest away trip of the upcoming league season.
Gateshead are one of three professional football clubs in Tyne and Wear, alongside Premier League duo Newcastle and Sunderland. As alluded to above, the Tynesiders are no stranger to extreme away journeys, however, in terms of National League rivals, Durham-based Hartlepool United will provide the Heed with some transportational reprieve, situated just 29 miles away.
With two of English football’s elite on their doorstep, it is no surprise that Gateshead’s supporter-base is dwarfed by their nearest rivals. However, outside of the town itself, Gateshead currently serves as the closest place to see fifth-tier football or higher in Chester-le-street (~24,000 pop.), Jarrow (44,000) and Washington (67,000).
Gateshead play their home matches at the Gateshead International Stadium, or the GIS in brief. Complete with surrounding running track, this multi-purpose, all-seater stadium is one of the most unique in the division, regularly hosting both athletics and stadium-level concerts outside of football. With a capacity of 11,800, the GIS has been the home of Gateshead FC since its inception in 1977, and is the 3rd largest in this season’s National League.
Gateshead finished the 2024/25 season with an average league attendance of 1,404, the 6th lowest among teams in this season’s competition.
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Recent history and club highlights
The current decade has been one of retribution for the Heed, receiving relegation from the National League in 2019 on grounds of financial issues, before returning at the third time of asking after two sixth-tier seasons were interrupted due to the Covid 19 pandemic.
2024/25 – National League (8th)
2023/24 – National League (6th)
2022/23 – National League (14th)
2021/22 – NL North (1st, Promoted)
2020/21 – NL North (N/A)
2019/20 – NL North (7th)
2018/19 – National League (17th*)
2017/18 – National League (17th)
2016/17 – National League (8th)
2015/16 – National League (9th)
While Gateshead’s non-footballing relegation was an objectively sorry circumstance, the Shots were reprieved as a byproduct, as their 21st place finish would have otherwise seen them face the drop instead.
Upon returning to step-one, after an emphatic 94-point season saw them crowned National League North champions in 2021-22, the Tynesiders have been a genuine force in the division, with top-eight finishes in each of the past two seasons.
Gateshead’s highest ever league finish came in 2014, as the club finished third in the Football Conference. Beating Grimsby 4-2 over two-legs to reach a Wembley play-off final, the side earned their greatest chance at fourth-tier promotion to date. Sadly for the Heed, they would lose 2-1 to Cambridge United in front of a crowd of 19,613.
More recently the club were aggrieved in 2023/24, when despite finishing 6th in the division, they were denied play-off participation due to an administrative error regarding the tenure of their stadium. With hopes of EFL Football in their sights, this issue has since been solved.
Outside of league action, Gateshead’s most significant achievement came in 2024, with the club lifting the FA Trophy for the very first time. With the final finishing 2-2 after extra-time, Dajaune Brown’s sudden-death penalty saw off Solihull Moors to earn a very first Wembley win.
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Pre-season, incoming transfers and other news
At time of writing, Gateshead have made 3 first team signings.
| Player | Pos. | Age | Arriving from… | Highest level played |
| Callum Johnson | RB | 28 | Bradford City | SPL (Ross County) |
| Peter Jameson | GK | 32 | Darlington | League Two (Harrogate) |
| David Ferguson | LB | 31 | Hartlepool Utd | Championship (Blackpool) |
Having played a supporting role in Bradford City’s League Two promotion campaign, defensive acquisition Callum Johnson stands out as the most exciting arrival in what has been a quiet transfer window thus far.
Midfield duo Luke Hannant and Regan Booty have both left for Football League clubs, joining Oldham Athletic and Barrow AFC respectively. Accruing a combined 17 goals and 87 appearances in the league last season, the Heed are yet to replace the firepower that has been left behind.
Gateshead’s current pre-season schedule, which has included a magnificent seven-goal outing against League One opposition, is as follows:
Hebburn Town 0-4 Gateshead (08/07)
Gateshead 2-2 Sunderland (12/07)
Gateshead 7-0 Doncaster Rovers (15/07)
Blyth Town 0-1 Gateshead (19/07)
Dunston UTS vs Gateshead (26/07)
Spennymoor Town vs Gateshead (29/07)
Darlington vs Gateshead (02/07)
Curzon Ashton vs Gateshead (02/07)
After preparations conclude with a trip to sixth-tier Darlington, the Heed will begin their National League campaign with a home test against Southend United on Saturday, 9th August.
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When will Aldershot and Gateshead play each other?
Following the release of the National League fixture list, Tommy Widdrington’s men are due to travel to Tyneside on Saturday, 30th August, while the Heed will make their trip to the EBB Stadium on Saturday, 11th April.
With no meetings in cup competition, this tie has been exclusively contested as a fifth-tier league fixture. The Shots first made the arduous journey to the Gateshead International Stadium in early 2014, where the sides played out a goalless draw during a midweek in January.
Since then, the clubs have contested a further 17 times. While it took seven attempts for Aldershot to claim their very first victory against the Tynesiders, they have since somewhat levelled a once one-sided head-to-head record, losing just one of the last six meetings.
Games played: 18
Aldershot wins: 6
Gateshead wins: 7
Draws: 5
Aggregate score: 23-23
Record Shots victory: 3-0 (2016)
Record Gateshead victory: 3-0 (2018)
The sides last met in March, where a travelling Gateshead lost 3-1 at the EBB Stadium. A second-minute opener from Jack Roles was undone by a trio of goals from Josh Barrett, Ryan Jones and Jack Barham.
