Liam Drury: Return To The Top

March

This month was quite disappointing by my standards. After having gone unbeaten in the league since 3rd November, the wheels began to slip this month but we were lucky to somehow get ourselves back on track of the promotion race heading into April. However, we are looking the strongest bet for promotion at the moment as we continue to battle Guisborough to go up. Here is how March panned out:

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Fixtures

(Northern League D2)2.3.2019-Ryton & Crawcrook Albion 1(Webb 16) South Shields 0

Starting XI:Tom Taylor, Josh Meade, Jack Lilley, Tom Clarke, Jake Cliffe, Cesaire Lingouba, Jack Stockdill, Sean Myler, Harry Cain, Adam Telfer, Max Brown.

Substitutes:Gareth Rees, Lee Thompson(On for Telfer, 70), Jake Smith(On for Cain, 70), Robbie Simpson, Jordan Cooke.

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(Northern League D2)9.3.2019-South Shields 3(Telfer 1 41, Simpson 14) Alnwick 1(Kelly 32)

Starting XI:Tom Taylor, Josh Meade, Jake Cliffe, Jordan Cooke, Tom Clarke, Lee Thompson, Jack Stockdill, Sean Myler, Jake Smith, Adam Telfer, Robbie Simpson.

Substitutes:Denny Snoddy, Jack Lilley, Cesaire Lingouba, Max Brown, Matt Draper.

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(Northern League D2)16.3.2019-Northallerton 3(Hilton 17, Gray 45, Harris 90+2) South Shields 0

Starting XI:Tom Taylor, Josh Meade, Jake Lilley, Jake Cliffe, Tom Clarke, Sean Myler, Jack Stockdill, Jake Smith, Lee Thompson, Max Brown, Adam Telfer.

Substitutes:Denny Snoddy, Ryan Serrant, Cesaire Lingouba, Robbie Simpson, Matt Draper(On for Lilley, 66).

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(Northern League D1)23.3.2019-South Shields 1(Simpson 3) Stokesley 0

Starting XI:Tom Taylor, Josh Meade, Jake Cliffe, Tom Clarke, Ryan Serrant, Ceaire Lingouba, Jack Stockdill, Sean Myler, Jake Smith, Adam Telfer, Robbie Simpson.

Substitutes:Craig Carney, Lee Thompson, Brad Aspinall, Max Brown, Matt Draper.

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(Northern League D2)30.3.2019-Guisborough 2(Watts 24, Dow 82) South Shields 3(Telfer 53, Simpson 57, Smith 88)

Starting XI:Tom Taylor, Josh Meade, Jake Cliffe, Nick Wood, Tom Clarke, Cesaire Lingouba, Jack Stockdill, Jake Smith, Harry Cain, Adam Telfer, Robbie Simpson.

Substitutes:Danny Snoddy, Jack Lilley, Sean Myler, Max Brown(On for Telfer, 76), Ryan Serrant.

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League Table

The hunt for our promotion straight back to the Northern League D2 goes on and on. It really is the never-ending saga of this season, I swear. Having held top spot for weeks on end, a total of 11 weeks out of 38 so far this season. It is highly unlikely we are going to regain top spot now as Washington are running away from us and at the end of the penultimate month, we now sit in 3rd spot with 78 points as we continue to secure that last promotion spot to seal our return to where we need to be and to where we belong.

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Player Of The Month-Adam Telfer

Adam has been on fire these past two months and I feel that with former Football League striker Robbie Simpson arriving as his new strike partner, Adam has had a better mindset and somebody to look up to. This has shown with the striker getting 3 goals and 2 assists this month so I had no choice really to award him Player Of The Month again.

Telfer's on fire mate! Good going this month man

Jack:Thanks man. But still, TELFER'S ON FIRE, YOUR DEFENCE IS TERRIFIED!

Shields Are Promoted

It is the end to a fantastic season at Filtrona Park for everybody at South Shields, with manager Liam Drury being bale to steer the Geordie-based club back up to Northern D1 at the first time of asking.

Shields fans will be celebrating long into the night as they have ended their brief stay in the Northern League D2, with fans calling Drury the 'miracle worker' of the club and Drury has been quick to accept this nickname.

After a season which has brought about Shields being one of the dominant forces in the league despite finishing 3rd, the game that really mattered ended 1-0 to Billingham Town but with Guisborough losing 2-0 to Alnwick, this meant Shields were back up to the league they claim they belong in.

Drury's transfers late on in the season, particularly Robbie Simpson and Jake Cliffe, saw Shields make a claim for the last promotion spot and with the new signings they did it in style, Simpson scoring 4 goals in his 6 Shields games.

On the 27th April, the club will be rounding off it's season away to Willington, who currently sit in 17th at the time of writing. With Drury all for youth within his first-team, he will surely be including some of the U18's to introduce them to first-team football. But can Shields end on a high? Find out next weekend.

15th May 2019

I climbed out of my car, parked outside Weston's Woodspring Stadium, before climbing onto a coach which contained Weston's current first team, U21's and U18's, players and staff alike. We had rented out loads of pitches in Bristol so we could hold a massive Weston AFC 11-a-side tournament. I sat down in my seat next to Jake Mawford, with Scott Wilson and Syd Camper on the other side of the walkway. We took the 1-hour drive to the football pitches we had booked out for the tournament before stepping off the coach. "Where's the food?" Jake asked as we immediately stepped off.

"There ain't none. This was the only way to get you on the coach" Scott Wilson replied and we all chuckled. We all split up into 4 teams. I was put on a team with the coaches. In goal for our team was my former youth coach Dan J. In defence was Dan H, James, Syd and Ben. In midfield was Will, Matt, Lewis and Gary Owers, the assistant manager. Meanwhile up front was myself, partnered with U14's coach Ash, my former team-mate. In our first game, we faced off against Craig Alaile, Clayton Fortune, Charles Laxton, John Smith, Ainsley McConnell, Brandon Warner, Matt Phillips, Stephen Summers, Dominic Satterley, George King and Germaine Ofori.

We kicked the game off, and we immediately got into a possession game passing the ball around on the floor. Our first action of note was when a long ball from Matt was brought down by Gary Owers. Owers picked his head up and played the ball to Will on the edge of the box and his low drive was easily stopped by Craig in goal. Craig then launched the ball upfield to King, who knocked it down for Matt Phillips, who charged past Dan H and James and stuck the ball past Dan J into the corner. From the kick-off, Lewis attempted to play me in down the left-hand side and as I looked up to go past Clayton, I was barged over as Clayton got a touch on the ball.. I picked myself up and retrieved the ball from a slightly older guy. I caught a glimpse of his face before picking the ball up in horror. It couldn't be. Not today. Not now. He couldn't ruin a perfect day like today. I hadn't seen him for years and yet he was here. On the day we chose to be here. It was Josh. My half-brother. I couldn't let this stand, i thought, as I took the throw-in.

Next time I was played in behind by Lewis, I looked up to see if Josh was still there. And he was. Joined by around twenty of his mates. This time, Clayton bundled me over and I deliberately stumbled enough to knock it into Josh and send us both to the ground. "What the f**k are you doing?" I said angrily, turning around to look at my brother, wiping mud from his hands. "Watch where your going, bro" Josh said with a sneer across his face. I carefully got up and stamp on Josh's leg purposefully. Josh screams in pain before his mate swings me around. "What was that for?" his mate asks. "He's my brother. I do what I want" I reply bossily. His mate swings his first and catches me across the face I feel pain shoot through my cheek as I fall to the floor. "OI" I hear from the pitch and I hear people rushing over. Ash helps me to my feet as I open my eyes to see Dan J pushing Josh's mate away from me. "Now get your scummy friend and take him away from here" Dan said impressively.

"No. Let him stay" I say and Josh climbs to his feet. "You better watch your back Drury" Josh says aggressively. "Funny. Because you better watch yours too" I reply and Josh punches me in the stomach before uppercutting me and sending me to the floor. Lewis helps me back to my feet and holds me back as I try and swing for Josh. "Go on. Run along pretty boy" I say as Josh walks away with his mates. I can feel blood pouring from my lip and my nose. "Liam. You need to sit down" Matt says as I stagger back to the pitch. "I'm fine mate" I say as I kick the ball back to where it should be for a goal-kick. I can still feel the blood pouring down my face as the other players jog back onto the pitch. I go over and talk to Ash to instruct him on how to play the ball. when me or him have it. Then, I fell to the floor. Everything was black. I could hear feet running towards me. Then everything went dark...

26th May 2019

I walked out of Weston Hospital, a white bandage across my face with my best mate, Matt, following behind me. "You did tell Darcy what happened didn't you?" I ask. Matt rolled his eyes at me. "Of course I did. Wouldn't have your girlfriend worrying now would I?" Matt replied. "Ok. Cool. Thanks mate" I say as I climb into my car. "Are you sure your ok to drive?" Matt asks. I look up at him from my driver's seat.

I scroll my window down and stick my head out. "Course I'm ok to drive. The doctors gave me the all clear" I reply. "Do you fancy a kickabout first?" Matt asks me. I ponder on this thought for a moment. "Go on then. Jump in" I say to Matt before he hops into the passenger seat. I drive the short distance to Weston AFC, where I park the car, grab a football from the store room and head round to the back pitches which are available for pretty much anyone.

Me and Matt took turns at shooting toward the goal. We managed to keep on losing the ball in the river behind the goal, which took us multiple attempts to get back whenever we did lose it. After playing, we then headed inside to the bar where we spent a couple of hours drinking as other people passed us by at the bar. Before long, I looked at the watch, realised that it was gone past 3 in the afternoon before bidding Matt farewell. I left the club, climbed into my car before beginning my drive out of Weston and toward my new home of Newcastle with a huge smile on my face.

26th June 2019

I opened my eyes as I lay in the bed. I looked out of the open windows as the birds chirped. I realised that this wasn't my bedroom. I propped myself up on the pillows and looked at the figure lying next to me.

It wasn't Darcy. The female had brown, curly hair and had an amazing body of what I could see. I looked around the room and I could see our clothes strewn across the floor. I reached across to the cabinet on the female's side of the bed and grabbed her wallet before opening it up. I pulled her drivers license from the wallet and looked at it.

The girl's name was Olivia and it also stated that her age was 18. I couldn't believe it. I had cheated on Darcy with a stranger who I had never met before. Then the female opened her eyes and smiled at me.

"Alright baby. How are you?" Olivia said. "I shouldn't be here" I replied urgently. "You chose to be here. We got drunk last night. And we slept here together" Olivia said charmingly as her bright, blue eyes bore into mine.

"I've got a fiancee and a daughter at home. I really should be there" I said as I pulled my pants and trousers on. "Do you not know who I am? I believe you manage my boyfriend" Olivia said. I turned to look at her. "Who are you then?" I asked politely. "My name's Olivia and my boyfriend plays for South Shields" she says.

"Who's your boyfriend?" I ask and Olivia smiles at me before replying. "My boyfriend's Mark Osborne" Olivia says and I pull my top on over my head before rushing out the room and slamming the door behind me. I had slept with a player's girlfriend. And it was one I had stuck with for so many months. I couldn't let him find out...

Northern League D1 Fixtures Released

Today is a big day for all of the clubs in Northern League D1 as they find out who they will be facing up to over each gameweek heading into the new season.

Favorites for the title Shildon will be travelling to Brandon on the 10th August, whilst Albion Sports, tipped to finish rock-bottom, will kick off their campaign at home to Bradford Town. Newly-promoted sides South Shields and Northallerton will face off against eachother on the opening day.

After Christmas, the most important games on 28th December will surely be North Shields vs Marske, as the two are prepared to battle for the title this season among a host of other clubs.

New Year's Day is also set to be an enjoyable day for most teams as they head into the new decade aiming to consolidate their places for where they need to be.

On New Year's Day, the first games of the season are this time reversed, which will see South Shields and Northallerton go up against eachother for the second time of the season and it will also see title favorites Shildon face Brandon at home this time around. North Shields will also take on Sunderland RCA to try and get one over on rivals South Shields, who are expected to battle the North all the way this season.

The biggest derby of the league season is set to be contested between two Geordie sides, North Shields and South Shields. These fixtures are due to be played on 21st December and 18th April.

So as the new league fixtures are released for the upcoming 2019/2020 season, there is a lot at stake for all the sides. Can Liam Drury prove himself as South Shields manager this time around? Can Shildon prove the bookies right for backing them? Find out at the end of a hard-fought season.

Our Park, Your Park

The matchday team have begun their push for season ticket sales for the upcoming 2019/2020 season by announcing 6 new signings who will be participating for Shields next season.

Manager Liam Drury has been hard at work since gaining promotion back to the Northern League D1 by snapping players up quickly to boost his side's fortunes heading into the new season.

The first signing to walk through the doors at Filtrona Park was experienced striker Chib Chilaka. The man is used to playing football at this level with his last team being Seaham last season, with which he played 57 games and scored 23 league goals in a couple of seasons.

Next up to sign for Shields was Ben Richardson, the 30 year-old right-back who can also occupy as a defensive midfielder and a central midfielder. The ageing right-back has plenty of experience at this level after serving for the men across the water, North Shields, last season.

On Richardson, Drury commented that Ben has come in to stabillise the right side of defence this season and to serve as an experienced head for Josh Meade to look up to.

The 3rd player to sign up with the newly promoted side was former Stockport Town defender Eddie Hague. The lad grew up in Sheffield United's academy but failed to make it on the professional stage, instead serving with teams at this tier of semi-professional football.

Next up, Drury has continued to add to the spine of his team by snapping up West Allotment's trio Sam Hare and Louis Guest. Central midfielder Hare has been brought in to act as a squad player whereas Louis Guest is set to lead the defensive line from the back.

The last signing Drury had made so far is skillful right-winger Sam Norris, who has made 82 league appearances for former club Whitley Bay in 4 years. With Norris potentially acting as cover for the current right-winger, Cesaire Lingouba, it will be interesting to see how the pair compare during pre-season.

Drury has also been forced to let some stars of his side go though due to the new players coming in. It is unfortanate to see right winger Lee Thompson and captain Matt Draper retire from football while Daniel Douglas-Pringle has been released on a free and Jordan Cooke has opted to join Retford.