Quadruple winners earn civic seal

The Mariners were feted at South Shields Town Hall this week after an historic 2016-17 campaign that saw them win the Northern League to earn promotion to the EVO-STIK League and lift the Northern League Cup and Durham Challenge Cup before triumphing in the FA Vase final at Wembley.

South Shields chairman Geoff Thompson, joint managers Graham Fenton and Lee Picton and their squad were rewarded by South Tyneside Council after their 4-0 win over fellow EVO-STIK League newcomers Cleethorpes Town at Wembley topped an incredible season.

After meeting the Mayor and Mayoress of South Tyneside, Councillor Olive Punchion and Mrs Mary French, as well as the leader of South Tyneside Council, Councillor Iain Malcolm, at Wednesday's reception, all the club's staff, players and officials were presented with a commemorative glass to mark their achievments.

Proud chairman Thompson told the club's fans: “I’d like to thank the Mayor, Iain and everybody involved at the council on behalf of the club for recognising what we’ve achieved over the last two years. I’m incredibly proud of the lads and what they’ve achieved this season, as well as our managers, Lee Picton and Graham Fenton, and everyone behind the scenes.

“We had an unbelievable season, beyond my wildest dreams. When I got involved a couple of years ago, it was really just about bringing the club back to its home town, and trying to help the committee get the club back to where it belonged.

“It seems like a lifetime ago in some respects, but it’s only just over two years. I’m really proud of what we’ve achieved, and my thanks go to everyone for an incredible season. I’d like to think we’ve put South Shields back on the footballing map."

Thompson is hungry for more success when they kick off in EVO-STIK League North in August and reckons reaching the Football League one day is not beyond the Tyne and Wear cup kings.

He added: “It’s great to see what the club has done, in terms of the effect it has on people in the town. We’ve got a lot of ambition for the football club. We’ve got to be grounded and sensible, but there’s absolutely no reason why a town like South Shields can’t have a Football League team, and that’s our objective."

Images courtesy of theFA.com & Peter Talbot/southshieldsfc.co.uk

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