Spartans back author's appeal

Blyth Spartans have given their backing to a new book detailing the history of the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League club, writes Glen Maxwell.

And Spartans are urging the club's fans around the world to get behind 'We're The Famous Blyth Spartans' to ensure it is published in print as soon as possible.

Blyth fan Ken Sproat has chronicled the story of the Premier Division outfit from its inception in 1899 to the end of the 2008-09 season which saw Spartans famously play host to then-Premier League Blackburn Rovers in the FA Cup's Third Round.

Sproat and club officials are now appealing for funding through pre-sales of the book, pictured, with the money raised helping towards publishing costs.

After previously writing for the Spartans' programme and penning other articles on local Non-League football, Sproat – who has watched Blyth for over 40 years – decided the time was right to compile the club's first ever complete official history.

"There isn't an official history book, with the full story in it. So, yeah, it's about time it was written. If I knew what was ahead when I started it, I might not have started it!" joked Sproat.

"It's taken about seven or eight years all together, with about five years of research. I've read every Blyth News, every News Post Leader, thousands of match programmes and hundreds of books to pull the story together.

"The book is 180,000 words, edited down from a lot more than that, so, it very comprehensive. Its been a lot of work but has been worth it."

As well as including the complete history of the Croft Park-based club, Sproat reckons he's included a wealth of information on other North East clubs within the book.

The author explained: "I don't think you can tell the story of Blyth Spartans unless you include: the story of their opponents, the leagues they were in, why the leagues were the way they were.

"So fans of the other North East Non-League clubs - and indeed the historians of Newcastle, Sunderland and Middlesbrough - will be interested in the stuff I've found as well.

"For anyone interested in football - especially North East Non-League football - I think it's the book for them, I really do. Obviously, there's a heavy Blyth content - and you'd expect that - but there's stuff about other teams, which supporters of those clubs will find really interesting."

Sproat is hoping to publish his book in conjunction with The Supporters' Club and revealed that fans supporting the venture could also get a bonus of seeing their names in print.

He added: "The funding, at the moment, is minimal and we need the money in before we can get the books printed really. We're looking for people to put their names down for pre-sales and get it in advance.

"There are a couple of spare pages available and I'm hoping that supporters can get their names printed into the book because they've ordered it in advance. I think that's a fitting tribute to any Blyth fan to have their name printed in the club's official history."