The past 10 months have been a rollercoaster for Gateshead FC, and now the dust has settled, it is the perfect time to look back and reflect on all the team’s achievements this campaign.
It began on July 4th, 2023 at Hebburn Sports Ground and it culminated at the home of football, Wembley Stadium on May 11th, 2024, just shy of a fortnight ago.
There have been trips and memories aplenty made along the way – let’s look back at a few hand-picked moments as we journey through Gateshead’s historic 2023/24 season.
Gateshead 2-2 Boreham Wood
Let’s start where it all began for the Heed in a competitive sense: August 5th, 2023.
The team wanted to get on the right footing to kick-start their second consecutive season in the Vanarama National League, and it’s fair to say they did, with an early 2-0 lead grabbing the headlines.
Of course it wouldn’t be football without its ‘moments’ and a 10-men Wood side managed to claw things back to level the game in the dying minutes through Cameron Coxe.
It was clear that things wouldn’t be easy for the Heed but as they’ve shown time and time again, the team has that mentality to bounce back from setbacks when they come.
Eastleigh 0-6 Gateshead
The team’s first real shock of the season came around a month later, on September 9th, 2023.
Gateshead made their longest trip of the season down to the south coast and hit the hosts for six thanks to a stunning onslaught by their attacking quartet.
Eventual top goalscorer Marcus Dinanga netted two, while Stephen Wearne, Greg Olley, Jordan Hunter and substitute Billy Chadwick provided the rest on a lovely day out for the Heed.
Gateshead 3-0 Kidderminster Harriers
You could have taken your pick as to which goal was the best that night on September 23rd, 2023; they were all outstanding.
This game hammered home the point that Gateshead’s style of play, when given the time and patience to implement it, works.
Within six minutes the Heed scored potentially their goal of the season and the clip went viral on social media.
‘Analysts’ suggested there were 37 passes made during that sequence before striking the net.
Gateshead 6-0 Dorking Wanderers
By this point, interim manager Rob Elliot had managed a few games and achieved mixed results.
The side’s 6-0 thrashing against Dorking on November 11th, 2023 was Elliot’s first win in charge and what a way to do it!
Chadwick delivered a hat-trick en route to the team’s joint-biggest scoreline win of the season (there have been lots of six goal margin victories!).
Wearne, Olley and Regan Booty were on target for the Heed too.
Gateshead 2-2 (4-3 on pens) Weston-Super-Mare
Although the Heed managed to lift the FA Trophy, they had to work hard for it along the way and this game on January 13th, 2024 summarised that.
Lloyd Humphries had equalised for the visitors in stoppage time to force the game to penalties following a 2-2 draw – a recurring theme during the competition this season.
Harrison Bond proved to be Gateshead’s hero when he stopped Dayle Grubb’s opening penalty.
Gateshead 7-1 Hartlepool United
For many, March 26th, 2024 will be remembered long in the memory for that demolition win against the Pools.
Joe Grey gave the visitors an early lead but from that point onwards, Gateshead fought back with valour and were in complete control over proceedings.
Luke Hannant scored in the 27th minute and the teams were level at the break, but what happened afterwards was nothing short of extraordinary.
Gateshead truly put Hartlepool to the sword, as the match report described, in the second half.
There was no looking back after Cardiff City loanee Kieron Evans slotted it home just two minutes into the half.
He would even get another, Booty would contribute, as would Callum Whelan and so did Tom Allan right at the end.
Gateshead 2-2 (5-4 on pens) Solihull Moors
The crowning moment to a long, draining and exhausting campaign. 54 matches, stretching all the way back to August, to that fateful afternoon on May 11th, 2024.
Gateshead made up for last year’s tough defeat against FC Halifax Town by virtue of a lottery draw penalty shootout.
Booty gave Gateshead the lead just before half time, before Mark Beck netted his first of two of the afternoon to force the game into extra time.
He would later score from the spot, giving the Heed an almighty task with 15 minutes of extra time left to find a leveller.
The ever-reliable Dajaune Brown found the net and it was off to penalties. Gateshead had already beaten Weston-Super-Mare on penalties, and they had to do it again at Wembley.
Brown would again become Gateshead’s saviour at the end of the drawn-out shootout, as he slammed home the winning goal to give the team their first major honour in front of their own supporters.
