Black Cats & Red Stars

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I have been watching too much TV. You can tell this, because I sat through a documentary about David Beckham playing football on every continent. It is Christmas though! Anyway, our David fulfilled his ambition of playing on Argentine soil - albeit in a charity match with a few kids. I was scanning the Northern League fixtures, having been frustrated by the postponements resulting from the continuous down pours of Christmas & Boxing Day and chanced upon the re-arrival of a Black Cat cult hero on the footballing scene. I wondered if Julio Arca would feel the same as Becks about turning out on the giddy heights of a piece of North Yorkshire turf, as he ran out with his new South Shields team mates at the Stokesley Sports Club. I decided to take a look. It would not be everyday that the captain of a World Cup winning Argentine Under 20 team was likely to show his skills at this level. Alas, the weather intervened again. I returned from my morning dog walk to find there were only 4 games on in the entire league programme. Plan foiled.

I revisited the choices now available to me. The words – Red Star – jumped out at me. OK ……… it wasn’t the Belgrade version ………. but an opportunity for an Eternal Derby hasn’t presented itself this year. Seaham was a bit closer – a short hop up the A19. The other half surprisingly jumped at the opportunity. Dark clouds gathered over the Tees Bay, as we swept along the Parkway to avoid the holiday hordes visiting Awesome Park. There is apparently some promotion dream on-going. Despite being only a couple of miles from the A19, iSeaham was a detour I had chosen never to take. We headed down the wide road that sweeps into the southern end of town past the recent Spectrum Business Park. A “Business Space That Inspires Growth” according to their adverts. It looked impressive. This is the Hollywood end of town. Dawdon featured in scenes from Billy Elliot and Blast Beach featured in Alien 3. The beach was used as the surface of an alien planet, the right effect not being available within the confines of Pinewood Studios.

After a few hundred metres, the dock area was visible to the right. The sea looked mean and angry. Waves crashed over the breakwaters. The signs for the town centre led us to Byron Place, a small shopping centre development. Asda anchored the southern end and the car park looked hectic. We opted to park on the waste ground opposite, which seemed like a popular move amongst the locals. A very swish looking free standing Costa Coffee unit stood at the northern end. A steady stream of cars and pedestrians were coming and going from the dock area. A line of modern terraces extended towards the cliff on our left hand side, which seemed a little out of place. The end terrace had a balcony facing out to sea. It had probably been under used this Christmas. The inner dock had been converted into a Marina. If Hartlepool can pull it off, why not Seaham? The Lifeboat Museum was sensibly closed up and the new building with retail units / concessions was best described as open for business, but looking for customers. The Pancake Kitchen was the only one that caught my eye. The outer dock still seemed for industrial use. We proceeded into the additional car parking beyond the Pancake Kitchen, passing a sign stating Beach Open As Usual and completed the circle.

I paused to take a couple of photographs of an old pit wheel at the entrance to the Marina, before we turned away from Byron Place towards a statue I caught out the corner of my eye. This turned out to be Charles Stewart, standing proud in front of the former Londonderry Offices. We will return to him in a moment, but first back to how the Byron got into Byron Place. It transpired that Lord Byron came a courting the local landowner's daughter – one Anne Milbanke – and married her almost 200 years ago to the day on January 1815. Byron began writing his Hebrew Melodies at Seaham and they were published in April 1815. I found a quote that suggested all was not well in his world at this time …………

Upon this dreary coast we have nothing but county meetings and shipwrecks; and I have this day dined upon fish, which probably dined upon the crews of several colliers lost in the late gales. But I saw the sea once more in all the glories of surf and foam.

…………… so it is difficult to imagine whether he would be pleased to be forever immortalised with a shopping centre in Seaham. Byron appeared to have liked the sea - he might have been more impressed to have a Byron Bay legacy.

The Milbanke estate sold out to the 3^rd Marquess of Londonderry, the first harbour was constructed and huge quantities black gold was found beneath the ground. The Londonderry offices held a prominent position above the harbour and the beach and it seems the 3^rdMarquess did quite well out of it all. A career soldier turned politician and landowner, he seems to have acquired a tidy portfolio of estates in England and Ireland. He is not however remembered with a shopping centre. The Local Authority were clearly more proud of the Byron connection.

At the centre of an area of parkland above the beach was a giant figure of a World War 1 soldier. He was sitting in a thoughtful pose ………………… on a time capsule. A 9 1/2 foot steel statue by Ray Lonsdale, Tommy, was meant to a temporary exhibition to mark the start of the Great War. He is now a permanent fixture. It is really impressive. Go and see it!

The cappuccino society was in evidence across the road on North Terrace. An array of coffee parlours and deli business were doing a brisk business, even on this miserable afternoon. The brand names of Illy and Lavazza held more sway than the swanky Costa establishment. The Lickety Split Creamery had a retro van parked outside in their livery, which drew the visiting eye from across the road. We had no time for a pre-match sit down coffee though, but we know our preferred venue should a return trip ever materialise.

The Byron Place was a welcome change from the inclement weather outside. A pleasant shopping environment for those local purchases with super clean toilets. The main foot fall as they say in shopping circles was at the Asda end, although Bet Fred seemed to have a resident population for the afternoon. The big city Black Cats were at home to Aston Vila in a crunch Premier League game and I noted plenty of club merchandise being adorned by the various members of the public wandering around. I had initially thought there was still time for them to get to the game, but we had now reached 2.15 pm. It became obvious that the Sunderland club shop had done well in the Santa stocking stakes, but perhaps at the expense of disposable readies for tickets.

We had a brief walk up Church Street in the direction of the "Town Centre". Well, that was what the sign said! Church Street not surprisingly had a Church at the top end. The local Wetherspoons hostelry was doing a brisk business, although the same could not be said of the rest of the street. Strawberries were 2 for a £1 to clear. We purchased a meal deal coffee and savoury, lost another 50 pence on a fixed odds line at Bet Fred and set sail for Seaham Town Park.

The ground of Seaham Red Star - we'll call them Seaham Crvena Zvezda to add to the occasion - was fashionably out of town. In fact, it would have been a long walk from the "Town Centre" and certainly enough to put off any casual punter hiding from the weather in Wetherspoons. The floodlights were visible high on a piece of parkland above the Bowls Club. A small car park had been invaded by the hordes of visiting Prioryman. We hunted an alternative around the corner and presented ourselves at the turnstiles at 2.55 pm. I said turnstiles plural, but there was only one. £6 each, said the cheery gate man. Would you like a programme? I declined. The Other Half has issues with programmes. Well programmes, fanzines, general football memorablia etc actually! I have so many, we have no storage left. You do realise one day someone will just chuck them all out? I do realise, but try not to listen. It upsets me. The ground comprised of an area of low covered terrace opposite the Main Stand area. A few old plastic chairs were thoughtfully scattered within it for use. The halfway line opposite was occupied by a Club House incorporating the changing rooms, catering hut and toilets. The Other Half likes to pass comment on such things when she takes in a game ....... in recent footballing terms, far better than Hajduk Split and nearly up there with Legia Warsaw! Toilet paper, but no hand dryer! A good effort! As for catering, we saw a sample of what looked like chips and gravy or chips and curry sauce at half time. It looked good. We were very tempted, but realised Christmas indulgence should cease. A small stand of covered seats lies to one side of the Club House. We sat in Block A for a bit. It possibly had more atmosphere than at the equivalent at The Trees these days ...... and there were only 5 of us.

I haven't mentioned the game yet. A cracker. Guisborough murdered them first half - led 1 - 0, but could have been 3. Seaham sneaked a daft equaliser. Guisborough showed their class on a difficult pitch and took a 3 -1 lead. The grandstand cavalry charge ensued, which nearly resulted in a last minute equaliser. Game over. Value for money. The only thing missing. As it was a Red Star game, flares were expected. Oh sorry, not in Serbia now!

We drove back to Teesside. Radio Tees - Proud of Where We Live - were waxing lyrical about the greatest performance in living memory at Awesome Park completely unaware of the entertainment feast that had ensued further North. Seaham Crvena Zvezda - until the next time. An afternoon in the Northern League made me want to go home and re-read Harry Pearson's Far Corner. You're reading that book again? Yes, everybody should at least 3 times. It even has a chapter on Seaham.



Appendix 1

Seaham Red Star 2 - 3 Guisborough Town

Date: Saturday 3 January 2016 at 1500 Hours Venue: Town Park (Seaham)

Attendance: 130 Scorers: Bulmer (Guisborough Town) 18, Palmer (Seaham Red Star) 46, Earle (Guisborough Town) 75, Snaith (Guisborough Town) 77, Palmer (Seaham Red Star) 82

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Photos

Seaham Red Star v Guisborough Town
Game on!

Comments

[Rainyb]

Another good album. Love "Tommy" ;o)