Gateshead International Stadium: Gateshead FC
From Gateshead FC
As is the case with a lot of the lower league stadiums, where making money is at something of a premium, Gateshead International Stadium is a multi purpose venue. Unlike a lot of them, though, it is an all seater one, meaning that the usual ability to have a pie and a pint stood by the side of the pitch is not the case when people head to watch Gateshead Football Club play their matches. The stadium cost £30,000 when it was built in 1955, being re developed extensively three times since then. Only St. James’ Park and the Stadium Light are bigger then it in Tyne and Wear, giving you a sense of its size and scope.
It is the home of Gateshead FC, yes, but the ‘multi purpose’ side of things means that it is also where an athletics club called Gateshead Harriers are based, in addition to having been the home of the Gateshead Senators American football team. Gateshead Thunder were also based at the stadium, briefly in 1999 and then between 2001 and 2014, playing rugby league at the ground. The football club was formed in 1977 in the wake of Gateshead United folding, with Gateshead AFC playing in the Football League between 1930 and 1960 but not being directly linked.
Stats
| Gateshead International Stadium Stats | |
|---|---|
| Year Opened | 1955 |
| Capacity | 11799 |
| Average Attendance | 1218 |
| Record Attendance | 8144 (Gateshead v Grimsby Town (04/05/2014)) |
| Pitch Size | 109 x 70 (7630) |
| Owner | Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council |
| Clubs Hosted | Gateshead AFC, Gateshead United, Gateshead Harriers, Gateshead Thunder, Gateshead Senators |
| Gateshead FC Stats | |
|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1977 |
| Nickname | The Tynesiders, The Heed |
| Club Mascot | Rooney the Goat |
| Rivals | Darlington, Hartlepool United, Blyth Spartans |
| Kit | Black & White (Home) / Claret & Blue (Away) / Black with White (Third) |
| Shirt Sponsor | Gateshead Central |
| Team Owner | Neil Pinkerton (Chairman) |
| Record Goalscorer | Paul Thompson (130) |
| Record Appearances | James Curtis (596) |
Gateshead International Stadium Photos
Gateshead International Stadium Seating Plan and Where to Sit
There is an argument that Gateshead International Stadium is an athletics venue first and foremost, with a football pitch stuck in the middle of it. There is, as you might imagine, an athletics track running around the edge of the pitch, keeping supporters separate from the action. There is enough room for about 11,800 people, with the Tyne & Wear Main Stand being, as the name suggests, the main stand. That has a capacity of 3,227, with the angle being quite steep. The East Stand is opposite it, with room for a little over 4,000 people. There are also banks of seating behind either goal, but they aren’t usually open for football games.
Gateshead FC Ticket Prices
For Gateshead matches, the price for an adult ticket for the 2023 2024 season was £20. Concessions got £5 off that price, whilst students only had to pay £10. Those aged 15 and 16 paid £5, whilst anyone under the age of 14 got in for free as long as they were with a paying adult. The same is true of carers accompanying a paying spectator in need of assistance, provided that can show proof of their entitlement.
How To Get Gateshead FC Tickets
If you’re after mach tickets then the best place to get them is via the Gateshead FC website. Whilst it isn’t the easiest to navigate, one you’ve got the hang of it you’ll see all of your various options.
Where to Buy
Getting To Gateshead International Stadium
Train – There is a Metro stop at the stadium called, imaginatively, Gateshead Stadium. It is about five minutes away on foot and the stop itself is a ten minute or so journey from Newcastle Central Railway Station.
Bus – There are a few buses that stop by Gateshead International Stadium and are a convenient option if you’d rather not get the train.
Car – For those choosing to drive, you’ll want to stick on the A1(M) until its end, at which point take the A194(M) heading to South Shields. When that ends, take the A184 for Gateshead and the stadium is about three miles along.
By Air – With Newcastle Airport around seven miles away, you have your best option for getting to Gateshead conveniently located not far away.
Taxi – If you’ve arrived into Gateshead Train Station and are looking at getting a taxi to the ground because you can’t walk there for whatever reason, it will take less then five minutes and probably cost around £5 or so.
Parking Near Gateshead International Stadium
There are a number of car parks around the stadium that are all free to use, so if you’re looking to drive to the venue then you’re unlikely to struggle to find a speck.
Useful Resources
- Parking - Just Park
Pubs and Bars Near Gateshead International Stadium
Stadium Bar
The Schooner
Curleys
About Gateshead FC
There was a team formed in 1899 with the name South Shields Adelaide, which became a member of the Football League in 1919. Financial problems saw them move to Gateshead and change name, but the club got voted out of the Football League in 1960 and folded 13 years later. The South Shields club that was formed to replace the original also had to move to Gateshead, becoming Gateshead United in 1974 and then dissolving three years later. A new club, Gateshead Football Club, was formed in 1977 to replace Gateshead United, enjoying some small success during the early years thanks to the likes of making the first round of the FA Cup.
There was more success to come, such as in the 1982 1983 season when they won the Northern Premier League with a then record points tally of 100, scoring 114 goals as they did so. Over the years that followed, Gateshead bounced around the non league divisions, finding their way into the National League. In 2019, Gateshead’s National League membership was suspended doer the financial issues, eventually being relegated to the National League North. They found their way back to the National League when they won the National League North in 2021 2022, following that up with a FA Trophy appearance the following season, looking to Halifax.
Gateshead International Stadium History
In 1827 and 1834, two large chemical works were opened on the site that Gateshead International Stadium was later built on. The land was cleared in 1942, sitting derelict until 1955 when £30,000 was spent on building the original venue that featured an asphalt cycling track, floodlights and a seated area. It was predominantly an athletics track, causing Gateshead Council to get involved in 1974 in order to improve it in the hope of making it international recognised. A new track was laid, then seven years later a new stand was built to be the main one, with three others soon following. The venue was renamed as Gateshead International Stadium.
Briefly used by Gateshead AFC when the club left Redheugh Park in 1973, Gateshead United played their matches at the venue when they were forced to relocate from South Shields to Gateshead. When Gateshead Football Club was formed in 1977, the club immediately moved into the stadium. They aren’t the only sports team that have used the ground, though. Gateshead Harriers are an athletics club that has used the stadium since it was built, was Gateshead Thunder was a rugby league franchise created in 1998 that played its matches here a few times during its existence. Similarly, the American football team the Gateshead Senators called the venue home until 2011.
Future Developments
Gateshead Football Club did announce its intention to build a new stadium on the site that the North Durham Rugby & Cricket Club had stood in the centre of Gateshead. It would be a purpose built venue, with capacity for 7,000 people. At the time of writing, there is no exact timescale on when it will be built, but it’s worth bearing in mind.