TT No.160: Mike Latham - Sat 22 January 2011: FA Vase Rd 4: Norton & Stockton Ancients 0-1 Kings Lynn Town; Attendance: 200 (est); Admission: £7; Programme: £1; FGIF Match Rating: 4* 

 

Matchday images (9) http://picasaweb.google.com/footballgroundsinfocus/NortonStocktonAncientsFC02

 

The FA Vase is an excellent competition and brings together clubs that would not ordinarily meet.  A case in point was this meeting in the north-east and with a place in the last 16 at stake, there was considerable interest in what turned out to be a really enjoyable cup-tie.

 

Despite their club name Norton & Stockton Ancients is actually a mixture of the old and the new.  The history comes from the old Stockton FC, founder members of the Northern League in 1889 and three times winners of the FA Amateur Cup.  Known as the Ancients, they appeared in eight FA Amateur Cup Finals in all, and won the Northern League on five occasions.  But their road to ruin was turning professional and eventually the club was wound up in 1975 and their old Victoria Ground is covered by housing. 

 

The new club, initially known as Norton, was founded in 1959 as Norton Cricket Club Trust and became Norton & Stockton Ancients FC in 1980 when the remaining assets of the old Stockton club were transferred to the trust, including the old Victoria Ground goalposts which I was told by a home supporter are still in use today.

 

They were founding members of the Northern League Division Two in 1982 and remained in that division until the end of the 2008-09 season when the club gained promotion to Division One. The Ancients’ ground, less than a mile from the A19 north of Middlesbrough is part of a huge sports complex that includes cricket (with several cricket players practicing in the outdoor nets before kick-off), rugby and squash. Though fairly basic with just a small stand and one small cover a new club house is being constructed behind the nearside goal and there is lots of space for further ground development.  The tea bar was top class with pie, peas, chips and gravy going down well with the travelling hordes.

 

Norton is a suburb of Stockton-on-Tees and apart from being the birthplace of Gary Pallister is famous for its railway and iron manufacturing tradition. The first locomotive steam engine, the Rocket, was invented nearby by Robert Stevenson and Norton was one of the first railway stations to be built.  In 1856, the Norton Iron Company made the first bell for Big Ben, but the bell cracked whilst being delivered to London, so another company, located closer to London, made the bell.  The high street is impressive and there is a distinctive village green. 

 

Both sides were in great form going into the game and Lynn had a good following despite the long journey.  I had several interesting conversations with Linnets fans, a really friendly bunch- if they get to Wembley they will take a huge following. King’s Lynn weathered a first-half storm, ‘keeper Alex Street excelling, especially in several one-on-ones and won a tight game with Robbie Harris’s goal just after the half-hour. In the second half the visitors looked more composed in defence and they held out to record what my new found friends termed an excellent victory.  Re-formed this season as a supporters’ trust club after the demise of the old club, King’s Lynn Town are clearly way below their expected par in the non league pyramid bearing in mind their ground, potential and support. Not long ago the old club was holding its own in Conference North; now they have to fight their way back up the pyramid from the United Counties League with the added lure of a trip to Wembley now firmly in their sights.. 

contributed on 22/01/11