Blyth Spartans look to rebuild after second successive relegation is confirmed

Blyth Spartans will return to action for the first time since their second consecutive relegation was confirmed when they travel to Matlock Town on Saturday afternoon.

The Croft Park club were condemned to life in the Northern Premier League East Division by last weekend’s home defeat against Warrington Rylands and positive results for fellow Premier Division strugglers Whitby Town, Bamber Bridge and Leek Town. That series of events added a new low to a dismal season for the men in green and white after they have won just three of their 35 league games during the campaign and have now suffered successive relegations for the first time in the club’s long and proud history.

After being brought under community ownership earlier in the season, Spartans chairman Kevin Miles is hoping to ‘harness the energy’ of the club’s supporters to ensure they can try to move on from a challenging period in their history and enjoy a more positive future.

In a statement released on the club’s official website, Miles said: “We need to cope with the disappointments of the past season, and move forward with realising our vision of being 'an outstanding inclusive community club, playing football at the highest sustainable level'. We will be engaging with and harnessing the energy of supporters and community alike in shaping our future; for the rest of this season, we will fight for our pride and for every single point, and we'd urge everyone to get behind the younger players in particular as they stake their claim for a place in next season's squad.”

That view was matched by Spartans manager Michael Connor, who is preparing to hand opportunities to a number of younger players over the remainder of the season and offer them an opportunity to play a role in the rebuilding process.

He said: “With relegation now a mathematical certainty, it's now time to plan for the future, and what a bright future it is. It's time in our remaining games to give the young players of Blyth Spartans the chance to step up and shine, to get ready for next season and the dawn of a new era - a new beginning that I believe and expect will see the Spartans rise again.”