'Come and back us' - Blyth Spartans issue rallying call ahead of Matlock Town clash

Michael Connor has urged the local community to get behind Blyth Spartans in their bid to avoid relegation and make Croft Park a fortress - starting with Saturday’s home game with Northern Premier League rivals Matlock Town.

Lifelong Spartans supporter Connor will oversee the first home game of his managerial reign after kicking off his time in charge of his hometown club with a narrow defeat at Warrington Rylands last weekend. However, the mood remains overwhelming positive as a new era of community ownership is set to get underway at Spartans’ famous old home. That mood was further enhanced on Friday night when Connor continued to add to his squad with the signing of striker Sam Hodgson after an undisclosed fee was agreed with National League North club South Shields.

The Mariners academy product spent time on loan at Spartans during the second half of the 2022/23 season and scored 25 goals in all competitions during a season-long loan stint with Morpeth Town last season. He will now hope to fire his new club to safety this season as Connor’s men look to mount a successful battle against a second successive relegation and what would be only the third in Spartans entire history. The local community have a part to play according to the former Blyth Town manager and he thinks his side can make the most of the ‘buzz’ that he has sensed around the town after a takeover by a Community Interest Company led by local businessman Martin Trinder was confirmed earlier this month.

When asked what his message would be for the town, the Spartans boss told The Gazette: “Come and back us, come back get behind us and make this the fortress that can help us out of relegation. The Blyth people, since it was announced, it’s been ridiculous. I work in the town and people are clapping, waving, shouting ‘Spartans’, and I think people have a buzz about it. They know the lads on the board, people identify with us as businessmen and as people from Blyth. They look and want to get behind this team. I have a lot of young people in this squad and they need that support, they need that kind of support coming from the terraces and when it comes to Matlock, we need that support.

“Just back us, that’s all we say and I truly believe they will do because going out in the town, people are asking questions about what we are planning. I want to be successful, I want to get things done but it will take time. We want them to buy into it and it is a project, it won’t happen over night so let’s just roll with it and see where it goes.”

Hodgson will not be the only new face in the Spartans squad for Saturday’s game as on-loan Sunderland goalkeeper Adam Richardson looks set to make his home debut and the fitness of Ben Fell will be assessed after the defender joined on loan from National League club Gateshead. JJ Hooper is also in contention after the striker re-joined Spartans from Spennymoor Town earlier this week.