Heaton Stannington targeting historic Senior Cup win against Morpeth Town

Heaton Stannington manager Dean Nicholson has backed Morpeth Town boss Craig Lynch to enjoy a successful career in the dugout as their two sides prepare to meet in Wednesday’s Newcastle Flooring Company Senior Cup Final.

The duo were team-mates at Seaham Red Star for a brief period during their playing careers and have both gone on to impress in management in recent seasons. After taking charge at Morpeth in October 2021 after a spell in interim charge, former Sunderland and Blyth Spartans forward Lynch guided the Highwaymen to Senior Cup success in 2023 and has just overseen the highest league finish in the club’s history after they ended their Northern Premier League Premier Division campaign in eighth place in the table.

Nicholson described his former team-mate as ‘a great lad and a top manager’ - but stressed he would be doing all he can to beat him at St James Park.

He told The Gazette: “We will give our best shot at St James Park but we are up against a great side, with great players, and a great manager - but we have the same and we are just relishing the challenge that lies ahead of us. Craig is inspirational for other managers because he’s come into it on the back of a playing career, and what a player he was, he’s done a great job and he has managed them unbelievably well. He’s a great lad and a top manager and I honestly think this is just the start for him - but obviously, I want to beat him at St James.”

“Finishing twelfth in the division is a huge tick in the box”

The Stan go into the game on the back of a history-making season of their own after they preserved their status in the Northern Premier League East Division after securing a first ever promotion into the fourth tier of the non-league game just over a year ago.

A 4-0 defeat at Newton Aycliffe appeared to have put Nicholson’s side on their way to an immediate return to the Northern League - but they ended the campaign in twelfth position in the league after collecting maximum points from home games against Liversedge and North Ferriby, as well as a Bank Holiday Monday visit to Ashington. The Stan boss believes a strong end to the season means his side have ‘a huge positive’ to take into what he insisted will be a major test of their credentials in Wednesday’s final.

He explained: “We’ve had ups and downs and there were points in the season where staying in the division was starting to look very, very difficult for us. We had put ourselves in a position where it looked difficult to get out but fair play to the lads because they did it and the last ten games, they worked wonders and they put in some great performances and got some great results. Finishing twelfth in the division is a huge tick in the box for us and it’s a huge positive to take into the Senior Cup final and what will be a big challenge for us.”

“It’s a dream come true”

In reaching the Senior Cup final, Nicholson and assistant manager Andy McBride has added another remarkable addition to a growing list of achievements during their time in charge at Grounsell Park. After securing promotion into the Northern League’s top tier with a Division Two play-off final win against Tow Law Town in 2022, The Stan took their first steps into the Northern Premier League with a Division One play-off final win against West Auckland Town last May.

In seeing off Blyth Town, Whitley Bay and Newcastle United Under-21s, the duo have also guided the Stan to their first Senior Cup final since 1980 and Nicholson has admitted taking the club to St James Park was on his list of priorities when he was named as manager during the summer of 2021.

He said: “It’s something we have always wanted since we took over here and when the Senior Cup draw comes out, you always think how good it would feel and how good it would be to do it. To be actually taking the club to St James Park, for me personally, is a dream come true and it’s a huge occasion for my family, the staff and the club and the players too.

“We need to enjoy it and you only enjoy it if you go and give the best account of ourselves. Preparation has been important and we’ve prepared really well. We will give it our best shot but we know we are up against a great side with a great manager and a brilliant club - but we have the same and it will be a great game.”

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