"I was in awe of him" - Emotional tributes paid to former Blyth Spartans and Newcastle striker Alan Shoulder

Alan Shoulder in action for Newcastle United Alan Shoulder in action for Newcastle United
Alan Shoulder in action for Newcastle United | Hulton Archive
Former Blyth Spartans and Newcastle United striker Alan Shoulder has passed away at the age of 71.

Blyth Spartans managers of the past and present have paid emotional tributes to club legend Alan Shoulder after he passed away at the age of 71.

The former Spartans star earned a fearsome reputation as one of the most prolific and hardworking frontmen in Northern League football with Bishop Auckland before moving to Croft Park midway through the historic 1977/78 season. A pitman by day, Shoulder marked his Spartans debut with the only goal of a league win against Durham City and then headed the winning goal as a remarkable FA Cup journey continued with a hard-earned home win against Enfield.

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Forming a deadly partnership with the equally prolific Terry Johnson, Shoulder played a key role in a fourth round win against Stoke City and was in the Spartans side that fell to a narrow fifth round replay loss against Wrexham in front of over 42,000 supporters at St James Park, home of Newcastle United. Just over 12 months from his arrival at Spartans, Shoulder landed a dream move to Newcastle when his form in green and white persuaded Magpies manager Bill McGarry to hand over £20,000 to secure his services.

Alan Shoulder in action for Newcastle UnitedAlan Shoulder in action for Newcastle United
Alan Shoulder in action for Newcastle United | Hulton Archive

The striker took the step from Northern League to the second tier of the English game in his stride and went on to net 38 goals in 117 appearances for the Magpies, forging another impressive partnership with European Cup winner Peter Withe. After leaving St James Park during the same summer as Kevin Keegan’s arrival as a player, Shoulder saw out his career with spells at Carlisle United and Hartlepool United before returning to non-league with Ferryhill Athletic in 1988. After overseeing managerial stints with the likes of Crook Town and Willington, Shoulder returned to Spartans in May 1988 - although his time in charge was ended just five months later after an FA Cup second qualifying round defeat against Runcorn.

However, his exploits as a player in the famous green and white made a lifelong impact on one Spartans supporter that went on to lead the club into the FA Cup third round almost four decades later.

Former Spartans manager Tom Wade told The Gazette: “Alan was a legend and he was someone I loved watching play for Spartans and loved watching him play alongside Peter Withe at Newcastle. He was a special, special player. It’s a sad time for the club and the town because Alan summed up what Blyth is about. He was hard as nails, worked so hard and he was part of a tough side. He would get kicked off the park but he was just get up and get on with it. In some ways, he was a bit like a non-league Kevin Keegan, he had so much ability and attitude. He loved the club and the supporters. I was in awe of him and we are so sad he is no longer with us.”

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Shoulder played an inspiring role in Spartans’ last great FA Cup run when he was invited into the away dressing room at Victoria Park as Wade’s side prepared to face then-League Two club Hartlepool in front of the BBC Match of the Day characters. Standing alongside Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer, the former Spartans striker delivered a moving speech to the players that would go on to produce a famous 2-1 win that set up a third round tie against Championship side Birmingham City.

Wade recalled: “When he came in and did his speech, we had Alan Shearer in there, an absolute legend of the game, and then Alan Shoulder, who for me was a bigger legend. The speech he gave summed up what Blyth meant to him. He was hugely emotional, there were tears in his eyes when he left the dressing room and that is something that will live with me.”

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Spartans paid tribute to Shoulder by wearing black armbands and holding a minute silence ahead of Tuesday night’s home defeat against Northern Premier League rivals Stockton Town. For current manager Michael Connor, the former Spartans striker’s remarkable rise from the coal mines to the professional game was ‘the stuff of schoolboy dreams’ as he paid his own emotional tribute to the club legend.

He said: “As a club, we are in mourning because Alan was someone that did so much for this club and it’s just heartbreaking. All of our love go to his friends, family and everyone that knew him because he was special person and he meant a lot to us all. My Dad talks about him an awful lot and about what sort of player he was. It’s a great loss for this football club, it’s a great loss for our local community. To come out of the pits to go on and do what he did, it’s the stuff of schoolboy dreams isn’t it? Some of the younger lads in our squad asked what the black armbands were about. I’ve told them to look it up because he can make them realise just how big the history of this club is and how big a part Alan played in that.”

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