Match Information
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Boro Rangers 6-0 Birtley Town
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When: Saturday 21st October 2023
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Kick-off: 3pm
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Where: Phoenix Park, Trinity Catholic College, Lacy Road, Middlesbrough, TS4 3JW
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Competition: Northern League Division One
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Attendance: 125
This was a visit to Britain’s newest football ground. Although it certainly wasn’t what I originally intended! My actual advance plan was to watch an Isuzu FA Vase tie between Stockport Georgians and Droylsden.
I had associated filming work booked for the afternoon and arranged to meet my appointed cameraman at 1pm by the entrance. Thus I set off early heading up the M1 Motorway. Nevertheless I was cautiously aware Storm Babet was in full swing necessitating a pitch inspection at 10am.
Half an hour later, Stockport Georgians tweeted that the match had been postponed due to waterlogging. My groundhopping options therefore required major rethinking so I pulled in at Watford Gap services to survey available options on the internet.
It quickly became apparent numerous games were decimated across the country. Consequently I needed to find something taking place on a weather-proof 3G plastic pitch. I messaged Boro Rangers FC who immediately replied to confirm it was all systems go courtesy of their synthetic surface.
Accordingly, I reset my map navigation system and proceeded in a totally different direction to Middlesbrough comfortably arriving 45 minutes ahead of kick-off. It ended up a 500 mile round trip for me since many roads were closed because of flooding.
Ground Description
The floodlit 3G carpet cost £500,000 to install within Trinity Catholic College’s extensive complex.
Wide-ranging work was completed throughout recent months to bring the facilities up to Northern League Division One ground grading standard at Step 5 of our national Non-League Pyramid.
Spectators can access three sides of the arena. One touchline is adorned by prefab accommodation incorporating two seated stands for 100 spectators sandwiching a 100-capacity covered terrace. The far side is out of bounds and houses both technical areas.
A couple of refreshment points sit outside the 3G caged enclosure but dedicated clubhouse amenities will be opened soon. There are three other adjacent full-sized grass pitches.
Trinity Catholic College’s T6 Football Academy students train on the 3G during weekdays. Boro Rangers played their first competitive match here on 30th September 2023 versus Tow Law Town.
They previously groundshared having won promotion from the North Riding League to the Northern League Division Two in 2022 and subsequently clinched another promotion to Division One straight away. An incredible story when you consider Boro Rangers were only formed in 2003.
Indeed, history is currently being rewritten as the first club to host Northern League football in the town of Middlesbrough for 124 years. I can confirm Middlesbrough FC were the last to do so back in 1898/99 before gaining Football League status.
Programme Details
Boro Rangers helpfully tweeted they would email interested collectors a PDF of their online programme for home printing.
It was a colourful 12 page production containing pen pictures of both teams, the Northern League Division One table, fixtures and results.
The Match
Just the fourth game staged at Phoenix Park. It was ninth against third in league rankings and I anticipated quite a tight affair. But I was wrong!
Boro Rangers swiftly raced into a 2-0 lead through Callum Hickman (14 minutes) and Harry Thompson (16 mins). Then striker Stuart Rose took centre stage mustering an incredible four goal salvo for the homesters (29, 68, 73 and 85 mins).
The attendance of 125 was down on earlier gates at Phoenix Park (261, 222 and 187) in light of a concurrent EFL Championship encounter three miles down the road where Middlesbrough faced Birmingham City.
The People
Joel Guy was one of several Boro Rangers officials affording me a really warm welcome. He spoke very proudly about the club’s huge community reach which embraces 74 teams playing at assorted age groups.
Some 800 young footballers are catered for. With regard to Phoenix Park, Joel said: “It is a work in progress. We are forever trying to improve as a team and a club.”
At half-time, I chatted to the visiting Birtley Town FC secretary Anthony Petit. He knew his side were set for a heavy defeat and told me: “Don’t judge Birtley on today’s performance!”
Then on my way out of the ground after the final whistle, it was good to meet Russ Wynn and Craig Lilley - reporters for the Northern League’s official Twitter feed.
These two lads did a great job all afternoon and I particularly liked their rapidly updated matchday stats for shots on and off target, corners, free-kicks, offsides etc.
*Credit for the photos in this article belongs to Tony Incenzo*
