Our 1000th game v Hetton Lyons is at Murton Colliery Welfare ground this coming Sunday (10.30am kick off)
Houghton Mill All Stars first ever match was on 8th October 1978 - a 1-1 draw with Houghton Burn. Mitch Thompson scoring the goal.The team have continued ever since and Mitch is still involved as club chairman and (occasional) player.Mitch's brother Paul is the only other person from the first season still associated with the team although Paul is now a spectator rather than player.Mitch has kept record of every game the club have ever played and Sunday 22nd August will mark the clubs 1000th fixture - a league cup tie away at Hetton Lyons CC.Mitch started the team when 22 years old calling on friends and family to play on a Sunday morning - the team were even called Mitch Thompson's All Stars for a short period before The Mill (the clubs local pub) was incorporated into the team name. .The team started out in the Tyne and Wear Friendly League winning 7 out of 24 games in the first season. Michael Hall and David Lewins were chief goalscorers in the early years.
Michael went on to score 187 goals and David 185 before retiring in 1995 and 1988 respectively.The Friendly League folded in 1994 and the team joined division six of the Durham and District Sunday Morning League for season 1994-95. At this time Chris Lindsay joined the All Stars to give Mitch a helping hand as Mitch had ran the team on his own up to this period. Chris is now team manager.Paul Brennan and Paul Mash shared the top goalscorer role throughout the 90's whilst Chris Nellist won the player of the season award on five separate occasions - a record which still stands.
The team have been promoted on five occasions, never relegated, and are currently in division one.
Mitch's two sons Philip and Nicholas now play and both helped the club reach four cup finals at Durham's New Ferens Park in recent years - winning three - 2005 Guards Cup, 2006 Lasertech Cup and 2009 Guards Cup again.Mitch considers the 2005 Guards Cup semi final game against Ouston Red Lion the most memorable match. Mill were 4-0 down with eighty minutes gone and scored five in the last ten minutes to win 5-4.
Michael Hall's goal tally of 187 kept him at the top of the all time goalscoring charts until a few weeks ago when current centre forward Steve Fenn caught up with him. Steve is now on 196. Although for a time long servant Paul Brennan had Steve worried that he would beat him to it - Paul currently on 186.Steve, along with Kevin Johnston and Gary Adey have all been top goalscorer throughout the 00's.Gary won last seasons player of the season - his third win in four seasons.
The team has always had a loyal squad - several players in recent years have even left for another club and returned within a matter of weeks. From the current squad Alistair Dodds, Paul Brennan, Philip Thompson, Kevin Johnston, David Jane, Chris Rogerson, Steve Fenn, Nicholas Thompson and David Hall have all made over 200 appearances for the team.
Mitch Thompson Recives JD Taxis Trophy
Houghton Mill All Stars 2003-04
No comments:
Post a Comment