On Sunday 23rd June 2009 a press release from club secretary/joint owner of Newcastle Blue Star declared that the club would no longer be competing at any level. This statement brought to the end 79 years for one of Tyneside's most senior clubs and one of the most, if not the, unique names in football. The website gives details of the club as a lasting tribute to all that played for, helped to run and supported the club.
Newcastle Blue Star Football Club were formed in 1930 and were elected to the Newcastle & District Trader league (later Newcastle Business houses League). They continued in that league until the Second World War brought the competition to a close.
In 1946/47, Blue Star resumed operations in the Tyneside Amateur League, winning the championship at the first attempt. In 1962/63 Blue Star moved into the Northern Combination and were champions in that first season and again in 1968/69. Star also won the Northern Combination League Cup twice and the Northumberland Minor Cup before moving to the Wearside League in 1973.
Now as Blue Star Welfare, the club maintained their record of winning the championship of each new league at the first attempt. Through the twelve seasons in the Wearside League, Star were the most consistent team, winning the League Championship on five occasions. They league was won in three consecutive years (1983-1985) and the League Cup on five occasions. The Monkwearmouth Charity Cup was won three times and the Sunderland Shipowners Cup twice. In 1982/83 Star achieved the ‘grand slam’ of Wearside League trophies – the only time this has been achieved.
During their spell in the Wearside League, success extended to the cup competitions. The Northumberland Senior Cup was won on three occasions and in 1978 the club won their first national trophy. Barton Rovers were beaten in the FA Challenge Vase Final staged at none other than Wembley Stadium.
In 1984\85 the club reached the First Round Proper of the FA Cup for the first and only time where they were beaten by York City 2-0 at Bootham Crescent.
Election to the Northern League was attained in 1985. Star rewrote the leagues record books by winning the Second Division Championship with a record 109 points (All wins except one defeat and one draw).The club also added the Northern League Cup and the Northumberland Senior to their cabinet.
Success continued in 1993 with a tremendous 2-1 victory in the Northumberland Senior Cup against a very talented Newcastle United reserve side at St. James' Park. A change of name to RTM Newcastle took place a the beginning of the 1994/95 season. Under the guidance of new chairman Tom Brown the club moved forward confidently, reminding everyone that the club could once again become a formidable force in non-league football. In 1998 the club reverted back to the name of Newcastle Blue Star with mixed fortunes. The club were relegated and then returned to the top flight of Northern League football in 2000. In 2005/06 the club excelled by winning the Northern League and the League Cup.
In 2007 the club took the decision to step into the national non-league pyramid and were accepted in the UniBond League (North). With this step up came a move to a new stadium at Kingston Park which the club shares with Newcastle Falcons Rugby Union Club. The second season is this league resulted in Star being promoted to the UniBond League (Premier) after finishing in 3rd place but beating Curzon Ashton in the Play-Off final.
In 2007 Blue Star left the Northern League and with the backing of Newcastle Falcons Chairman David Thompson the club gave up their lease on the Wheatsheaf Ground (now Druid Park) and moved to Kingston Park Stadium where they were taken under the wing of the Falcons. The committee no longer ran the club and David Thompson became the sole benefactor.
Problems at Blue Star first began to appear in March 2008 when the club announced that they would be quitting the Unibond League after one season and returning to the Northern league. Days later the club rescinded this statement and declared they would continue. This wasn’t enough to pursuade manager Tommy Cassidy to stay and he quit the club due to differences with the club management.
After a succesfull 2008/09 season in which Star were succesful on the pitch and only marginally failed to make the first round proper of the FA Cup cracks once again appeared…this time on the pitch. Numerous postponments and pitch problems meant fixtures built towards the end of the season and 3 games a week was not uncommon. At this time rumours started within the club rearding the repayment of £60k which had be obtained from the Football Foundation towards improvements at the former Wheatsheaf Ground. In addition 10k was owed to Workington FC for former manager Tommidy Cassidy. It became apparent that the costs of running the club and the repayment of the debts were to prove to much for the club and with Chairman David Thompson withdrawing his backing to the club and no investment coming forward the club folded on 23rd June 2009.
Despite promotion to the Unibond premier League, a new and increasing supporter base and unprecedented local press attention the club no longer existed leaving many supporters old and new in a state of shock.
Neutral venue: 16391 v Barton Rovers, FA Vase Final (Wembley Stadium), 22/04/1978
Wheatsheaf Ground: 1800 v Almondsbury Greenway, FA Vase Semi-Final, 1978
Kingston Park Stadium: 3600 v Newcastle United Reserves, Friendly, 13/08/2007
1932-1973 Newcastle Blue Star; 1973-1979 Blue Star Welfare; 1979-1986 Blue Star; 1986-1994 Newcastle Blue Star; 1994-1997 RTM Newcastle; 1997+ Newcastle Blue Star
HONOURS: NATIONAL
FA Vase (Winners): 1977/78; FA Vase (Semi Finalists): 1981/82; FA Cup First Round Proper: v York City (1984/85)
HONOURS: UNIBOND LEAGUE
UniBond League (North) Play-Off (Winners): 2008/09
HONOURS: NORTHERN LEAGUE
Nothern League One (Winners): 2005/06; Nothern League One (Runner-Up): 1987/88; Nothern League Two (Winners): 1985/86; Nothern League Two (Runner-Up): 1999/00; Northern League Cup (Winners): 2005/06, 1985/86; Northern League Cup (Runner-Up): 1990/91; Craven Cup (Winners): 2003/04; JR Cleator Cup (Winners): 1985/86; JR Cleator Cup (Runner-Up): 2005/06
HONOURS: WEARSIDE LEAGUE
League (Winners): 1984/85, 1983/84, 1982/83, 1975/76, 1973/74; League Challenge Cup (Winners): 1983/84, 1982/83, 1980/81, 1979/80, 1976/77; Monkwearmouth Charity Cup (Winners): 1988/89, 1982/83, 1979/80, 1974/75; Sunderland Shipowners Cup (Winners): 1984/85, 1982/83
HONOURS: NORTHERN COMBINATION
League (Winners): 1968/69, 1962/63
League Cup (Winners): 1965/66, 1971/72
HONOURS: REGIONAL
Northumberland Senior Cup (Winners): 1992/93, 1987/88, 1985/86, 1983/84, 1982/83, 1976/77
Northumberland Senior Cup (Runner-Up): 1999/00, 1993/94, 1986/87, 1980/81, 1978/79, 1974/75
Northumberland Minor Cup (Winners): 1964/65
Newcastle Blue Star's spiritual home was near Newcastle Airport in the suburb of Woolsington. The ground has been in use since the early 70's and was previously the recreation ground of the Newcastle Breweries. Both football and cricket were played at the ground by employees of the Brewery.
The ground is still in use today and is home to Gosforth RFU and Newcastle Falcons (training). The ground consists of one 300 seated main stand which provided the only sheltered accommodation in the ground for many years. A curious shell of an old stand used to stand in the North West corner of the enclosure and was used for sitting accommodation for the cricket when the stadium was shared by the two sports. In 1987 floodlights were installed at the stadium along with barriers surrounding the pitch. In 2000 standing accommodation for 200 was built alongside the main stand in order to achieve ground regulations imposed by the Northern League.
The clubhouse was situated in the South East corner of the stadium. This incorporated the changing rooms. In 2005 a new social club was built adjacent to the clubhouse behind the goal.
In 2007 a state-of-the-art synthetic 4G pitch was installed at the stadium. Just after this the club relocated to Kingston Park Stadium the home of Newcastle Falcons. This 12,000 capacity stadium was home to Blue Star for two seasons while they played in the Unibond League.