Wednesday, 4 September 2019

Meet Sunderland West End Ladies...


The GKA is heading so far up north, that the Lancashire expression of t’up’north doesn’t make any sense to the locals – we are heading all the way to Houghton-le-Spring, near Sunderland. The GKA is travelling 133 miles from Failsworth Sports Campus (home of Curzon Ashton Ladies)…


To the home of Sunderland West End Ladies (Herrington Recreation Park, Houghton-le-Spring).




Houghton-le-Spring has been around since the Norman times. It is administered by the City of Sunderland and located in Tyne and Wear, in the middle spot between Sunderland and Durham.  It is a small village that boasts that fact that in the mid-1800s lurked England’s first ever recorded female serial killer – Mary Ann Cotton. She murdered her stepson and three of her four husbands.  

The Sunderland West End men’s team began shortly after Mary has bumped off her family. Their first season was in 1892 as they entered the Wearside League. This club disbanded in 1930 and it wasn’t heard of again until 2011, when Houghton Town changed their name to Sunderland West End.

The ladies’ team is only in their 2nd year and they play in the North East Regional Women’s League – North (which I think is in the 6th tier of the women’s football pyramid). 


The ladies do not have a website, but they are on Twitter and Facebook. They are a friendly, welcoming butch, as they have already sent me information and various team photos.   




More importantly, they have told me that everybody goes to the Stackyard Pub after the games for food and refreshments.


I wish Sunderland West End Ladies every success for the following season, and I hope that the game against Mossley Hill Ladies is as entertaining as the last round that the GKA witnessed.

P.s, Mossley Hill Ladies are also friendly, as they have given the GKA lots of support through various re-tweets and Facebook shares.    

The GKA is looking forward to the game at 2pm on Sunday 22nd September 2019.

Don’t forget this coming Saturday…


And our blast from the past…

In our 1976/77 route, Tividale FC beat Hinkley Athletic 0-1 in the Preliminary Round.  They then travelled 42.1 miles to face Oldbury United in the 1st Qualifying Round of that year.  We’ll update you on that result and make comparisons with the modern-day FA Cup.






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