Tag: terry mitchell

andy coyles

Andy Coyles takes over as Consett’s temporary manager, with Ben Cole as No 2

Coach Andy Coyles, pictured top, will take over as temporary manager of Consett AFC for the “foreseeable future”, with Ben Cole as his assistant.

That’s the news from Belle View Stadium this afternoon following the shock resignation of manager Terry Mitchell and his assistant Graeme Coulson to join National League North club Blyth Spartans.

Consett AFC Chairman Frank Bell confirmed the interim appointment, saying: “The club has appointed Andy Coyles as temporary manager for the foreseeable future, assisted by Ben Cole.”

Andy, who was with Whitehaven and Workington during his playing days, joined our backroom team just before the start of the 2019-20 season.

A holder of the Uefa ‘A’ licence, he is senior lecturer and practitioner in sport coaching/PE at Northumbria University in Newcastle, and head coach of the England Universities men’s football team.

He spent three years as a coach at Stoke City before relocating to the North East, and had a spell as manager of Northern League side Penrith.

Ben, pictured below, is an ex-Middlesbrough pro who joined Consett in September 2014 to provide specialist goalkeeping coaching.

As a player, he was ever-present for Kenny Lindoe’s Brandon United side when they won the Northern League title against all the odds in 2002-03.

He hung up his gloves, but was forced to come out of retirement three times in 2016 to solve goalkeeping crises. He’s now retired for good as a player, but remains a popular figure at the club.

terry mitchell

Consett manager Terry Mitchell and his No. 2 quit to join Blyth Spartans

Consett manager Terry Mitchell and his assistant Graeme Coulson today left the club to take up positions at National League North club Blyth Spartans.

Their shock resignations come with the Steelmen seven points clear at the top of Northern League Division One, and in the 3rd Round of the FA Vase, eyeing a return trip to Wembley.

Terry took over the hotseat at the start of the 2019-20 season, while Graeme had also served as Chris Moore’s No 2 the previous season.

They took the club all the way to Wembley for the first time in the club’s history in the 2019-20 FA Vase, losing 3-2 to then-Northern League rivals Hebburn Town in the Covid-delayed final in May 2021.

Consett AFC chairman Frank Bell said: “I got a phone call from Terry today to say that he and Graeme are leaving with immediate effect to take up similar posts with Blyth Spartans.

“I would like to say a huge thank you to Terry for his hard work and dedication over the last two and a half years, and to Graeme for the last three and a half years.

“They gave us the wonderful experience of taking the club to Wembley, and leave us in a good position to fulfil our ambition of promotion. We wish them all the very best in their endeavours at Blyth Spartans.”

Coach Andy Coyles will become temporary manager with immediate effect, assisted by goalkeeping coach Ben Cole.

Callum’s the Guy as Consett start the season with a win over Seaham

Consett got their Northern League campaign off to a winning start today, beating a dogged Seaham Red Star 3-1 at Belle View Stadium.

Wearing their new red and black away kit, the Steelmen gave debuts to two of their new signings, left-back Charlie Exley and midfielder Callum Guy.

Both did well, and Guy turned out to be one of the key men in the game, which saw Consett take the lead, pegged back, then take three points with an impressive second-half display.

They opened the scoring in the 26th minute when Carl Lawson took Calvin Smith’s crossfield ball down on his chest, turned, and smashed an unstoppable effort in off the bar from 22 yards, pictured below.

The lead didn’t last long, however, as Seaham equalised two minutes later, with right-back Jordan Patterson getting on the end of Lee Kerr’s cross to glance in a header.

Six minutes before half-time Consett almost restored their lead, when Jake Orrell played in Luke Carr, whose dinked effort was saved by Seaham keeper Andrew Jennison, and centre-back Max Nelson cleared the loose ball before Dale Pearson could take advantage.

It remained 1-1 at the break, and the Steelmen were grateful to keeper Kyle Hayes for saving with his feet from Adam Lennox in the 52nd minute.

Nine minutes later Consett regained the lead with a fine goal. Guy started the move in midfield, spraying the ball out wide for Pearson.

The No.9 made for the byline before pulling the ball back for Callum Guy, who had continued his run into the box, to finish from 10 yards, firing into the roof of the net for 2-1, pictured below.

Consett’s tails were up, and Pearson and Exley both had chances to increase the lead before they scored a third goal to clinch the game in the 79th minute.

This time Guy returned the favour for Dale Pearson, setting up the striker to score from eight yards after seeing the Seaham keeper save his initial effort.

The final scoreline could have been more. Jennison made an excellent save from Orrell, who burst clean through after robbing Kerr in midfield, and sub Dan Marriott curled an effort just wide after Orrell turned provider.

But manager Terry Mitchell was happy enough to get three points on the board, ahead of a week in which his side faces two tricky away games, in the league at Northallerton on Wednesday, then the FA Cup at Whickham on Friday.

  • Full match report and more pictures HERE.
sunderland

Consett suffer first pre-season defeat to slick Sunderland youngsters

Consett tasted defeat for the first time in pre-season tonight, going down 3-1 to an impressive Sunderland XI in a behind-closed-doors friendly at the Academy of Light.

Terry Mitchell’s team were on the ropes for most of the first half as they struggled to cope with the sharp, hungry Black Cats side, which was a mixture of U18s/U23s.

They fell behind after 12 minutes, when a through ball from midfield left a striker with just Consett keeper Kyle Hayes to beat, and he obliged.

Hayes made a string of saves as Sunderland’s passing and movement cut the Steelmen open, but there was nothing he could do about the second goal on the half-hour, as the No 11 cut in from the left and fired home.

Things got even worse on 33 minutes, when a shot by the Sunderland No 8 from 25 yards took a wicked deflection off a defender and crept inside the left-hand post.

Consett had created little and struggled to keep the ball at times, but after making seven half-time changes, the second 45 minutes was a different story.

Dale Pearson rattled the post with a 25-yarder on 51 minutes, while Nick Allen’s header from a corner clipped the top of the bar.

This was a much-improved Consett performance, and they got their reward in the 73rd minute when Calvin Smith’s wonderful long pass from inside his own half found Colin Larkin.

The striker, who has just followed former teammate Stephen Callen from Sunderland RCA, produced a classy finish, dinking the ball past the keeper to make it 3-1, pictured top.

Larkin fired another chance into the side netting, Matty Slocombe blazed over and Carl Lawson flicked an effort just over the bar as Consett took the game to their hosts.

In the 84th minute Sunderland’s keeper made the save of the game, clawing away a header from Consett’s trialist striker which was heading for the top corner.

It finished 3-1 to Sunderland, but manager Terry Mitchell was happy with his team’s second-half display after a first half which ranked alongside their most disappointing since he came to the club.

fa vase final

Consett manager Terry Mitchell proud of his team, despite FA Vase final defeat

Consett AFC manager Terry Mitchell has spoken of his pride in his team, despite defeat in yesterday’s FA Vase final at Wembley Stadium.

His side took the game to their opponents, who were favourites to win, and twice took the lead in a thrilling first half, through Ali Alshabeeb and Dale Pearson.

Hebburn scored quick equalisers after both goals, however, and went on to grab a late winner through sub Olly Martin.

After the match, Terry – who lost key midfielder Jake Orrell midway through the first half after a worrying collision – said he was proud of his team.

“We’re obviously very disappointed to have lost, but I couldn’t be any prouder of the players.

fa vase final
Consett line-up before the start of the FA Vase final. Pic: John Paul Hardy.

“I thought we played particularly well in the first half, but we just couldn’t quite continue in the way we should have done in the second half.”

Terry admitted Consett were tactically naive in conceding goals so soon after scoring, and said his side wil have to improve their game management.

“Typical, isn’t it? A football team’s always most vulnerable after they’ve just scored. Was it the naivety of our lads?

“We were only in the lead for about five minutes. It was two minutes the first time, three minutes on the second.

“But it’s been an absolutely magnificent two days. To step out there was brilliant.”

fa vase final
Players of both Consett and Hebburn had given their all by the end of an exhausting FA Vase final. Pic: Gary Welford.
fa vase final

FA Vase final: Consett AFC issue special Wembley souvenir – here’s how to get it

Consett AFC are counting down to the biggest day in the club’s history, when they take on fellow Northern League side Hebburn Town in the FA Vase final at Wembley on May 3.

Sadly, the Government’s roadmap out of lockdown means the game will take place behind closed doors, with only a few representatives of either club present, instead of thousands of supporters.

The fact there will be no crowd means The FA won’t be issuing an official match programme, to the disappointment of fans and collectors alike.

However, conscious of the fact that many people tuning in to watch the game live on BT Sport will want a souvenir of the big day, Consett AFC have produced their own.

It’s a bumper 48-page full colour Special Wembley Edition of our matchday programme The Steelman – that’s 50% bigger than usual.

Road to the FA Vase final

Produced by programme editor Gary Welford in association with non-league programme specialists FootiePrint.co.uk, it’s packed with features and pictures from our road to Wembley.

There are exclusive articles by chairman Frank Bell, manager Terry Mitchell, captain Arjun Purewal – who could be facing his twin brother Amar! – and North East football writer Mark Carruthers.

Arj also takes us inside the dressing room, while midfield maestro Luke Carr tells us what it’s like to play, score and win the FA Vase final at Wembley, and there’s a selection of fans’ good luck messages to the lads for the big day.

We turn the spotlight on our opponents too, looking at their route to the final, and the players we’ll face under the shadow of the famous arch.

The Special Wembley Edition is £4 to click and collect, or £5 to have posted out to you. To order yours, call in at the club between 9.30am-10pm Monday-Friday, email consettafc@live.co.uk or call (01207) 588886 and we’ll tell you how you can pay.

Virtual match tickets, priced £8, are also available, along with special FA Vase commemorative shirts and banners. Every ticket purchased will help local youth causes and the If U Care Share Foundation, which works to prevent suicides.

Consett AFC are selling virtual tickets to raise money for good causes. They do not give access to the game or BT Sport’s live coverage.

Consett manager Terry Mitchell pays tribute to fans who beat the lockout to see FA Vase win

Manager Terry Mitchell paid tribute to the Consett fans who found ways to beat the ban after Tier 3 Covid-19 restrictions meant we had to play yesterday’s FA Vase game behind closed doors.

Some locked-out supporters used stepladders to see over the fence at Belle View Stadium, while others climbed on top of a shipping container outside the ground so they could watch the game v Maltby main.

And their efforts were rewarded as they saw the Steelmen cruise into the 3rd Round with an impressive 5-0 win.

Terry was interviewed after the game by BBC Radio Newcastle’s non-league expert Paul Dixon, and praised the efforts the diehard supporters had made.

He said: “The fans were brilliant, we must have had about 20 on the container and I probably seen at least 20 with their stepladders.

“It just goes to show that football needs fans. They’ll do anything to watch their local team play.

“We could hear them. They were absolutely brilliant and we really thank them for their efforts to see the game today.”

Terry, his assistant Graham Coulson and their players acknowledged the supporters on the container at the end of the game.

Consett U18s bow out of FA Youth Cup after succumbing to a strong South Shields side

Consett Under-18s were in action tonight in the FA Youth Cup, and did themselves and the club proud, despite losing 4-1 to a strong South Shields side at Belle View Stadium.

The young Steelmen – represented by Gavin Scott’s Consett Bulls team – were up against a Mariners side who reached the 3rd Round proper of the competition last season.

And although they were well beaten in the end, they took the game to their opponents, taking the lead in the 15th minute through Will Gallagher, who fired home the rebound, pictured top, after the Shields keeper made a save.

The lead lasted just six minutes, as Charlie McLeod ran onto a long ball over the top and beat the keeper to it to make it 1-1.

Two minutes before the break Harvey Neary made it 2-1 to South Shields and that’s the way it stayed at the break.

Consett’s best chance of an equaliser came in the 58th minute when they brought a fine save from the keeper, but two minutes later Shields were firmly in control when they grabbed a third goal through Oscar Taylor.

The young Steelmen had a decent penalty appeal refused, which might have given them a foothold back in the game, but Taylor’s second goal in the 81st minute wrapped up the win for the visitors.

When the final whistle went it was South Shields who progressed to a tie against North Shields in the next round.

But their opponents battled to the end and made them work for their win in front of a three-figure crowd which included Consett manager Terry Mitchell and his assistant Graeme Coulson, who have had several of the Bulls players training with the first team.

Consett: 1 Ciaran Ure, 2 Lewis Lorraine, 3 Ellis Swinburn, 4 Kieran Scott (captain), 5 David Richardson, 6 Flynn Brass, 7 Jamie Nash, 8 Tom Eglin, 9 Will Gallagher, 10 Jacob Kennyford, 11 Jamie Edmunds. Subs: Joe Bambrick, Dan Walker, Will Tubman, Craig Megson, Micah Benjamin, Matty Heywood.

FA Vase: Consett boss Terry Mitchell faces tough choices ahead of semi-final as he prepares for biggest game in club’s history

Consett manager Terry Mitchell says his biggest headache in the run-up to today’s FA Vase semi-final is who to leave out of the 18-man matchday squad.

The Steelmen currently have 24 players fit and raring to go for the biggest game in the club’s history, but the manager can only pick the starting XI and seven substitutes.

That will leave six players disappointed at not being involved, and the manager says it will be an extremely tough decision.

Emergency rules for the competition mean that for the semi-final and final, clubs can select two players who have not played for them in the competition during the 2019-20 season.

Terry told the Northern League website: “We have a  full squad of 24 players available and everybody wants to be part of it.

“Whittling it down to 18 players is the hardest thing we’ve got to do, but it’s a nice problem, as we have 24 quality players.”

He said he has a strong squad at his disposal, with or without being able to pick two new players for the game. 

But he’s in no doubt about the quality of opponents Bitton, who make the long journey from South Gloucester.

“They’ve got to be good to make it this far in a national competition and come 3pm it’s a one-off game to get to Wembley.  It will be a tough game, but we’re confident.

“Best wishes to Hebburn too.  We hope everybody in the region will be hoping it’s going to be a North East final.”