Episode 7 Late Kick Off North East and Cumbria

And tonight, we hear about Senegal and St James's Park. We hear from

the man who is on the verge of winning promotion for Darlington

and we are in the company of one of our most celebrated photographers.

Evening all. Yes, the man behind the celebrated Homes of Football

exhibition at the National Football Museum, Stuart Roy Clarke, is with

us and so too, former Boro and England defender Danny Mills.

Just in time to give us your thoughts on the extraordinary

events at the Stadium of Light. The last three weeks have been

incredible. We all knew that when Paolo Di Canio came in there will

be some reaction - good or bad. For some fans it has been fantastic and

the Derby game, and I think you have to wait to see whether that

will make a real difference, form goes out the window in a

Newcastle/Sunderland derby. They have their win and it looks like

they will be safe. The theatre is spectacular. He has earned himself

eight Total mandate across the club and he can do no wrong. Everybody

is suddenly... From all the political gerrymandering, everybody

is... You get a honeymoon period, don't you? He has got them say. A

bit like a firefighter coming in. I think we have to wait till next

season to see how the players react long-term to what he has done and

he has already upset a few. Great this season, but there is a long

time to go yet. Football needs characters. He is an absolute dream,

isn't he? But you couldn't get much more animated than Martin O'Neill

in his early years. Actually you can, Paolo Di Canio. For a

photographer, you need characters on the pitch but I need them off

the pitch as well in the crowd. If the game is boring, I can seek out

all sorts of interesting people. Danny can't wander off a pitch but

I can. There will never be a born in a moment when Paolo De Canio is

around. Newcastle United striker Papiss

Demba Cisse cares a lot for his home country, Senegal. And, in

particular, the city where he was born, Sedhiou. He told Andy May

about his charity work there and He has become one of Newcastle's

most popular players. He is making more of an impact in his home

country though, helping to save lives through his own foundations.

Senegal is my country and my city is, at Sedhiou. It is a small city.

The people do not have money and a Your aim is to buy an ambulance

because your first job was as a driver, wasn't it? Yes, to drive

for an ambulance was my first job. I think I'd by an ambulance for my

city, it is important for me. Before I see people dive. How old

were you? 15. That c UN, isn't it? Yes, that's why I stopped going to

school. After I tried this job. After I had money, I gave it to my

What sort of unaffected that have on you, seeing people die it and

sit at such a young age? He it was very difficult for me. I and the UN

at that time. Did you ever cry? the first time I cried. In this job,

you become strong. It is my city, my city, my brother, my sister, my

friend, my family. It is normal I give an ambulance for the city. It

is normal for me. Sometimes, the people look at me... But the star.

But me, I say I am not a star, I am just a normal player. The man who

plays the football. I like the people and the people like me. And,

yeah... What does it mean to wear the number nine shirt for Newcastle

United? The number nine is a big number. It is the number before for

Alan Shearer. It is a big number. I tried to give the best for the

number. Sometimes it is difficult but all the time, I tried. What do

you in jury in Newcastle? I enjoy the people. The people from New

park - might Newcastle are a nice people. I'd enjoy this city. I say,

if I'd tried good my job, I enjoy the city. When you score, we see

this beaming, infectious smile. What does it mean to you when you

put the ball in the back of the net for Newcastle? For me, it is the

best in the world to score a goal. If I score I go crazy. I like to

score a goal, it is my job. We saw it against Fulham. You liked that,

didn't you? Yes, I thought, I'll go and see the fans. It gave three

points for the team. I say, I think the game is finished. If I go and

see the fans I will take a yellow card but it is OK, it is OK. That

is why I say, if I scored a goal I He comes across as a thoroughly

nice fellow and he feels a huge sense of responsibility to where he

comes from. Great dignity. I was in West Africa covering football and

every day from my hotel I could see this game going on with a brilliant

player and he turned out to be the garden of the hotel. I said to the

manager, can I take him to one of the Premier League teams and

introduce him and he said, be my guest. This was next door to

Senegal. Similar background to Susie Gill then I had to leave and

on the way to the airport a military coup happened. The hotel

got closed and he lost his job and I never find out what became of him.

It is one less player making it to France and the stepping stone. It

is a great story. The point is, such are the margins and there is a

lot of football talent out there. There is a responsibility to a

nation like Africa and the figurehead status that somebody

like Cisse will play over there. There is an aspirational values.

Mali, I never saw so many football games going on. People were so

knowledgeable about, mostly the premier league, but all sorts of

things. That is their passport out of a country that they love and

they want to pay back in some way if they get the chance. He kept his

goals going. I suppose he has his freedom and paying -- playing out

of position. He is making a contribution? I think there was a

conflict before as to who was the number one. He seems a lovely guy

but all centre-forwards love the limelight and they want to be the

number one with their first name on the team-sheet. He has proved that

now and he has done well. He has settled incredibly quickly. After

the honeymoon period, it takes a while to get used to their

surroundings and speaking a different language. It is not easy.

He has got over that and hopefully, next season he will really kick on.

He has hit the ground running. So, Stuart has spent the last 25

years photographing football in his own unique way. If you do not

recognise his face, you may well recognise his work. Here's a brief

insight into how he goes about his The early years were like anything

formative, a bit like the first case of a teenage romance or

something. I went into it with eyes wide. I could almost have done the

Homes of Football bend. Not just Victorian arenas and iconic names

but to show how it was going to I very often arrive at a ridiculous

hour. For a 3 o'clock kick-off, I might arrive at 9 o'clock. I want

to be the first person there and see everyone arrive and be the last

person to see them go. I likely to be my event as well as an event in

his own way. Sometimes I like to pick out people. Sometimes I get to

look at the dressing room and that is interesting. I would be trying

to build up a complete picture of that particular home of football

He he mentioned first cases and it has got me wondering... -- kisses.

You are always on the lookout for the unusual, I guess. Your work

reeks of character. Back to the action and when penalties are being

taken, people can't understand. The man City Stars confuse me because

they have all turned around. That is a fantastic image. That sort of

behaviour in the crowds is amazing. We will take a look at one or two

of your keynote moments. He is there a danger that it is much

harder now for you to capture in the modern era the kind of

quirkiness of the character as football grounds have got sanitised.

Perhaps you might see that some of the salt of the game that people

sentimental poor. But some of the modern grounds need to be full.

they have the character, say, of Emerson Park? I guess you would

fixate on if they go with the cigarette in hand, at the urinals

at the back of the ground, all the things we cannot do? Yes, they were

built in stages, lots of them, and now there are 20 or 30 grounds that

are completely broke new. But I still find the charm. I love this

one. How long did you have to wait to get that shot? About 20 minutes.

I noticed the dog very early. He watched more intent be banned

anyone. He went up behind the goal for the second half. He had to pay

two quid! I can sometimes spend an hour focused on one person waiting

for that moment. The Carlisle bomb was in the last second of the match.

If you are a Carlisle fan, do not leave before the end. On this one,

the sheer intensity and look on the faces. Beautiful picture. Even

though you do so it yourself! Do football people appreciate the

wider context -- wider context of the game? So on time she do,

sometimes you do not. Once the game kicks off, you are so intent on

what you're doing. But once you are away from football, you see people

in the street, of course you understand it. All sat on the bench,

you can see the passion that people have. When you are in the game it

is great difficult because you are so focused on what you are doing.

Often some of the best moments are the benches, and watching the

managers. As we approach the end of the season, how did our teams in

the Football League third this weekend? Pretty much business as

Forest gave Middlesbrough a morale boost ahead of the visit to the

Reebok Stadium. The early momentum was with Bolton. The Boro

goalkeeper was soon called into action again. Bolton remained a

Fred Coe Ford after the break but had a big slice of luck with the

opener from Chris Eagles. -- eight threatening force. Kieron Dyer got

his second goal in eight Boro shirt. Marvin Sordell finished from the

spot. Things were going from bad to worse for Boro. This time there was

no doubting the Guild of Jonathan Woodgate as he held back Marvin

Sordell, leaving his side to finish the game with 10 men. Carlisle

arrived in Bournemouth unbeaten in their last six but their opponents

from the brink of promotion and determined to end the day on a high.

The Cherries took the lead when Steve Cook's header went in. But

before the break, Carlisle nearly pulled one back but were denied by

the woodwork. In the second half, Lee Miller drew them level in

spectacular style. But parity were short-lived. Six minutes later,

Harry Arter restored the lead for Bournemouth. Carlisle were

spectators as Bournemouth clawed their promotion party and Brett

Pitman fired home to secure and eight successive win for the

Cherries. Hartlepool had already slipped through the League One

trapdoor before the visit of Brentford. The Pools keeper looked

to be in for a busy afternoon. But Hartlepool but undeterred and took

a deserved lead after 25 minutes. Luke James had time to pick his

spot. John Hughes has predicted a massive future in the game for the

teenage striker. Hartlepool have won only five times at Victoria

Park this campaign and the three points slipped away here. They

could not clear their lines and Marcello Trotta was allowed to turn

and fire home. York Kate and sells a lifeline in

their bid to avoid dropping out of the Football League. -- gave

themselves. They took just 55 seconds to find a breakthrough.

Southend recovered well. Ryan Leonard equalised. But York were

not to be denied for long and were back in front before the break. The

ball eventually fell for Matty Blair to score his seventh goal of

the season. The win means that York are now two points above the drop

zone with their final game to come against Dagenham and Redbridge.

Gateshead secured their status with 82-0 win. Berwick Rangers won

Commiserations to Hartlepool on the relegation. But at least the fate

of York is in their own hands. Mathematically it goes all the way

up to 18th. I do not think Torquay and Plymouth are going to be in it.

A point for York will be enough. But a waiter Dagenham and

Redbridge? I think they have to go with the attitude that they want to

win the game. After a torrid few years, Darlington 1883 have enjoyed

every birth in the Northern League. Liquidation, relegation four times

over, and their players. It looked as though things could not get much

bleaker at Darlington last summer. They needed a saviour and it came

either shape of one of their former players, Martin Gray. He has done a

brilliant job. He has galvanised the fans and brought in some really

good players for this level. When you think at the start of the

season he did not have 11 players. To be top of the table now, and

hopefully winning the league, it is tremendous. The chairman gave me

some money and a piece of paper and had to build our team. You knew was

could be tough to attract better players but as the season has gone

on, we have chopped and changed, and the club has been fantastic in

giving me finances when it has been very difficult. What we started

with an where we are today, we have probably made nine changes since

August. Darlington were a football and the clock for 88 years, and

that has brought a certain pressure to their quest to win the Northern

League this season. So far, a colossal 116 points happy one.

players have played with that pressure from day one. Two-person

people turn up and they expect us to win and score goals, and

everybody wants to be due -- 2000 people. They have handled the

The players are used to playing at this level. It is different for me

and the coaching staff, we have been fortunate to play at the

highest level. But the players unused the level, you used to the

facilities, keys to the surfaces. We try to make his as professional

as possible. We try and do things as we should do as the Football

League club. A return to the Football League is at a target for

the future, as well be having a Crown to call their own. But

Heritage Park, which they share with Bishop Auckland, has been

something of a fortress for them, with 19 wins. It is a great ground,

but we are about local football. We need at ground very similar to this.

There would be ideal for us, for the next few seasons at least.

seven games in hand, Spennymoor can still mathematically catch

Darlington, but they look favourites to win the Northern

League this season, and they would live up to the eight tour of

football. Do long journey back has begun. The team spirit here is the

best I have come across. I have been in the game 25 years and had

fantastic team mates and tracing -- changing rooms. But they are very

proud to put the shirt, and that is what I expect. When people come and

talk to me, it is not about money, and want them to play for

Pollington. We know we have four or five levels decline back to the

Football League Conference. To do it every year will be a massive ask.

But as long as we get a great support and we continue improving,

I'm sure we can get somewhere near that in the next few years.

As and when Darlington do finally seal their promotion, they will

face Scarborough Athletic, another club from our region. Spennymoor

could still catch them. If they win all their games in hand. Probably

unlikely. The Northern League is the second oldest leak in the world.

It is only just a little bit younger than the Football League.

I'm really looking forward to doing the Northern League for a good part

of the next year. Players rushing from their daytime jobs, thinking I

am captain of the site, and it kicks off in half an hour. It is

fascinating. Real football, Danny. I have seen it. At Harrogate Town

the other week, they are doing a fantastic job. Team sheets go at

the last minute and sometimes names have to be crossed off. And it is

good that I can put these pictures in the national football museum

alongside some of these big names. That is what the 100 it to the

anniversary of the Football Association should be all about.

You have to hand it to Darlington, all that professionalism. They

bring a certain standard. And the fans have been brilliant. I thought

they would struggle. Darlington fans have often told me that the

club would collapse. They average about 2000 fans in the league. For

the standard they of playing it is phenomenal. It has been a rebirth.

Completely. And that core of loyal fans have stayed. They stuck with

it. This is the first season of promotion, it is a long way back,