:00:19. > :00:23.On tonight's Late Kick Off, Gary Mills and Gateshead are heading to
:00:24. > :00:26.Wembley for the first time in their history and they're now just one win
:00:27. > :00:34.away from returning to the Football League after a 54`year absence.
:00:35. > :00:37.Another team from our region will also play on the hallowed turf. West
:00:38. > :00:41.Auckland are bidding to win the FA vase in the Northern League for the
:00:42. > :00:44.sixth year running. But, after eight seasons in League One, Carlisle are
:00:45. > :00:52.relegated and the Cumbians now have to face up to life in League Two.
:00:53. > :00:57.Welcome to the last programme in this season's series of Late Kick
:00:58. > :01:01.Off. So many different subjects to talk about tonight. Here to help me
:01:02. > :01:03.` Middlesbrough players' player of the year George Friend, the
:01:04. > :01:06.Darlington manager and former Sunderland player Martin Gray, and
:01:07. > :01:10.Daily Mirror football writer Simon Bird. First tonight, congratulations
:01:11. > :01:15.to Gateshead, who progressed to the Conference play`off final at Wembley
:01:16. > :01:19.yesterday. Only Cambridge United now stand between Gary Mills' side and a
:01:20. > :01:27.place in the Football League for the first time since 1960.
:01:28. > :01:31.A crowd in excess of 8000 packed the International Stadium, with
:01:32. > :01:36.Gateshead having to dig deep against a Grimsby Town side reduced to nine
:01:37. > :01:43.men. Thomas back. Could still come to Marwood. He was looking for
:01:44. > :01:52.Madison. He went for goal! Thomas with the pull back. Oh, they've done
:01:53. > :02:01.it! Marwood's onside. Still Marwood! James Marwood! The goalkeeper's come
:02:02. > :02:09.out. He hasn't got there. And that will seal it. O'Donnell with the
:02:10. > :02:13.goal. 8000 fans here today. We've shown what we can get in this
:02:14. > :02:17.stadium. I think our players have shown how well we can play and we've
:02:18. > :02:21.got the football club to Wembley for the first time. You know, it feels
:02:22. > :02:23.great. Now for the Football League. That's what we've got to Wembley
:02:24. > :02:27.for. What a day for Gateshead. George,
:02:28. > :02:30.you've been there in the play`off final at that level. What an
:02:31. > :02:33.achievement for that team from where they've come from this season. It's
:02:34. > :02:37.fantastic. I mean, the Conference is a very tough league. And Gateshead,
:02:38. > :02:42.it's a fantastic story. They worked their way up and, to get this far,
:02:43. > :02:46.they'll be very proud of that. But they will want to go now and win
:02:47. > :02:53.that. Having played in it against Cambridge, it's a hard day. It's an
:02:54. > :02:56.exciting day. And I'm sure it is one they'll really enjoy and it's a
:02:57. > :02:59.massive achievement if they get up. People talk about the Championship
:03:00. > :03:02.play`off final and getting into the Premier League being the biggest
:03:03. > :03:06.game. But at that level, you've played within it, as you say, the
:03:07. > :03:09.expectancy, the prize is so huge to get back into the Football League.
:03:10. > :03:12.Yeah, everyone wants to be a League club. You don't hear anything really
:03:13. > :03:17.about Conference teams, non`League teams. There is that status of being
:03:18. > :03:20.in the League and it's just fantastic if they can do it. To have
:03:21. > :03:23.8000 people there. I mean, unbelievable for the area to have
:03:24. > :03:26.another club, hopefully, in the Football League next season.
:03:27. > :03:31.Martin, when Gary Mills walked in, they were sixth bottom. They
:03:32. > :03:35.finished third. They are now one game away from the Football League.
:03:36. > :03:38.With your manager's hat on, put into context what he's done. I think he
:03:39. > :03:43.brought his style from day one. I knew Gary in the past and, regarding
:03:44. > :03:45.how well he did at York City, I think the discipline he brought to
:03:46. > :03:48.the club straightaway and his organisation and probably his
:03:49. > :03:51.experience... I heard his interviews regarding his experience, so
:03:52. > :03:57.hopefully it will make a big impact in the play`offs. As George said,
:03:58. > :04:00.they are now 90 minutes away from being a Football League club again.
:04:01. > :04:03.And they have their place, quite rightly, in the spotlight. Even
:04:04. > :04:06.local papers dedicating half the back page to them today. That's
:04:07. > :04:10.right. Newspapers thrive on a success story. This is a rare
:04:11. > :04:13.north`east success story. Sales go up when teams win, not when they go
:04:14. > :04:16.down. People misunderstand that about the media sometimes, that we
:04:17. > :04:21.actually need our teams to be successful. Now, 8144 ` a terrific
:04:22. > :04:24.crowd for Gateshead yesterday. Probably some Newcastle fans in
:04:25. > :04:28.there, as well as Sunderland, which was great to see. Talking of
:04:29. > :04:31.Newcastle, you and I were both at St James's Park on Saturday for that
:04:32. > :04:36.victory over Cardiff. The 69th minute that some supporters groups
:04:37. > :04:40.asked supporters to walk out. It was a strange one, wasn't it? What did
:04:41. > :04:43.you make of it? It was a very strange day. It's the first time
:04:44. > :04:46.I've seen Newcastle United fans actually turning against a manager
:04:47. > :04:49.so vocally and vociferously during a game. Usually Newcastle fans step
:04:50. > :04:53.back and don't want to affect the performance on the pitch and save
:04:54. > :04:56.their grumbles for the pub or the internet later. I wasn't surprised
:04:57. > :04:59.by it because it has been brewing for a few weeks. I thought the 69th
:05:00. > :05:03.minute walk`out was quite significant. I thought the campaign
:05:04. > :05:07.worked. A lot of people stood up and walked out. I went out myself to see
:05:08. > :05:10.what was happening and there was a few thousand, I would say, out
:05:11. > :05:14.there. It just shows the brewing discontent and unhappiness since
:05:15. > :05:17.January. It is leaving the club in a very difficult position in terms of
:05:18. > :05:20.where they go from here. Unsavoury headlines for Newcastle despite a
:05:21. > :05:23.win. Magnificent ones for your former club again, Martin,
:05:24. > :05:27.Sunderland. Ten points from 12. Where have they come from? They have
:05:28. > :05:31.done unbelievable. Since he's come to the club, people talk about the
:05:32. > :05:34.last month but since he came and took the job and the them to
:05:35. > :05:38.Wembley, which was a fantastic achievement, along with the pressure
:05:39. > :05:41.of trying to stay in the Premier League, and what he has done in the
:05:42. > :05:45.last month itself, it is above everybody's expectations. But, you
:05:46. > :05:48.have to look at the staff, not just himself, they have stayed together
:05:49. > :05:51.and had self belief within the football club. It looks like now,
:05:52. > :05:55.hopefully, Sunderland will be a Premier League club next year again.
:05:56. > :05:59.Give us a player's insight, George, because when you are seven points
:06:00. > :06:02.adrift, mentally, that must be difficult. And the players have gone
:06:03. > :06:06.out on this unbelievable run at the biggest clubs in the League. Do you
:06:07. > :06:09.know what? I think it helped them knowing that they had that big
:06:10. > :06:19.challenge and it gave that unity and team spirit to try and achieve
:06:20. > :06:23.something, almost the impossible. It was said they needed a miracle and
:06:24. > :06:26.the players have produced it. It is fantastic to see them doing so well
:06:27. > :06:30.and hopefully they will be in the Premier League because they are a
:06:31. > :06:33.Premier League club. Simon, the only concern Sunderland supporters have
:06:34. > :06:36.at the moment are stories that three other clubs have written to the
:06:37. > :06:39.Premier League asking why there weren't points deducted for Ji
:06:40. > :06:43.Dong`won and not just a fine. What is your understanding on that? There
:06:44. > :06:45.is a lot of precedent of teams who have accidentally fielded an
:06:46. > :06:48.ineligible player being deducted points. So this is a big issue. I
:06:49. > :06:51.think Sunderland are fairly confident they won't be deducted
:06:52. > :06:55.points. The action that the bottom three teams are taking right now is
:06:56. > :06:58.against the Premier League and maybe they would be looking for financial
:06:59. > :07:01.compensation. I very much doubt the Premier League will deduct points
:07:02. > :07:05.from Sunderland. OK, watch that space. Now, Martin's Darlington felt
:07:06. > :07:08.the pain of the play`offs last week as they aim to climb back to another
:07:09. > :07:19.level. Step seven of a footballing pyramid.
:07:20. > :07:23.Darlington's hopes of promotion from the Northern Premier League First
:07:24. > :07:25.Division North ended in controversial circumstances at
:07:26. > :07:29.Heritage Park. This first`minute challenge by Owen Roberts left Leon
:07:30. > :07:35.Scott with a broken leg which was punished only with a yellow card.
:07:36. > :07:42.Billy Priestley put Ramsbottom ahead after 23 minutes and then Jordan
:07:43. > :07:45.Hulme made it 2`0 before half`time. Having already sent Martin Gray from
:07:46. > :07:51.the touchline, the referee showed Thompson a second yellow for diving.
:07:52. > :07:56.He sent off Jordan Robinson later as well. Ramsbottom beat Bamber Bridge
:07:57. > :07:59.in the final. They go up. Quakers must try again next year.
:08:00. > :08:04.Martin, commiserations. It all happened there. You were sent to the
:08:05. > :08:08.stands. I guess you're still frustrated now. Yeah, I think so. If
:08:09. > :08:12.you look at how far the club has come in two seasons, getting the
:08:13. > :08:15.promotion last year and doing very well, and we are on target for
:08:16. > :08:19.another promotion. You know, you look at the work, from the chief
:08:20. > :08:22.scout to the fans to the volunteers. To have the game taken
:08:23. > :08:26.away from you within the first ten or 15 seconds, the most important
:08:27. > :08:29.game of the season, with a real, real bad referee decision, you know,
:08:30. > :08:35.it's just really sours all that hard work we put in. How have you gone
:08:36. > :08:39.about getting a feel`good factor back in your time there? A club
:08:40. > :08:43.demoted four divisions is a tough one to take, isn't it? It has been a
:08:44. > :08:47.fantastic challenge and that's why I took the job. It was about what I
:08:48. > :08:50.want to do with my staff and the players we've brought in. We
:08:51. > :08:55.inherited a blank canvas to work off so, you know, it's been fantastic.
:08:56. > :08:59.It's been a great challenge. We had to sort of get a promotion in year
:09:00. > :09:03.one and we did that. We have a fantastic fan base from year one
:09:04. > :09:06.which stayed with us. Hopefully we can get our club back into
:09:07. > :09:10.Darlington. How big an issue is that, to be playing in Darlington
:09:11. > :09:14.next season? That is crucial. Like every club, you want to be playing
:09:15. > :09:18.in your hometown or city. We are no different. As good as Bishop
:09:19. > :09:22.Auckland has been for us, it has come to the time, the third season
:09:23. > :09:24.coming up in August, we have to get back into Darlington hopefully by
:09:25. > :09:28.Christmas. That will increase the revenue, the footfall of fans, local
:09:29. > :09:31.support from businesses as well. Hopefully that will allow everybody
:09:32. > :09:38.to have a better playing budget to keep building a better football
:09:39. > :09:40.club. A busy summer ahead so very good luck with that. Now,
:09:41. > :09:43.Middlesbrough ended the season with a convincing win at Yeovil, ensuring
:09:44. > :09:46.a 12th place finish. Middlesbrough were always in control
:09:47. > :09:57.of their last day trip to relegated Yeovil from the moment Danny Graham
:09:58. > :10:00.put them in front at 31 minutes. Even though James Hayter equalised
:10:01. > :10:06.for the hosts, they responded twice before half`time. First Emmanuel
:10:07. > :10:12.Ledesma and then Lee Tomlin found the target. They saved the best till
:10:13. > :10:15.last, Emmanuel Ledesma again with an emphatic effort and Graham's failure
:10:16. > :10:19.from close range was unimportant in the scheme of things. A handsome win
:10:20. > :10:21.for Middlesbrough who ended the season in the top half of the
:10:22. > :10:29.Championship table. A top`half finish. I know you didn't
:10:30. > :10:31.play in that game through injury. Is that about right? How would you
:10:32. > :10:35.assess the Middlesbrough season, George? It is about right that there
:10:36. > :10:39.were four goals and I didn't play. You are right with that one. It has
:10:40. > :10:43.been a real season of change. Obviously Tony Mowbray left and then
:10:44. > :10:46.Aitor Karanka came in and I think he has been superb. It's a real shame
:10:47. > :10:50.it didn't work with Tony. He brought me in as one of his signings. But
:10:51. > :10:55.Aitor has been fantastic. He has really made the defence solid. I
:10:56. > :11:00.know I mention it every week but he has. I think it is probably about
:11:01. > :11:04.right. We're frustrated we are not in the play`offs cos it is too many
:11:05. > :11:08.seasons now we have not made the play`offs. I was going to say that.
:11:09. > :11:11.One top`ten finish since they slipped out of the Premier League.
:11:12. > :11:15.Is that a minimum requirement next season to be in and around those
:11:16. > :11:18.play`offs? Yeah, we are not going to go talking about promotion but I
:11:19. > :11:21.think every team in the Championship thinks they're going to get promoted
:11:22. > :11:24.otherwise what are you doing there? You are one league away from the
:11:25. > :11:28.Premier League. But we have everything set up and we have the
:11:29. > :11:32.right manager and all the right players. I think a few more ins and
:11:33. > :11:35.outs in the summer, probably. And we should be fine. Talking of ins and
:11:36. > :11:46.outs, what is your understanding? Can Middlesbrough fans expect the
:11:47. > :11:49.season business in the summer? `` to see some business. I definitely
:11:50. > :11:53.think it will be a summer of change and a season of change. There will
:11:54. > :11:57.be a few players out of contract who will probably go. I think Karanka
:11:58. > :12:00.will get on the phone to Mourinho and see what loan deals he can
:12:01. > :12:03.strike with some younger players, and to Madrid as well. That is
:12:04. > :12:07.certainly an avenue he is going down. Danny Graham, they signed him.
:12:08. > :12:10.`` will they sign him? Now, Carlisle United needed something very special
:12:11. > :12:13.to avoid relegation into League Two on Saturday.
:12:14. > :12:16.Most away days are long days as a Carlisle fan. Many of these
:12:17. > :12:20.supporters have been to Crawley midweek for a 0`0 draw. But when
:12:21. > :12:23.your last trip of the season is to the champions and you must win to
:12:24. > :12:26.stand the chance of League One survival, it takes a special kind of
:12:27. > :12:30.person to remain optimistic. What was the mood like midweek when
:12:31. > :12:33.you had that long journey back, knowing what the likely scenario was
:12:34. > :12:37.going to be? It's unbelievable, really. Not down at all. We were
:12:38. > :12:41.singing on the bus. There was laughter and everything. My brother
:12:42. > :12:46.is a priest and he's been praying for us. So that's the best I can do.
:12:47. > :12:51.We had some long journeys. If we do go down, we've got some longer
:12:52. > :12:56.journeys next year. Win, lose or draw, this bus is happy every
:12:57. > :13:03.Saturday night. Win or lose. More so this season ` lose.
:13:04. > :13:09.A crowd just shy of 30,000 turned up at Molineux to celebrate Wolves'
:13:10. > :13:14.promotion. Carlisle arrived knowing even if they won they need both
:13:15. > :13:17.Tranmere and Crewe to slip up. Before the game, chairman Andrew
:13:18. > :13:19.Jenkins apologised to fans, citing financial restrictions and injuries
:13:20. > :13:27.and suspensions the key players as reasons for the club's performance.
:13:28. > :13:30.He indicated they would keep faith with Graham Kavanagh. Miracles do
:13:31. > :13:34.happen in football, don't they? They do and they have happened to this
:13:35. > :13:38.club many times in the past. We've had Jimmy Glass to keep us in the
:13:39. > :13:42.League. That is the message we send the players today and we'll give it
:13:43. > :13:48.our best shot and we'll work as hard as we possibly can. Fans are really
:13:49. > :13:51.up for it. Probably just seen the vicars looking for divine
:13:52. > :13:54.intervention. I'm sure Elvis is here as well somewhere. It's been really
:13:55. > :13:58.good, great atmosphere. Let's hope it's a great atmosphere just before
:13:59. > :14:01.five o'clock. Ultimately, you already deserve to be in the
:14:02. > :14:05.football. That's the bottom four and we'll have to bounce back next
:14:06. > :14:08.season. But you never say never today. They needed something
:14:09. > :14:10.extraordinary to happen but United couldn't have got off to a worse
:14:11. > :14:17.start. Wolves skipper Sam Ricketts scored
:14:18. > :14:20.the opening goal with just five minutes on the clock. An
:14:21. > :14:23.all`too`familiar feeling for the boss. News filtered through that
:14:24. > :14:28.both Tranmere and Crewe were winning and the size of Carlisle's task was
:14:29. > :14:31.getting greater by the minute. Michael Jacobs headed home a second
:14:32. > :14:33.for Wolves and things could have got even worse before the first half
:14:34. > :14:41.came to a close. With survival hopes extinguished and
:14:42. > :14:46.even divine inspiration seemingly out of the question... An air of
:14:47. > :14:51.frustration was prevalent among the travelling fans. Carlisle never
:14:52. > :14:56.really threatened the home side, for whom Nouha Dicko rounded off a
:14:57. > :14:59.comfortable win. Wolves, who amassed a record`breaking 103 League One
:15:00. > :15:02.points, enjoyed the party atmosphere as the clock ticked down on
:15:03. > :15:07.Carlisle's eight years stay in the division. We weren't good enough
:15:08. > :15:14.today in most departments. And this group of players needs to
:15:15. > :15:18.change. How much change will there be over the summer? The players will
:15:19. > :15:21.find out on Tuesday. We'll tell them on Tuesday. We've got times for all
:15:22. > :15:25.the players to be in and they'll find out. But I think the biggest
:15:26. > :15:28.thing has got to be lessons learned. It's very disappointing because we
:15:29. > :15:32.lost points where we shouldn't really have lost points, against the
:15:33. > :15:36.bottom of the league. You know, and if we had got those points ` 15
:15:37. > :15:39.points ` we wouldn't have been in this position. I'll still be going
:15:40. > :15:43.if we go back in the conference. I'll still be going. We've got to
:15:44. > :15:45.keep going otherwise there is no Carlisle United. I feel responsible
:15:46. > :15:49.for what's after happening, regardless of what's gone before.
:15:50. > :15:53.I'm not going to make any rash decisions. I'm certainly here for
:15:54. > :15:58.the long haul. Well, I hope I am, anyway. I certainly want to put this
:15:59. > :16:01.right. I want to get us back to where, at least, we belong, in
:16:02. > :16:03.League One. So, confirmation that Carlisle finished third`from`bottom
:16:04. > :16:10.in League One, relegated to League Two.
:16:11. > :16:16.Five points, in the end, away from safety. Martin, Graham Kavanagh
:16:17. > :16:19.disappointed. First game in charge. He says that tomorrow morning, he's
:16:20. > :16:23.got big meetings with players. How difficult is that to do as a
:16:24. > :16:28.manager? I think he's got to look at it from a manager's point of view.
:16:29. > :16:32.It's his chance now to, sort of, you know, bring in the players that he
:16:33. > :16:35.needs to bring in. He took on a job from a really well`run manager. Greg
:16:36. > :16:39.Abbot did a fantastic job. It's your first season in charge and he took
:16:40. > :16:43.the job on, obviously, because the club was having a tough time at that
:16:44. > :16:47.moment in time. But I'm sure he will have learned an awful lot from this
:16:48. > :16:50.season. He'll be better for it, believe it or not, long`term. I
:16:51. > :16:54.think, you know, sometimes it's a little bit of... You know, you
:16:55. > :16:57.haven't got quite there and it will make you a better manager, a better
:16:58. > :17:01.player, and I've experienced that over the years. So, you know, I
:17:02. > :17:04.wouldn't like to be them players going in there tomorrow morning but
:17:05. > :17:08.I'm sure it's a chance for him to start to build his football club
:17:09. > :17:10.now. OK. League Two action now. Here's Simon again.
:17:11. > :17:15.Already assured of their League Two play`off spot, York City looked to
:17:16. > :17:18.be heading for defeat at Scunthorpe when Paddy Madden headed the home
:17:19. > :17:21.side in front and Terry Hawkridge added a second. But Ryan Brobbel's
:17:22. > :17:23.stunning effort just before half`time gave the Minstermen hope.
:17:24. > :17:25.And Will Hayhurst's second`half equaliser scuppered Scunthorpe's
:17:26. > :17:29.lingering hopes of topping the League Two table. York will face
:17:30. > :17:31.Fleetwood Town in the play`offs, with the first leg at Bootham
:17:32. > :17:42.Crescent on May 10th. Their League Two safety assured, the
:17:43. > :17:47.pressure was off Hartlepool for the visit of Exeter to Victoria Park.
:17:48. > :17:52.But Pools were unable to finish the season with a bang. Jimmy Keohane's
:17:53. > :17:57.curling effort found its way in off the bar, with David Wheeler adding a
:17:58. > :18:00.second. Jonathan Franks was fouled in the penalty area just before
:18:01. > :18:05.half`time but Jack Compton's penalty was saved. There were no further
:18:06. > :18:06.goals, so Colin Cooper's men end up just three points above the League
:18:07. > :18:16.Two relegation zone. Now, football fanzines have played a
:18:17. > :18:19.big part in the culture of the game since the 1980s but, as Nisha Joshi
:18:20. > :18:23.reports, they're having to change with the digital age. A Love
:18:24. > :18:26.Supreme, just ?2.50. Fanzines have been a match`day
:18:27. > :18:32.staple for many supporters for around 30 years. It's a fan's
:18:33. > :18:36.version of a story, rather than politically, like it is in the
:18:37. > :18:40.programme. I love the way the content is. It's a true reflection
:18:41. > :18:45.of what the fans feel. In recent years, circulations of most titles
:18:46. > :18:49.have fallen. You can get it all online now. You can get on the
:18:50. > :18:53.fanzines and have a look on there so that's pretty much what I tend to do
:18:54. > :18:57.with the majority of my reading. People find it easier, don't they,
:18:58. > :19:00.to get it online? So people don't bother with them as much now, do
:19:01. > :19:04.they? Here in Newcastle, the last`ever paper copies of The Mag,
:19:05. > :19:07.in true faith, have now been printed. That means there isn't a
:19:08. > :19:12.single Newcastle fanzine remaining that regularly goes to press. After
:19:13. > :19:17.26 years, 289 issues, this is the last print copy of The Mag. It made
:19:18. > :19:22.sense to put all our energies into the website. The future is still
:19:23. > :19:26.bright for The Mag, if not Newcastle United. Fanzines have come a long
:19:27. > :19:31.way since their humble beginnings in the 1980s. The first few issues were
:19:32. > :19:36.done on a typewriter that had a dodgy vowel key. It meant trying to
:19:37. > :19:42.avoid any words with the letter U in it. The first issue was about 50.
:19:43. > :19:47.Within about two years, it had gone up to 2,500 per match. Now we're...
:19:48. > :19:53.You can strike a couple of noughts off the end or something. In recent
:19:54. > :19:58.years, fanzines have had to adapt to the digital age, with many becoming
:19:59. > :20:02.more like monthly periodicals. We used to have a lot of things in the
:20:03. > :20:05.magazine like match reports and letters and stuff and they tend to
:20:06. > :20:09.go on the website now because, obviously, by the time you bring
:20:10. > :20:11.them out, they could have been and gone. Especially the frequency that
:20:12. > :20:15.Sunderland have sacked their managers over the last couple of
:20:16. > :20:18.seasons. Fly Me To The Moon's future is in doubt. Crowds have dwindled.
:20:19. > :20:24.That makes as big a difference as all the interactive media. So we'll
:20:25. > :20:28.see at the end of the season. I don't really want to quit. A Love
:20:29. > :20:30.Supreme is thriving as a business, selling T`shirts to match`day
:20:31. > :20:36.travel. Although circulation is down, it's got no plans to stop
:20:37. > :20:40.printing for now. So can fanzines survive the digital age? In the
:20:41. > :20:43.paper version, I'm not sure that they can long`term. Now they're
:20:44. > :20:48.wanting something they can look at on an iPad, on a smartphone. So it
:20:49. > :20:52.is, again, giving fans what they want. They might not get what they
:20:53. > :20:56.want in the ground but in their favourite magazine, they can still
:20:57. > :21:00.get it online. Now, the North East has enjoyed an
:21:01. > :21:03.incredible running streak in the FA Vase in recent years and West
:21:04. > :21:08.Auckland are hoping to continue that trend. Here's Nisha again.
:21:09. > :21:13.This Saturday, a team from a small town in County Durham will play on
:21:14. > :21:17.Wembley's hallowed turf. West Auckland are into the last two of
:21:18. > :21:20.the FA Vase, out of more than 500 teams. They're battling through
:21:21. > :21:26.their final fixtures ahead of meeting Wessex Premier League side
:21:27. > :21:30.Sholing in the final. We need to make sure that we're right on the
:21:31. > :21:35.ball from the first minute to the 90th. I think there's a massive
:21:36. > :21:38.excitement if I'm honest with you. It's probably detracting from
:21:39. > :21:44.everything else we're trying to do, which is understandable. There's a
:21:45. > :21:48.really buoyant mood in the camp. West Auckland are hoping to follow
:21:49. > :21:54.in the footsteps of Spennymoor Town, Dunston UTS and Whitley Bay, who won
:21:55. > :22:00.it three times in a row. If so, it will be the sixth successive year a
:22:01. > :22:04.North East team has won the vase. Step five, which is the level that
:22:05. > :22:08.we play at, is widely recognised as being the best step five league in
:22:09. > :22:12.the country. And year`on`year, we prove that by getting teams to the
:22:13. > :22:17.final. West Auckland's FA Vase run has led to a massive backlog of
:22:18. > :22:23.fixtures. A good FA Cup run at the start of the season has added to the
:22:24. > :22:26.problem. And with 14 games between the semis and the final, they've
:22:27. > :22:32.been averaging a match every two days. Before the transfer deadline,
:22:33. > :22:36.I signed about five or six players who weren't going to be eligible to
:22:37. > :22:43.play in the Vase. So I signed them... Sorry, we nearly scored
:22:44. > :22:47.there. I signed them in the knowledge that they couldn't play in
:22:48. > :22:51.the Vase and that wouldn't be a distraction. West Auckland are
:22:52. > :22:58.already famous silverware winners. They won the first`ever World Cup in
:22:59. > :23:02.1909. It was a team of miners that was made up from West Auckland. They
:23:03. > :23:07.went over to Italy to play against the Germans and Swiss teams and the
:23:08. > :23:12.Italians. And in 1909, we beat them. We went back in 1911 and won it
:23:13. > :23:16.again. It's a big story for us, obviously. Yeah, well, it is
:23:17. > :23:20.because, like I say, we're known as the winners of the first World Cup
:23:21. > :23:25.but we'd like to be known as the last winners of the FA vase. And if
:23:26. > :23:29.we can do that on May 10th, I'll be ecstatic. The dream nearly came true
:23:30. > :23:31.for West Auckland in 2012, when they made the final but lost 2`0 to
:23:32. > :23:41.Dunston UTS. We don't want to be repeating that.
:23:42. > :23:46.And if the lads can't get motivated to win this time, then they've got
:23:47. > :23:49.no chance. But we have had other times. Like, I've got here the
:23:50. > :23:54.programme for '61 when we went to Wembley ` and lost, unfortunately.
:23:55. > :23:59.Then I've been again in 2012 with the Vase team. We lost again. So
:24:00. > :24:04.this is third time lucky. I'm not going any more unless we win this
:24:05. > :24:08.one. There'll be much more than pride at stake in the final. The
:24:09. > :24:11.winner of the vase gets 25,000 vital pounds, which West Auckland would
:24:12. > :24:16.use to improve facilities and the squad. They're favourites ahead of
:24:17. > :24:19.their trip to Wembley, where they'll take 3,000 fans. This time, they
:24:20. > :24:29.hope nothing stands in their way. In 2012, it was a big, big surprise
:24:30. > :24:33.for us to go all the way in it. We knocked good sides out of it. And
:24:34. > :24:36.then what we did since then... The manager's done a great job and he's
:24:37. > :24:43.built a new team. Hopefully, they can produce. I know it's not the
:24:44. > :24:47.World Cup but it's the vase at the end of the day and it's like our
:24:48. > :24:50.World Cup. We've just got to win it, to be honest. And will you?
:24:51. > :24:55.Definitely. And I'll score two. There you go. And the very best of
:24:56. > :24:58.luck to West Auckland at Wembley. A team you know well, Martin, having
:24:59. > :25:03.played against them last season. What is it about the Northern League
:25:04. > :25:06.in the North East and the FA vase? I just think it shows you how strong
:25:07. > :25:09.the competition is. I think the Northern League itself is a
:25:10. > :25:12.fantastic league. It produces lots of good local footballers. Lots of
:25:13. > :25:16.players drop out of the pro games, the Newcastles and Sunderlands. And
:25:17. > :25:20.I think the quality of play now at step five is very good. I think it's
:25:21. > :25:23.proven with the Spennymoors and the Dunstons and the Whitley Bays that
:25:24. > :25:27.the FA vase has been always coming back to the North East. So I think
:25:28. > :25:31.it's a great time for West Auckland to now bring it back for themselves.
:25:32. > :25:34.Let's hope so. Right, let's do our final Twitter questions of the
:25:35. > :25:38.series. Loads of them as usual. Thank you very much indeed. Simon, a
:25:39. > :25:41.question for you. Who is your Sunderland and Newcastle player of
:25:42. > :25:45.the year? For Sunderland, I'd go for Fabio Borini. I like the way he's
:25:46. > :25:49.buzzed around and really kept it up, even when they had a bad time. For
:25:50. > :25:51.Newcastle, I'd go for Loic Remy. Because where would Newcastle be
:25:52. > :25:55.without his goals? George, Graham says, "do you think the longer Boro
:25:56. > :25:58.stay in the Championship, the harder it will be to get into the Premier
:25:59. > :26:02.League?". That's a great question. I think the first year you come down
:26:03. > :26:05.from the Premier League, it's crucial. So for the likes of QPR
:26:06. > :26:10.this season, they've got to go back up. But you could flip it and say,
:26:11. > :26:13.the longer you're in the league the better you know it. And I think
:26:14. > :26:16.Middlesbrough really know what needs to be done now. They've brought in a
:26:17. > :26:20.manager like Aitor and hopefully they'll get out of it soon. Alan
:26:21. > :26:25.says, "Whatever happens at Wembley for Gateshead, what a season. We
:26:26. > :26:29.must keep Gary Mills". Ann says, "Martin, what are you going to do
:26:30. > :26:33.next season to make sure we learn from this and get promoted". We've
:26:34. > :26:37.got to get off to a real good start. I think it's important that we go
:26:38. > :26:40.for a promotion. There's no hiding away from that and it's important
:26:41. > :26:44.that we start off pre`season, as we did last year, very strong. But
:26:45. > :26:47.hopefully we don't slip up. One or two of the lesser games where we
:26:48. > :26:51.didn't really turn up and perform... Just be more consistent over the
:26:52. > :26:53.season, as we were the season before. Gaz, the Newcastle fan,
:26:54. > :26:57.says, "Simon, it's been so frustrating. We gave up in January.
:26:58. > :27:00.How damaging was the FA Cup defeat to Cardiff?". Hugely damaging. They
:27:01. > :27:03.rested players for that game, Cabaye and Remy. Newcastle should be going
:27:04. > :27:07.for their first team, their first choice 11, for every cup game. And
:27:08. > :27:10.if Newcastle don't do that next year, then there's going to be
:27:11. > :27:14.trouble because I want to see that, fans want to see that and managers
:27:15. > :27:17.should be demanding that, as well. OK. And George, what does a
:27:18. > :27:20.championship player do in close season? Probably quite similar to
:27:21. > :27:24.what you do. Go on holiday, go abroad, mostly. I like to play a bit
:27:25. > :27:28.of beach volleyball to keep fit. Get on the beach, get a bit of sun and
:27:29. > :27:35.try and get your body to recuperate for the next season. It's just a
:27:36. > :27:41.time to rest, enjoy yourself and... Yeah, that's what I like to do.
:27:42. > :27:44.Time for us all to rest. Gentlemen, thank you for your company. That is
:27:45. > :27:48.it tonight and for this season. Our thanks to George, Martin and, as
:27:49. > :27:51.ever, Simon. Thank you for your company throughout the series and
:27:52. > :27:53.thank you for your Twitter questions, comments and archive
:27:54. > :27:57.requests tonight as well. Tonight we've delved to leave you with the
:27:58. > :28:01.last piece of major silverware won by a team in the North East. It's
:28:02. > :28:04.Steve McClaren and Middlesbrough's 2004 League Cup triumph. From all of
:28:05. > :28:14.the team, good night. MUSIC: "Take Me Out" by Franz
:28:15. > :29:16.Ferdinand and the grand final with me,
:29:17. > :29:17.Graham Norton. My fellow friends, it's time
:29:18. > :29:19.to get your glad rags on, invite your friends over,
:29:20. > :29:23.and bring out the hors d'oeuvres, because this is one party
:29:24. > :29:25.you don't want to miss. Eurovision!
:29:26. > :29:29.And the UK's 2014 entry, Molly! Catch the semifinals with
:29:30. > :29:36.Scott Mills and Laura Whitmore, and the grand final with me,
:29:37. > :29:42.Graham Norton. With Molly,
:29:43. > :29:46.the UK could finally win.