New year and new hope as Gateshead move on from a game-changing 2022

As Gateshead’s players, staff and supporters filed away, only player-manager Mike Williamson, his family and the National League North champions trophy remained on the International Stadium pitch.

Just an hour earlier, surrounded by supporters, friends and family, and flanked by his team-mates and members of the Heed coaching staff, captain Greg Olley lifted the trophy amid joyous scenes in the aftermath of a season-ending home win against Hereford.

A season of perfect preparation, meticulous planning and outstanding execution had come to a close and planning for a return to non-league’s top tier was already well underway. But there was still time to pause for reflection, to look back on the journey the club had taken ever since the dark days when the former owners took them to within 72 hours of going out of business.

A chance to assess the giant steps taken, pouring over the slow, methodical rebuild, the key appointments, the defining changes and to enjoy the rewards that come with undoubted success. For Olley, a player that witnessed the highs and lows at first-hand, even now, seven months on, the feeling of pride remains strong.

He told The Echo: “At the end of the first year, Busted (Ian Watson, assistant manager) was trying to convince me to stay and was telling me we would be staying in the National League. Then a week later it all changed and he rang again to say we were going down.

“I always felt there was an injustice there and we didn’t belong in that league and we did belong in the league we are now. There is a lot of pride knowing I have helped the club back into the National League, it was probably the best moment of my career and it will go down in a lot of people’s memories as one of the best moments in their lives too.”

For Williamson, even as he basked in the May sun, with his family surrounding him, plans were being formulated. The former Newcastle United centre-back is always one to look forward rather than reflect on what has been achieved. Success, no matter how hard-earned, will not change that process.

“It was incredible, and you can’t really sum up a year as a rollercoaster like the one we’ve had over the last year,” he explained as he sat in his office, with short and long-term plans for 2023 meticulously laid out on a pinboard behind him.

“The way we did it was fantastic, but there are new challenges, mountains to climb and solutions to find. But the past is gone, if there’s any sort of pride or reminiscing about the past achievements then I am not putting my full efforts into getting us out of the situation we are in. There will be a time to reminisce, but it is not now.”

Promotion had been achieved through a full squad effort - but the goalscoring exploits of Macaulay Langstaff and Cedwyn Scott can not be ignored. With 52 goals between them, the free-scoring duo looked set to spearhead the Heed’s return to non-league’s top tier - but the activation of release clauses agreed in contracts signed just months earlier saw both players join new league rivals Notts County.

The moves caused mixed emotions in the dressing room.

“They both wanted to stay, it was tough, I spoke to them a lot and they both wanted to stay here,” explained Olley.

“That was obviously before such a big club came in, and the money talks a little bit, but I was more disappointed they stayed in this league because I felt both players probably deserved to go higher than the National League. That’s not always possible, but they are reaping the rewards of what they did here and they are getting what they deserved.

“It was tough in the dressing room, but as a team we had to try and move on. It was a slow progression into this year but hopefully it is starting to click.”

Williamson’s office was a hub of activity during the summer as the Heed manager and assistant Ian Watson worked hard to recruit players capable of helping the club establish themselves in the National League.

Former Sunderland defender Kenton Richardson, Wrexham midfielder Dan Jarvis, Notts County forward Lewis Knight, Newcastle United goalkeeper Dan Langley and former Magpies academy forward Tom Allan all joined. An injury crisis in the early months of the season brought a plethora of loan signings as a patched-up Heed squad battled through a tough return to the National League.

One high-profile summer target arrived as Harrogate Town striker Aaron Martin came in to try and fill the void left behind by Scott and Langstaff - but another key forward target went elsewhere as Danny Elliott opted to join Boreham Wood, rather than make the move to the North East.

But the interest remained as the Heed squad was decimated by injuries and the former Boston United frontman finally joined on loan in early December. He joins a Gateshead side sat in the middle of a battle against relegation, but one that is slowly starting to show signs of life as Williamson and Watson find solutions to problems that have rankled during the first half of a challenging campaign.

“I think it’s a very positive mood in general and the management team have done a very good job in creating that,” explained Elliott.