Mark Carruthers: The non-league veterans - including ex-Newcastle United youth - showing there's still plenty of life in the old dogs yet

The recent swell of clubs embracing their junior teams and the growth in the number of college programmes in the region has seen an influx of talented young players finding their feet in the league.

A whole host of these promising young talents have embraced the challenge of meeting the physical and psychological demands of both divisions.

Their introduction has been a breath of fresh air and has brought about a change of style and emphasis at clubs around the North East.

However, there is still plenty of life in the senior players that have graced the Northern League and the non-league scene as a whole for well over a decade.

This weekend saw one of our most prolific veteran strikers plunder his way to another notable high as Paul Brayson scored five times in Newcastle Benfield’s impressive 6-0 home win against Guisborough Town.

It is almost a quarter of a century since Brayson made his one and only appearance for Newcastle United after forging a reputation as one of the deadliest strikers in youth football on Tyneside.

In a League Cup tie, Brayson featured alongside the likes of Les Ferdinand and Philippe Albert as Kevin Keegan’s Entertainers completed an 8-1 aggregate win over Bristol City at St James Park.

He would go on to make just one more substitute appearance at St James Park before going on to find the net for the likes of Swansea City and Reading in the Football League.

But it is Brayson’s time in non-league football that has saw him find the net with regularity in the colours of Northwich Victoria, Blyth Spartans and Gateshead.

The Geordie striker – now 43 – is still one of the most consistent strikers in the Northern League and has been integral in Newcastle Benfield’s impressive start to the new season.

The basic elements of his game are still what he built his burgeoning reputation on during his early years as a Premier League hopeful.

His movement and ability to be in the right place at the right time remain as sharp as ever and he is still the one to watch on a visit to Sam Smith’s Park.

A quick look at the goalscoring charts shows that another player in the latter years of his career is still flourishing.

Graeme Armstrong – once of Dunston UTS, Gateshead and Darlington – is still spearheading Hebburn Town’s push for promotion and should be able to make a maiden appearance at Wembley over the coming months.

The battle-hardened veteran is still taking the knocks and helping coax performances out of the younger players in the Hornets squad.

But he is also leading from the front in the goalscoring charts after finding the net on 13 occasions and remains an essential part of Kevin Bolam’s plans at the Green Energy Sports Ground.

If we move up the leagues, the sight of James Curtis still repelling strikers with ease in the National League North is still a joy to witness.

For so long a Gateshead stalwart, the former Washington centre-back has extended his career at Spennymoor Town and looks as if he could player for years to come, despite turning 39 later in the season.

A former Heed team-mate of Curtis is now guiding a number of promising youngsters at South Shields – but Jon Shaw still remains as important as anyone in the Mariners squad.

The 36-year-old centre-back has proved his proficiency at both ends of the pitch during his time on South Tyneside and, once he overcomes his current injury, his return to the Mariners line-up will be a welcome one.

Elsewhere in the Northern League, a whole host of players that have graced the non-league game are still producing the sort of displays that saw them achieve success earlier in the career.

Three-time FA Vase winner Lee Kerr is still directing the midfielder at Second Division Jarrow and his former Whitley Bay team-mate Paul Robinson will relish the prospect of increasing his game-time when he chops and turns his way into Ashington after joining the Colliers earlier this week.

A warrior of the midfield at Chester-le-Street Town, Craig Marron is still proudly leading out his beloved Cestrians on a regular basis and Matty Moffat is still one of the most dangerous strikers in Division Two with Tow Law Town.

Earlier this season, we almost witnessed the return of one of North East non-league football’s most celebrated strikers after Paul Chow re-registered with Whitley Bay a decade after helping the Hillheads club to an unprecedented hat-trick of FA Vase wins.

Alas, his comeback appearance remained on hold as a number of injured players returned to contention – but his name still remains amongst a youthful Whitley Bay squad.

Could we see one last hurrah from a player jokingly described as “the best worst footballer in the league” by one of his former team-mates.

The experience and guidance shown by the players named above – and many others around the non-league scene that could have been mentioned – is as important as the youthful exuberance displayed by their younger team-mates.

They may be at polar opposite ends of their careers, but their importance in helping embrace and extend their time at a challenging level of the game should not be underestimated.

The kids are alright – but there is still plenty of life in the old dogs yet.