Mark Carruthers: North East non-league scene is all the poorer as key duo depart

The region’s clubs have fought diligently against the impact of Covid-19 as they look to minimise the financial impact of the pandemic.

In years to come, 2020 (and possibly 2021) will be viewed as the year that players, committee members, coaches, volunteers and supporters experienced a unique situation and did everything within their power to ensure that their clubs are around for generations to come.

But 2020 will also go down as the year that two North East non-league managerial greats brought down the curtain on a combined 24 years in the lead role in the dugout with their respective clubs.

The North East non-league scene was left reeling by last week’s news that Jason Ainsley had mutually agreed to bring an end to his trophy-laden reign as manager of National League North club Spennymoor Town.

How things were different at Brewery Field when Ainsley stepped up to take charge of the Moors in the summer of 2007.

Thoughts of Wembley glory, Northern League title wins, an FA Cup first round tie against a Football League club and moving to within touching distance of non-league’s top tier must have seemed fanciful at best.

But sometimes in football, with hard work, unwavering desire, clever investment and no shortage of talent, dreams can become reality and that is something very special indeed.

In his time as Moors boss, Ainsley has helped the club land four Northern League titles, on Durham Challenge Cup, one Northern League Cup, an FA Vase and four Cleator Cups.

His time in the lead role in the home dugout at the Brewery Field produced three promotions and there could have been a fourth had it not been for a heartbreaking penalty shoot-out defeat at Chorley in the National League North play-off final in 2019.

Ainsley has taken the Moors from Northern League Division One new-boys to genuine National League North promotion contenders.

But what is most impressive about his time at the club was his ability to regenerate his side to meet the new ambitions that they possessed and the ever-growing challenges they met.

From the side that established them in the Northern League’s top tier before winning three successive titles to the Vase winning squad that included the likes of Keith Graydon, Gavin Cogdon and Kallum Griffiths.

A first promotion into the Northern Premier League came in 2014 and after suffering play-off disappointment in their first season, Ainsley led the club to play-off success as Northwich Victoria were comfortably dispatched at Brewery Field.

With a newly-invigorated squad, the Moors spent just one season in step three as more play-off glory saw Rob Ramshaw send his side into the National League North with the only goal of their meeting with Stourbridge.

Again, Ainsley remoulded his ranks and added higher-level quality alongside the likes of the ever-prolific Glen Taylor and the evergreen James Curtis as his side established themselves as one of step two’s leading lights.

For a club that was on their knees not so long ago, the job that Ainsley had done on and off the pitch at the Brewery Field will never be forgotten by the Moors faithful - but nor should it ever be underestimated by the North East football public.

With supporters of the region’s “big three” left to feed on scraps when it comes to silverware, the Jason Ainsley-era at Spennymoor Town has provided one of the true success stories across the North East.

As does the legacy left behind by one of our other long-serving managers that decided to step down from his position this year.

Often harshly overlooked for his unquestionable success at Morpeth Town, Nicky Gray’s near-decade in the dugout at Craik Park has seen the club progress beyond recognition.

I don’t think it would be controversial to suggest that Gray – along with his loyal band of assistant and joint-managers – should be ranked as highly as Ainsley given the job he has done with the Highwaymen.

Prior to his appointment in the summer of 2011, Morpeth had finished bottom of the Northern League Division Two table after winning just four of their 38 league games that season.

They collected just 15 points from a possible 114 and ended the campaign with a goal difference in the negative of 98.

Gray’s appointment – and his knack of giving promising players a chance at a higher level – produced a remarkable turnaround as his new-look side narrowly missed out on promotion in his first season in charge.

The signing of Michael Chilton proved to be the catalyst for elevation into the Northern League’s top tier just 12 months later and after a season of consolidation, the Highwaymen quickly progressed to top four challengers.

Along with the trusted Dave Malone, a highly talented side containing a fine mix of youthful exuberance and steadfast experience, helped the club to their greatest day in their history when they defied the odds to beat Hereford in the FA Vase Final.

Far from resting on their laurels, just as Ainsley had down the road at Brewery Field, Gray continued to push the club forwards with the sort of signings they could have dreamed of once upon a time.

He left the club sat comfortably in the Northern Premier League’s top tier and with a squad more than capable of challenging for a four promotion in just over a decade.

There can be no doubt that both Ainsley and Gray were well backed by their chairman – but let it not be forgotten that many managers across the game have failed to produce results when their budgets have been swelled.

Both managers repaid their chairman, their supporters and their clubs with unwavering loyalty, complete commitment to the cause and unprecedented success.

The North East non-league game – and the region’s football scene as a whole – is all the poorer for their absence.

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