Latest news with #GraemeLee
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Darlington MP deletes post supporting rival football club after backlash
Darlington MP Lola McEvoy has admitted she got 'caught up in the excitement' after a backlash prompted her to delete a post supporting rival club Spennymoor Town. Ahead of Spennymoor's historic game at Wembley in the FA Trophy final, Ms McEvoy took to social media, posting a picture of herself alongside Moors fans in home shirts. It prompted a backlash from Quakers fans who pointed out that there was a longstanding rivalry between Spennymoor and Darlington. The two sides won a game apiece in the league against each other this term. The post was later deleted after many 'negative' comments were left. (Image: Facebook) Now, the MP who was elected amid a Labour landslide in 2024, has responded to the criticism. 'Over the weekend I bumped into some excited Spennymoor fans heading to Wembley so wanted to share good luck wishes to another North East team on their big day out," she said. "Maybe I got too caught up in the excitement. 'Darlington FC are of course my number one and I'll continue backing them to get their new stadium and to where they belong - back in the Football League. Up the Quakers!' (Image: Sarah Caldecott) Spennymoor's big day out ended in a 3-0 loss to Aldershot, who went into the day as favourites being a league above the Moors. Regis Le Bris makes team news announcement ahead of Sunderland's play-off decider Spennymoor Town rocked by family tragedy as Graeme Lee & club pay emotional tribute Man threatened to torch Bishop Auckland MP's home in series of threats to kill They were more than a match for Aldershot in the first half but the National League side broke the deadlock three minutes after the break and had too much for Graeme Lee's men in the second half. "The scoreline is a touch harsh on Spennymoor," the Echo's Dom Shaw said. "[Spennymoor] should and will take great pride in their run to the final."
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Pain but pride for Spennymoor Town after FA Trophy final defeat at Wembley
PAIN but pride for Spennymoor Town. The former comes with the territory of any loss in a final but the latter should be the overriding emotion when the dust settles for the National League North side, who defied the odds in reaching Wembley but just fell short of what would have been a historic victory. Spennymoor were the underdogs against Aldershot Town in the FA Trophy final on Sunday but it's in those circumstances that Graeme Lee's side have thrived in the competition this season. Boston, Sutton and Rochdale were all supposed to see off Moors but were stunned by the part-timers, and while reaching Wembley was understandably celebrated as a remarkable achievement in itself, Lee's message in the week of the game was consistent and clear: we're here to win. And they could have done. Maybe they would have done had Rob Ramshaw taken a glorious chance to give Moors a lead at the midway point of the first half. It's moments like that where finals are won and lost. Aldershot, who play in the league above Moors, were contained and frustrated in the first half but the brighter and the better of the two sides in the second half, their 3-0 victory secured thanks to goals from Jack Barham just after the break, Dan Ellison 19 minutes from time and a stunning late third from Josh Barrett. The scoreline was harsh on Moors. This was always going to be an emotional affair whatever the outcome for Lee, who has done a sterling job since taking charge of Spennymoor at the start of last year. The 46-year-old sprinkled the ashes of his late dad, Tony, a former Moors boss himself, on the Wembley pitch before kick-off. And he'll be immensely proud of his players' efforts while no doubt wondering what might have been. It wasn't to be the dream birthday that Glen Taylor had hoped for. Spennymoor's record goalscorer turned 35 on Sunday and the captain hoped to mark the occasion by lifting the FA Trophy for the first time in the club's history. It turned out to be a frustrating afternoon for the striker, though, who tried the most audacious of overhead kicks from the edge of the box after just five minutes but after that didn't get the chance and moment he would have hoped for. On the biggest stage in the biggest game of their lives, nerves will have no doubt been present for Spennymoor but didn't show. They settled well and should have scored the opening goal when Finley Shrimpton broke away down the right and teed up Ramshaw on the penalty spot but the forward, usually lethal in front of goal, scuffed his tame effort straight at Aldershot keeper Marcus Dewhurst. There was nothing routine about Brad James' full-stretch save to deny a curling Barrett effort moments later but that was as close as Aldershot came in the opening period. Spennymoor were organised, disciplined and more than a match for their National League opponents. But they fell behind just three minutes into the second half when James Henry broke down the right and his cross was turned in by Barham at the back post. The opener energised Aldershot and the game's second goal looked likely to go the way of Widdrington's side. Substitute Kai Corbett was bright. Lee turned to his bench at the midway stage of the second half and introduced Aidan Rutledge, the hero who scored the last minute equaliser to send the semi-final tie against Rochdale to penalties. But there was no rescue act this time around. Within a couple of minutes of the change, Aldershot had their second goal, defender Ellison meeting a corner from the left and heading into the far corner. Moors stuck at it but ran out of steam, Barrett sealing the Aldershot victory with a stunning left-footed strike from the edge of the area.
BBC News
11-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Spennymoor Town fans gather ahead of Wembley final
After a huge amount of anticipation, Spennymoor Town FC faces Aldershot Town at Wembley for the FA Trophy beat Rochdale AFC 5-4 on penalties to secure their Claire, who had travelled down to Wembley Way, said she felt "awesome" and even happier to be at the match because of the sunshine."If they lift that trophy it would mean the world to me," she said. Life-long football fan Ian said he was at the venue 12 years ago and was feeling excited. He predicted Glen Taylor would score on the player's 35th birthday."I feel nervous because we are a bit more the underdogs and it depends on the day, we've had good matches and bad ones," he said. "But I think they'll win 2:1 - Taylor to score on his birthday."Another fan, Sean, said a win "would be unreal for the town". Manager Graeme Lee has said his wife's attitude to cancer would inspire him and his team during the club had asked Spennymoor Town Council to help pay for coaches to take fans down to London. It refused but lifelong fan Gary Finley offered to pay transport costs for more than 65 said: "It would be fantastic to see as many Moors fans as possible to see their heroes play, and hopefully win, at Wembley." Follow BBC Tees on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ex-Boro keeper tells all on injury that 'ruined his life' & call he'll never forget
BRAD James will never forget the moment he received a call from Graeme Lee. Spennymoor's boss was in charge at Marske United at the time but had coached James in the Middlesbrough academy ranks and called to check in on the talented goalkeeper. And for James, it was an incredibly meaningful moment, for it was a reminder to the youngster that someone in football was thinking about him. After an incredibly challenging injury battle, which left James feeling incredibly lonely and at the time felt like it had "ruined his life", the keeper feared his career was over. But Lee's call was a lifeline and the pair would eventually reunite at Spennymoor Town. Today, James plays at Wembley in the FA Trophy final. "It's going to be surreal and amazing," says the 25-year-old. "And to have my family and friends there, who've seen what I've been through, it's going to be special." RECOMMENDED READING: Five days out from the Trophy final and James is telling his story to reporters prior to Spennymoor's penultimate training session ahead of the game. Before he tells of the nightmare he's overcome in recent years, he's laughing about the scare he's faced in the last couple of weeks. He shows on his phone a picture of himself from a couple of days earlier, his jaw swollen as though he's been in the ring with Oleksandr Usyk. "It was my wisdom tooth," he says. "I had it out last Monday and they said it would be fine in a few days." It wasn't. It ended up infected and James faced a mad dash to get some antibiotics over the Bank Holiday weekend. The race was on but the swelling has now settled. Scare over. He can laugh about it. But for James, it didn't feel like there was much to laugh or smile about a couple of years ago. Turn back the clock to the summer of 2021 and James was Hartlepool United's penalty hero, saving the spot-kick in the play-off final at Ashton Gate and winning Pools promotion back to the Football League. He returned to Boro after his loan spell and was very much in and around the first team fold, playing 45 minutes in the first friendly of the summer when Neil Warnock was in charge. But disaster struck when James suffered a broken ankle in training. Five different operations followed in the next two-and-a-half years, a period in which the goalkeeper hit rock bottom. "Where do I begin?," he says, looking back. "It wasn't just the football, it took over my whole life. It just completely ruined my life. "Every day I went into Middlesbrough with the sole objection of getting back fit and playing football again. There were times when I was thinking never mind football, I might not be able to run pain free again. "My family, my friends and my girlfriend helped me through. But no matter who you have around you, it's still so lonely. "I don't mind saying it, I was speaking to sports psychologists but after all those sessions the one thing I knew would help me was getting back playing football. "It just leaves such a void. It's all I'd known from when I was 12 through to 21. "In my head I was ready to step into the first team environment at Middlesbrough. I stepped up after going back from Hartlepool, played the first pre-season game under Neil Warnock and I was thinking I had a chance. "Then that happened and it all just comes crashing down. "I just stuck it out and went in day in day out and eventually, after the fifth operation, I had all the screws and plates that were in my ankle taken out, and another seven or eight months down the line following that I managed to return and feel good again. "It seems like the distant past now. I just feel like a different person. "I maybe don't reflect on it as much now as I should but psychologically I don't even want to recall how miserable and tough that time was. I just want to move on with my life and career." James was still a year out from being ready to return to action when he got the call from Lee. "He was at Marske and he rang me saying if I ever need games, he's there for me," said James. "I remember coming off the phone and thinking bloody hell, I really appreciate that. It was a time of my life when I felt so lonely and I needed that call. "I remember saying to my dad, 'a manager has just been on the phone and wants me to go and play for him!'. That felt amazing. "Even now, I get emotional thinking about it. I felt forgotten about but he rang me. Then he went to Spennymoor and it fell into place. "I did go on trial at Salford and they offered me something but it was pretty ridiculous what they offered me. So I thought go and play National League North, get some minutes and see what happens. "I've really enjoyed it here so far and there's a good chance I'll be here next year, and if I am I'll be really happy." There's a balance to James' life and career now. He's studying business and economics but his priority is still football and he still has ambitions to play at a higher level in the future. "My life is still feared towards football and full time," he said. "How did it feel going through all that with the injury? It was bloody difficult, there's no way to sugar coat it. "But I learnt a lot, I've grown a lot. I've always been quite philosophical not just about football but life and that time has helped me appreciate what I've got. "I still have ambitions to go and play at a higher level and full time football, but you have to prove it. "There's maybe not as much load in part time football but when you are full time you're training every day so you're maybe that bit sharper. It's very much a mental thing to try and stay on top of your game as much as possible. "You want to not just do well for Spennymoor but progress yourself, whether that's with Spennymoor and winning promotion or signing for a different club in the future, you have to put in the performances. "Just because I've come from Middlesbrough doesn't mean I should be playing at this level. You have to prove it every week. "I'm talking now about wanting to play at a higher level but I'm just so grateful to be playing. "And to the gaffer for making that call. It meant so much. Him making that someone thinking about me at that time, I'll never forget it."
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
How to watch Spennymoor vs Aldershot FA Trophy final as Lee tells of pride & hope
REACHING the FA Trophy final is the "best achievement" of Graeme Lee's managerial career so far. But Spennymoor's boss isn't content on settling for what his side have already done. Now, he's desperate to go and win the competition for the first time in the club's history. And Spennymoor can take enormous confidence from their run to the final. The National League North side are underdogs against Aldershot Town, who finished 16th in the National League this season. But Moors have already knocked out three sides from the division above on their way to the final, with Boston and Sutton United both seen off, before a penalty shoot-out victory over Rochdale, who finished fourth in the National League, in the semi-finals. 'As a manager, to achieve what we've achieved to get to Wembley, it's as big as it can be really," said proud boss Lee. "To take a part-time club, as we are, all the way to the final of this trophy is a massive achievement. "It's up there, probably the best achievement so far of my managerial career. The plan is to go and win now though. "We all keep saying it, and I'm guilty of it, saying what an achievement it is to get there. And you have to say that. "But now we're there, we want to go and win this. We're working on our gameplan and getting focused. "We won't change our build-up. I want to keep things as relaxed as I can. We'll go down to Wembley on the Saturday, let the lads see it and try and take away all the awe of it. Sunday is all about doing our jobs and winning." RECOMMENDED READING: In the opposition dugout on Sunday is a friend and former teammate of Lee's. Aldershot boss Tommy Widdrington played with Lee at Pools and has recovered from suffering two strokes earlier in the season to lead the National League side to Wembley. Lee said: 'I played with Tommy at Hartlepool. They were good times and he was a good man, great player. "He rang me after our respective semi-final victories. He had a bad time earlier in the season,, so I touched base with him at that point too. "Thankfully he's OK and it's nice to have someone on the opposition who you know so well. We'll both be wanting to win on Sunday though.' Fans who aren't making the trip to Wembley can watch the game on TNT Sports 4 and discovery+. As well as Spennymoor's FA Trophy final, which kicks off at 4.15pm, AFC Whyteleafe take on Whitstable Town in the Isuzu FA Vase Final at 12.15pm, and both finals will be available to watch live following an agreement between the FA and Warner Bros Discovery.
