Newton Aycliffe FC chairman Allan Oliver wants to see more people supporting the town’s football club after they won their first piece of silverware in five years.
The Newtonians lifted the Durham County Challenge Cup with an entertaining, 3-1 victory over local rivals West Auckland on Good Friday.
It was Aycliffe’s first taste of success since their second division title win five years ago and their first cup win in eight seasons.
Oliver guided the club as manager from the depths of the Durham Alliance League and Wearside League to the Northern League top-flight in recent years.
He stepped down as manager almost two years ago after recognising the club needed a change of management, following a couple of seasons struggling at the wrong end of the first division.
Dan Mellanby and Adrian Webster had brief spells in charge before Peter Dixon eventually joined the club in October 2014.
And in Dixon’s first full campaign, Aycliffe have enjoyed their best Northern League season to date – reaching the furthest they ever have in both the FA Cup and FA Vase and competing for a top-five finish in the league.
In a Video Interview with Aycliffe Today after Good Friday’s win, Oliver said: “It’s massive for myself, everyone involved with Newton Aycliffe Football Club and the town.
“To win the County Cup, with a lot of really good sides in it, it’s massive for us and puts us on the map I think.
“We’ve struggled in the last couple of seasons, and we all knew we needed a change. The management team has come in and done an exceptional job.
“Our ambition is to finish as high as we can in the league now, and kick on for next year.
“I would love the town to get behind us a little bit more. More fans coming to see an honest, competitive game of football every week, for not a lot of money.”
Click here to see Oliver’s interview with Aycliffe Today after Friday’s cup win.
Aycliffe now have six home games on the spin, beginning with West Allotment Celtic on Tuesday night (29th March) followed by Morpeth Town on Saturday (2nd April).
Forthcoming fixtures:
Tues 29th March: West Allotment Celtic (H) 7.45pm
Sat 2nd April: Morpeth Town (H) 3pm
Tues 5th April: Shildon (H) 7.30pm
Sat 9th April: Durham City (H) 3pm
Tues 12th April: Bishop Auckland (H) 7.30pm
Thurs 14th April: West Auckland (H) 7.30pm
