SHILDON FC WANTS TO STAY ON TRACK

Shildon Athletic are the lowest ranked team left in the FA Cup and will know their fate after tonight’s replay against the superior Northern Premier League division one south team, Norton United, a club founded in 1989. Norton has risen quickly in their short history and having drawn their match 1-1, at home in Stoke, on Saturday they are to be entertained by Shildon tonight.  A tie against Gateshead awaits the winners.

Established in 1890, as Shildon Athletic, the club joined the North Eastern League in 1907 and have won the Northern League title five times in their history. In November 2003, Shildon reached the FA Cup first round proper for the first time in 42 years. However, they were beaten 7–2 on the day by Notts County.  Shildon also reached the First round proper in 1959-60. They have also reached the FA Trophy third qualifying round in 1974–75 and 1992–93, and their best FA Vase performances are a Quarter Final place in 2009–10 and a Semi Final in 2012-13. In the old FA Amateur Cup their best performance was a quarter–final in 1958–59 and Durham Challenge Cup Winners 2013-14.

Shildon play at Dean Street and their nickname is The Railwaymen after the wagon works that was the major employer in the town for many years. The site now is home to a superb railway museum. A Shildon-Gateshead tie, in the first round proper, will be a proper local derby.