LOCAL GIRLS CATCH THE EYE OF FOOTBALL FANS

OVER the Christmas period, I wrote a sports feature profiling the rise of female football across Tynedale.

The article sang the praises of the two senior and eight junior teams, highlighting how far the sport had come in recent years.

And I was amazed with the positive feedback from our readers - the most I have received from any... [more]

NO RETURN TO GLORY DAYS - BUT EXCITING TIMES AHEAD

WHEN I took over the sports coverage for the Courant full-time around three years ago, I was constantly reminded how ‘tragic’ the local football scene was.

Back in the day, the district was overrun with senior football teams and the quality, I am informed, was top class.

However, there has been a significant decline over the years... [more]

MORE TO COME IN KNIFE-EDGE LEAGUE

YET to be beaten in the league this season, I don’t think anyone can begrudge Haltwhistle Conservatives the Hexham and District Sunday League crown.

It has been a truly remarkable 2012-2013 for the boys in blue, making the semi-finals of three cup competitions, including the Northumberland FA Sunday Cup, to go with league glory.... [more]

NO DERBY DELIGHTS FOR GRASSROOTS TEAMS

LAST week, the Sunday League football team I play for turned up for a midweek fixture with a squad of 12.

That may sound like the norm, especially for an evening game, but when you hear that three players should not have played for injuries and illness and that we were forced to play a goalkeeper up front, then you will start to see... [more]

QUEEN’S HONOUR THROWS CLUB IN LIMELIGHT

AT the turn of the year, Hexham resident Christine Hall received a British Empire Medal in the Queen’s Honours List for her services to swimming.

Having spent 25 years at Tynedale Amateur Swimming Club (TASC), Christine’s devoted and never dwindling support to promote the sport in the area rightly earned her high recognition.... [more]