Blyth Spartans under-19s presented with championship trophy and medals

Blyth Spartans under-19s with the trophy and their winners medals. Picture: Blyth Spartans

The under-19 squad’s performance and the clever coaching of Liviu Cristea were two of the high points of the 2022/23 season.

They clinched the National League North Academy Division title after coming behind to beat York City 3-2 in their last league game of the season.

Speaking after that match, first-team manager Graham Fenton said: “They all did the club amazingly proud, not just today but across the whole season.

“It’s a magnificent achievement of all the players and Liv.”

Liviu’s professional playing career, which included spells at Espanyol Barcelona, Steaua Bucharest and Dinamo Bucharest, was cut short by injury which lead him to try his hand at coaching.

He joined Spartans last summer and has had an immediate impact with the under-19s.

The squad were presented with their medals by National League head of player development Gary Owers and Fenton.

Many of the under-19 squad will now continue their careers in the Northern League next season after being signed up following their performances and the club will be keeping an eye on their progress, with the hope some of them may re-join the club and the first-team squad in the next couple of years.

The under-18s also had a successful season, finishing as runners-up in the National Youth Alliance 1 Division, and step up to the academy division for the 2023/24 season.

This week [June 1-7] is National Volunteers’ Week and Spartans’ vice-chairman Kevin Scott has been telling the club’s website how important volunteers are, saying that they are ‘pivotal’ to the running of the club and that “there is no doubt about it that without them the club could not function”.

He added: “It is most fitting that on National Volunteers’ Week we acknowledge the importance and dedication of our volunteers.

“From the media team to the programme sellers, from the medical cover to the stewards and much more.

“On behalf of the club and our supporters, we thank them all for the work they do for Blyth Spartans.”