11-a-side
Sassco’s 11-a-side team sprung into action in 2002, developed from a set of players from the different 6-a-side teams, who were playing in the Sassco Leagues since 1999.
The team never really achieved a great deal in terms of silverware, coming close in a final in their second season. However, the events undertaken by Sassco far surpass any other teams in their generation. Pioneering Adidas team kits from overseas, recording 11-a-side games in widescreen, customised soccer balls developed in Asia, overseas football tours and prestigious friendlies against Northern League teams and teams from outside their own leagues.
The team is still active and recently played at the Stadium of Light, as well as regular friendly games against local opponents. For one of their most recent games, five players from the original line up back in 2002 were present.
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Read more: Obituary: Si Mulvaney.Obituary: Si Mulvaney.
We’ve lost another good friend in Simon Mulvaney. Si first played for Sassco in 2007 along with the “Army Trio” of Mark Middlemiss and David Graham. He played for a number…
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Read more: Historical statistics project.Historical statistics project.
Using AI to make all the history consistent. Over the past few weeks and over the next few months, we’ll be using AI (mainly Microsoft CoPilot) to unify all the stats…
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Read more: Ends on a whimper.Ends on a whimper.
Same as 2019. Back in 2019, we limped out of the Summer league in Gateshead and did the same here. Two positive performances and two negative ones meant we had one…
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Read more: One step forward; one step back.One step forward; one step back.
And repeat. Logistical nightmare for Sassco. And this time it was a race in Newcastle which caused four of our players to be missing. We’ll skip over the part where we…
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Read more: Better performance.Better performance.
Back to a better performance after last week’s disaster. Steve Brown, David Grundy, Daryll Surtees, Brad Wilson and Amandeep Atkar all returned, while Wayne Ramsay returned for Sassco 11-a-side after a…
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Read more: Cochrane Park – Newcastle University Sports ServicesCochrane Park – Newcastle University Sports Services
The venue for the 11-a-side competition in Summer 2025 is Cochrane Park, Newcastle. Cochrane Park received an upgrade at Easter 2019. You can benefit from brand new facilities, including: Cochrane Park…
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Read more: Bad day.Bad day.
Very bad day. We have to write this one off. Probably one of the worst Sassco performances to date. The side put together seemed okay, but realistically, we didn’t want it.…
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Read more: Opening win for the 2025 Summer League.Opening win for the 2025 Summer League.
Six years since Sassco 11-a-side finished off a 2019 Summer League with a 6-2 defeat. Only McConville and Sangha remained for this new setup, against our regular rivals, MADAS. We hadn’t…
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Read more: Sassco defeated at the SOL.Sassco defeated at the SOL.
Despite a late flourish. Mind games were afoot. Murton ringing me worrying about his team, slagging off “has-been” Gareth Brazier, another player having the shits, etc. Then at the stadium, we…
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Read more: Sassco.co.uk back at the SOL after 7 years.Sassco.co.uk back at the SOL after 7 years.
Play on the Pitch 2025 on 2nd June 7pm. It’s been 7 years since I cleared the ball off the line with my leg(?) against our Icelandic comrades, Knattspyrnufélagið Þróttur. Since…
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Read more: Defeated again v MUAS (MADAS) at the BOL.Defeated again v MUAS (MADAS) at the BOL.
Three late goals put an end to a brief comeback. A Sassco team with a few changes suffered a 5-1 defeat against MADAS at the BOL. MADAS were comfortably 2-0 ahead…
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Read more: Penalty defeat at The Beacon of Light.Penalty defeat at The Beacon of Light.
5-5 draw v MUAS FC The first event of 2025, our anniversary year, ended in defeat, albeit an excellent game. For once, Marc McDermont had a good game, so no easy…
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Read more: Erima jersey for our 25th anniversaryErima jersey for our 25th anniversary
Sassco.co.uk have been going since 1999, so for our 25th year, we’ve chosen an equally established brand. Erima are the oldest German sports brand still in existence, and can look back…
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Read more: Altitude sickness strikes again at the Beacon.Altitude sickness strikes again at the Beacon.
4-2 defeat against South Shields. Two defeats from three at The Beacon in 2024, with Sassco’s latest side containing a few under 40 ringers, as they struggled against a strong South…
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Read more: Sassco defeat a team of “stoners”.Sassco defeat a team of “stoners”.
Harper / Harley hat-trick. David Murton turned up with a youthful looking team with dilated pupils, while the Sassco team was mainly aging, with a couple of youngsters on it. The…
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Read more: Sassco.co.uk 11 M.U.A.S. 5Sassco.co.uk 11 M.U.A.S. 5
Photo above. Standing: Paul McConville, Brad Wilson, Aidan Low, “Clicker” Clarkson, Dillon White, Gareth Williams, Dan Mearman. Sitting: Davinder Sangha, Neil Sim, James Cassidy, Mike Barker, John Harper. We were all…
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Read more: Sassco.co.uk 4 M.U.A.S. FC 5Sassco.co.uk 4 M.U.A.S. FC 5
A late strike secures it for M.U.A.S in a steaming “Barn”. A 9-a-side competitive and equally balanced friendly game at The ⁵ of Light saw Sassco.co.uk’s select chasing the game against…
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Read more: First 2022 game; first 2022 defeat.First 2022 game; first 2022 defeat.
Wonderful morning for football though. After the heights of last seasons’ three game series and wins, it was crashing back down to Earth on a warm day in Rickleton. The squad,…
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Read more: Kappa 2021 “Pandemic” shirt.Kappa 2021 “Pandemic” shirt.
To celebrate three back to back wins, we’re looking to upgrade the shirts. Kappa is still the chosen make, but this combines the simple retro look of the previous Awdis designs…
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Read more: Memory lane: Northern Alliance opponents in 2009.Memory lane: Northern Alliance opponents in 2009.
The traffic beats the Tash, and a 5-1 defeat. Sassco traditionally had a huge pre-season programme – sometimes up to 10 games. We usually played higher level teams, but always enjoyed…