Gateshead on the right track to League spot - Graham Wood

Oct 9 2011 by Steve Brown, Sunday Sun

IT has taken him by surprise – “a little bit” – but Graham Wood is delighted by Gateshead’s start to the season.

Now the Tynesiders chairman believes his club are handily-placed to deliver a near life-long ambition.

Ian Bogie’s men started the current campaign in fine style, unbeaten after seven games and top of the Blue Square Bet Premier table only last week.

Wood puts much of the team’s success down to manager Bogie, assistant Terry Mitchell and coach Paul Bryson.

But the Heed chairman knows the decision last summer to turn into a full-time operation has also been a huge contributing factor, allowing the recruitment of players previously beyond the club’s remit.

Armed with those players, Wood is keen to see Gateshead make good on their season target of a play-off place – at least . . .

And after the injustice of effectively being elected out of the Football League in 1960, restore the club to whence they belonged.

“Our long-term ambition is to return League football to the club and to the town,” Wood said.

“At the moment we’re pretty much on track, if we can only stay more or less where we are!

“It’s early days, of course, and there’s a long way to go, but I’m absolutely delighted by the start we’ve made.

“Our target was to get a play-off spot and if you can improve on that then that’s a real bonus.

“But it’s great that we’re getting onto a third of the way through the season and we’re right up there.

“It’s starting to feel like it’s possibly not just a flash in the pan.

“If you look at the way we play and the teams we’ve played against – Kidderminster, Mansfield, York – it’s looking very promising.