Pitchero Non League

Ian Bogie

The Tynesiders carried a squad of around twenty-three professionals last season, when they finished eighth.

Injuries notwithstanding, that meant occasions when – with only five substitutes to select from in the Conference – more than half a starting eleven went without any hope of action on first-team matchdays.

As such, a reorganisation of the club’s budget will see Gateshead run with eighteen full-time pros in the coming campaign.

Twelve young apprentices will augment the senior squad, while Bogie remains open to short-term and emergency loan deals in the event of injuries to key players.

The Heed boss has released eleven players this summer, while eleven of the twelve offered new contracts have re-signed.

Jon Shaw was the twelfth, the thirty-five-goal man having joined Luton Town.

But Bogie has brought in striker James Brown from Hartlepool United, ex-Blyth Spartans goalkeeper Adam Bartlett from Hereford United and defenders Chris Bush and Glenn Wilson from AFC Wimbledon and Crawley Town respectively. And the former Newcastle United starlet has not ruled out further additions to the Gateshead squad.

“I’m very happy with what we’ve been able to do so far,” said Bogie, who himself has signed a new one-year deal at the International Stadium.

“We’ve progressed year on year while I’ve been at Gateshead, and it’s important we continue that progress.

“Unfortunately that meant we had to let some players go, and we thank them for what they did for the club.

“But we move on and with the lads we’ve brought in, we’ve improved on what we had.

“All of the new lads bring Football League experience with them, and that can only push us forward.

“We’re going with a smaller senior squad this year, with twelve apprentices backing them up.

“We feel it’s important to give young, local lads an opportunity to prove themselves.

“That sort of thing is scarce these days, with so many foreigners in the game, but there’s talent out there and two or three already knocking on the door.

“We have to be sensible and selective about how me move forward.

“The chairman has put a lot of money into the club but it’s not a bottomless pit. We need the fans and the general Gateshead public to get behind us as well.

“But they can be assured that while we’re pleased with what we’ve done so far, we’re still active in the transfer market and ideally we’d like to bring in two or three more players.”

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