WELCOME TO THE NEW TEAMS OF THE EBAC NORTHERN LEAGUE

BORO RANGERS were formed in 2003 and have since played in The Teeside League which after a merger with The Eskvale & Cleveland League became The North Riding League in 2017. 

They have been North Riding League winners in 17/18, 18/19, and 21/22 as well as being top in the two curtailed seasons of 19/20 and 20/21. 

They also topped The Teeside league in 15/16 and 16/17. 

The club's routes lie in Middlesbrough as their name suggests but they currently play at New Ferens Park which is the former home of Durham City which is around a 52 mile round trip to which is far from perfect for supporters. 

Stuart Rose scored an amazing 45 goals in 20 games for the club last season which included 10 in their final league game against Kader which they won 17-0.

CHESTER-LE-STREET UNITED were only formed in 2020 and as their website states they "are a brand new community football club established in the heart of Chester-Le-Street" with their main goal being "to provide inclusive football activities from the of ages 18 months all the way up to senior level."

They are not to be confused with CHESTER-LE-STREET TOWN who they will face in the league this season in local derby games that are bound to attract good crowds. 

United's current ground is The Riverside but they are due to move into a new home in partnership with Park View Academy of Sport. The new ground will be located at Park View School and will encompass a full size 3G football pitch which will serve the club's teams across the mens, womens, girls and boys teams. The move should happen sometime next season. 

United were runner's up in the Wearside League last season finishing level on points with Darlington Town who had a inferior goal difference. United's GD was +98 (128 goals scored) with Town's an incredible +107 with 154 goals scored in 34 games. 

PRUDHOE YOUTH CLUB were established in 1969 and are the largest football club in West Northumberland with over 25 teams across all age groups. They finished in 2nd place of the Northern Football Alliance Premier Division eight points below title winner's Killingworth and five points above Newcastle Blue Star. 

They were playing in Division Two of The Northern Alliance as recently as the 17/18 season. 

Their home is Kimberley Park which is the former home of a Northern League side who did play in the league from 1988 to 1994 as Prudhoe East End and from 1994 to 2009 as Prudhoe Town. They were relegated to The Wearside League in 2009 and resigned from that league part way through the 17/18 season. It'll be great for the Town, with a population of around 11,000 people, to see Northern League football return for the 22/23 season.

Saying good bye to The Northern League are DURHAM CITY who finished bottom of Division Two and RYHOPE COLLIERY WELFARE who despite finishing in 5th place of Division One last season have opted to withdraw from the league.  I wrote about Durham City earlier in May with the link here.

Ryhope state on their website that "this is obviously not a decision that has been taken lightly but is the consequence, in the main, of the lack of volunteer support for our Club playing at the level we are at on the field coupled with the ongoing demands of the League standards required off the field." 

They go on to state "The Club needs to restructure to continue its long history but we recognise this must be done at a lower level to enable it to grow again with fresh impetus, leadership and firm foundations." 

The club moved up to The Northern League from The Wearside League in 2012 and finished in second position of Division Two at their first attempt. Due to ground grading issues they returned The Wearside League for the 13/14 season. The moved back up to Step Six and then the Step Five from the 16/17 campaign. 

Last season's fifth place was their best ever finish where they also reached the Third Round of the Vase and also The Durham FA Frank Pattison Challenge Cup beating Crook Town on penalty kicks in the final. 

Nobody likes to see a club drop down the leagues in these circumstances so I hope they can re-group and return in the near future. 

Champion's North Shields and runner's up Consett also leave The Northern League for Step Four football.