From brink of extinction to centenary: One of Teesside’s most famous football clubs celebrates 100 years

One of Teesside’s oldest and most popular football clubs is turning 100.

Billingham Synthonia was founded 100 years ago by the ICI chemical works and gets its name from a contraction of ‘synthetic ammonia’ – a fertiliser made by the works. Alongside Billingham Synthonia Cricket club, they were founded in the summer of 1923 and have remained an integral part of the Teesside sports scene ever since.

It has been a turbulent few years at The Synners, after moving out of their Central Avenue home at the end of the 2016-17 season due to the costs of having to update the ground. In 2022 they were on the brink of non existence when the team’s main source of income pulled out, with the club setting up a fundraising page to keep them afloat.

Now saved and playing their home games at Stokesley Sports Club, The Synners are able to celebrate the last 100 years and remember the good times; including being the starting point of legendary footballer’s careers and arguably being one of the most successful Northern League sides ever.

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Jay Wathey is the Billingham Synthonia Club Secretary and has supported the club since he was a child. Now 35, Jay is organising events to commemorate his local club’s 100th birthday and has looked back over the last century.

He said: “The club was formed in 1923 but to this day we have no specific date, but believe it was sometime in the summer along with the Cricket Club. We first contested the South Bank and District League and with ICI being the principal employer in Billingham for so many years, they encouraged the workers to take part in sport and were connected to the club until the 1990s.”

Like many Northern League and grassroots clubs, The Synners have seen its fair share of famous faces come through the doors. From footballing royalty such as Brian Clough to Stockton born Macaulay Langstaff, who was hailed the ‘non league Haaland’ after his 47 goals for Notts County this season, the Billingham club has been the starting point for numerous careers.

Jay added: “When it comes to famous faces I am not sure people realise we were the great Brian Clough’s first men’s club he played for, a man who as a manager won a couple of First Division titles with Derby County and Nottingham Forest and then two European Cups in the late 70s with the latter. We also had . Boro legends such as Bernie Slaven, Craig Hignett, Curtis Fleming and Terry Cochrane.

“For a couple of seasons we also had National League on our books who has just won promotion to League Two with Notts County. We have had some great managers at this level over the years but for me the most notable is the late great Tony Lee, who we sadly lost lately; he was in charge when we won a superb treble in the 1989-90 season.”

It’s safe to say that Billingham Synthonia has won it all over the last 100 years; and were even the first Northern League team to play at the new Wembley when it opened in 2007. The Club has reached the first round of the FA Cup numerous times, won numerous Northern League titles and league cups, with their last trophy coming in 2010 when they lifted the Durham Challenge Cup.

A century one, Synners now play their home games at Stokesley Sports Ground in the second division of the Northern League last season, against the likes of Redcar Town, Boro Rangers and hometown rivals Billingham Town.

Speaking of the recent move to Stokesley, Jay said: “We know it’s not ideal for a Billingham based Club to be playing that far from home, but when you battle every single day to keep the Club alive then you do what you have to do and Stokesley were the only Club last season that offered us a helping hand. The people of Stokesley from Ted the Groundsman and his team to the bar staff and beyond have been nothing but nice to us over the last year and are always there for us when we need something and we cannot thank them enough.

“I really enjoy being part of the club, having been a supporter of the team for most of my life it’s great to be involved. There is so much that goes on behind the scenes at Clubs at this level so I take my hat off to all the volunteers at this level who help run other clubs, there are people in professional leagues who do less and get paid more but at this level we do it because we love the team and the sport.”

With the 100th anniversary falling during the summer, the club’s committe has a number of things in the pipeline to celebrate the occasion. This includes a racing night in July, a centenary dinner in October and a sportsman’s dinner – which are all in the early stages of being organised.

Although no pre season friendlies have been arranged to commemorate Synner’s 100th birthday, the club will kick off their 101st season in July and hope to encourage Synners fans old and new to come down and support the club.

Jay explained: “Last season we played Hartlepool United in preseason which was highly successful with over 1,000 spectators in attendance. Unfortunately, we have been unsuccessful this summer in securing a big friendly which is disappointing, but not something we will let get us down as we still have some great games to contend with in July against the likes of West Auckland Town, Redcar Athletic and Shildon AFC.

“I hope, even if it’s just for one or two games, those who have fond memories of Billingham Synthonia will attend a match and celebrate the fact we made it to 100 years and we didn’t give up fighting when we were on the brink of losing this great club.”

Billingham Synthonia have made it from the brink of extinction to celebrating the team’s 100th birthday in the space of 12 months, and rely heavily on sponsors to keep the club afloat. Visit the website to pledge your support the club and find out more about the centenary celebrations.

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