Original 6-a-side leagues at Downhill – 1999 to 2015
These were the regular 6-a-side leagues which took place at the old Community North Sports Complex from 1999 to 2015. There was a break from the last regular league, which took place in 2011, to the revived mini-league which was the last event held at the complex before it’s demolition.
Revived tournaments at Washington Leisure Centre and Downhill Hub
Tournaments were revived at the Washington Leisure Centre in a 5-a-side format and were played regularly, until the Downhill Hub reopened in 2020. A number of 6-a-side tournaments were played there, before a return to Washington Leisure Centre and a 5-a-side format.
11-a-side
The 11-a-side team took part in regular competition from 2002 to 2010. This was in a Saturday morning league for two seasons, before joining the WCFL (Wearside Combination Football League) until 2010. The team was then revived for tournaments and evening leagues and regular friendlies.
This section also includes a Toddys FC season from 2001 to 2002, as well as games categorised separately as friendlies from 2002 to present day).
Sassco 11-a-side is taking part in the O35 League played at Durham FA, on a Saturday morning, during the Summer months. The games are 50 minutes, so the match-day squad will only consist of 11 players.
This is Sassco’s first competitive return to 11-a-side since 2010.
Sassco 11-a-side is taking part in the O35 League played at Durham FA, on a Monday evening, during the Summer months. The games are 50 minutes, so the match-day squad will only consist of 11 players.
Overseas tours (2008 to date)
The 11-a-side team took part in overseas tours from 2008 to 2009, before reverting to small sided competitions. These tours still take place each year.
We’re making early plans to head out to Stockholm in Sweden in May or June 2024.
The cheaper flights are from Edinburgh, so it’s likely we’ll get the train up to Edinburgh, shared transport from there to the airport and then a direct flight to Stockholm. Similar on the way back.
We always hear 101 people saying they’ll be coming, but it usually whittles down to 6 or 7 by the time money needs to be transferred. The process will be:
- Choose flight dates.
- Find opponents.
- Pre-book hotel.
- Book flights individually.
- Plan train or travel options to Edinburgh.
- Find a sponsor or self sponsor our kits.
Anyone who wishes to join after all these will have to arrange their own hotel in addition to what we have.
It’s close to home and it’s the Netherlands in 2022 after Covid. The team, now reaching their 50’s will need some medical marijuana for the aches and pains.
Both opponents have been arranged and the squad of Davinder Sangha, Dave Gourlay, Chris Dixon, Tim Gillespie, Mark McShane and John Harper will be in Amsterdam from 3rd to 6th May.
It’s Cyprus in 2019. The team aren’t getting any younger, so it as to be scheduled as one of the last tours, until Sangha scored in Tel-Aviv (on the pitch) and then “Where next?”.
Cyprus is the birthplace of Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love, and was actually the first choice venue back in 2007, before we went over to Malta. The squad of five players is heading direct from Newcastle to Paphos, via Jet 2 on the 27th March and returning, if allowed back in due to Brexit on the 31st March.
Three game events have been scheduled v Alana FC, St. Georges FC and then a tournament arranged by the A.M. Fair Game Sports Center. The players taking part are Davinder Sangha, Tim Gillespie, David Gourlay, Chris Dixon and new old boy, Lee “Bulgy” Calvert.
It’s Israel in 2018. We’ll be taking a bunch of non-believers to the Holy Land, where, hopefully, with an epiphany, they will manage to secure at least three points in the series of games.
The venue is Tel Aviv, where we will be taking part against opponents: Soccer Stars and Milan Club Israel, sourced by the resourceful Elad Levin.
The four players travelling on the 10th May will be David Gourlay, Chris Dixon, Tim Gillespie and Davinder Sangha. So, while Israel conquered the Middle-East in six days, I expect Dave Gourlay to do it in four.
Aurora Borealis and volcanoes – and we’re not talking about what happens to Dave G after a few drinks!
Sassco headed North to Iceland in 2017. The Nordic island country lies between the North Atlantic and the Arctic Ocean. It only has a population of 329,000, making it the most sparsely populated country in Europe. The capital (and our location) is Reykjavík.
The opponents were superb hosts, white water rafting was exhilarating and the Blue Lagoon was relaxing.
The country which invented the cuckoo clock and shady banking hosted Sassco in 2016. It was in Geneva, Switzerland!
Sassco took on FC Semailles in an opening futsal game, before taking part in a specially prepared tournament, the following day, finishing a close second against three local opponents. The games took place on Friday 3rd June 2016 and Saturday 4th June 2016.
Technically it was still a tour.
Originally, it was a late honeymoon, but Gourlay and Dixon tagged along with Sangha (all in separate hotels and flight times) before meeting up in the Lower East Side, under the Williamsburg Bridge. Then with a few additions, took on and defeated Alphabet City SC in iconic surroundings.
A fantastic tour saw the team suffer an opening defeat at the DBU headquarters, before storming back in the remaining three games to take the wins.
The hotel was excellent, the opponents were amazingly accommodating, which included a barbecue on the beach and free tickets for a Copenhagen game.
A good set of games, but a disappointing hotel, which, to be honest, was a dive in front of a sex shop (which was the only good thing).
An game of volleyball and then one of the most picturesque venues Sassco have ever played in, saw a long range strike on goal from Ed Cook and the first ever games recorded in HD. Unfortunately, David Gourlay, messing around with his Samsung Galaxy on the train; lost it and spoiled the tour.
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One of the best tours to date saw two defeats, despite a large squad.
The wonderful city of Dusseldorf hosted the Sassco team, as they suffered a defeat in “cageball” soccer and then another defeat in futsal. Despite this, the venues were great, the hotel was superb and Germans were wonderful.
Venice was the venue for a very successful tour, which saw all the games being played at our own hotel, but even then, we managed to be late for a game.
Highlights of the tour included Tim’s mission to find St. Marks Square, before David Gourlay got walloped in the mush with a hard futsal ball and spent the rest of the tour in a bad mood. The tour was one of the most relaxing ones in comparison to the Spain one. Two days and two sets of games on each.
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The recession hit (thanks you c**t bankers), so the tour was all but abandoned, but a late change meant we were back to where we started: Small sided games.
An 11-a-side tour was planned to the southern regions of Spain, but one-by-one, most dropped out and eventually we revitalised it as a 5-a-side tour and managed a marathon set of four games in three days around Barcelona.
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The second tour was the biggest to date, and this time we had substitutes (for a few hours).
After Malta in 2008, it was a case of “that’s it, we’ve done it!” and then back to normality. But it wasn’t long before the players started to ask about the next location. So, Portugal was chosen, with easy, direct flights and a full squad. This time, we managed to get a draw, a win and a loss.
After many cold afternoons struggling in the conditions, Sassco’s idea of a mid-season break overseas finally came to fruition with a weekend tour to Malta.
Despite a few failed starts, including a week tour planned to the USA in 2006 (too expensive), then an aborted trip to Cyprus in 2007 (not enough players), the venue for 2008 was chosen as a weekend tour. Eventually, we have 12 who put down the money in the self-funded tour and once we stepped on to the pitch at the Victor Tedesco Stadium, two hours after we landed, the first of many tours started.
Wednesday and Thursday leagues
Wednesday and Thursday leagues took place in the old Community North Sports Complex alongside the regular Tuesday competitions. Wednesday was controlled by John Hunt, but only records for Season 1 are available. Thursday started with two seasons, before restarting with a further five seasons. For archive purposes, all these Thursday ones are consecutive, but at the time, we had CNFL Seasons 1 and 2, then CNSC Seasons 1 to 5.
Basketball
A basketball team was formed with a two-prong approach. One was a regular team in a competition, while the other took part in tournaments.
