The South Tyneside lads who achieved FA Vase history on this week at Wembley 15 years ago
Two South Tynesiders scored in every final for three years running
History was made at Wembley 15 years ago and three footballers from South Tyneside helped to achieve it.
What a day it must have been in 2011 for local lads Paul Chow and Lee Kerr, both from Jarrow, as well as Terry Burke from South Shields, who were part of the Whitley Bay team which won the FA Vase for the third time in succession.
But their role was much more important than just being part of the starting 11. Paul scored two goals in the final against Coalville Town.
He became the first player to score in every round of his team’s run to the final and that achievement came a year after Paul scored the fastest ever goal in the final in 2010.
Lee Kerr had his own piece of history. Both he and Paul scored in three successive finals but they were both pipped to the man of the match award by goalkeeper Terry who pulled off a string of great saves to keep Bay in the final.
After the game, Terry, 39, announced his retirement and said ‘there is no better way to go out than with a man of the match performance at Wembley.”
Paul described his emotions after the game as ‘totally worn out’ but said the victory was a fantastic feeling.
We would love to hear from any South Tyneside people who were at the game at Wembley in 2011, or even from the players themselves.
Get in touch and relive those memories by emailing [email protected]