Gateshead assistant reflects on 'fantastic' journey ahead of Hebburn Town reunion

You could forgive Gateshead player-manager Louis Storey for reflecting on the journey he has been on when his side kick off their pre-season preparations at Hebburn Town on Tuesday night.

Just three years have passed since Storey left the Hornets to return to the professional game with the Heed following a successful spell at Hebburn Sport Ground. The former Newcastle United academy defender was named as captain by former Hornets manager Kevin Bolam and led the club to their FA Vase Final win over then-Northern League rivals Consett and to promotion into the Northern Premier League East Division.

However, the lure of a return to the professional game for the first time since he was released by Newcastle in the summer of 2012 proved too strong and Storey’s success story continued at the International Stadium. After becoming a National League North champion during his first season with Gateshead, Storey has made two Wembley appearances, helping the Heed to their FA Trophy Final win against Solihull Moors in May just a year after losing to FC Halifax Town in the final of the same competition.

Storey’s off-field development has matched his on-field achievements after he was named as permanent assistant manager to new Heed boss Rob Elliot after the duo guided Gateshead to a memorable second half of last season. Now 30-years-old, Storey looked back at his journey from falling out of the academy system to where he is today and admitted he hopes his achievements show a career is not over after a release from a professional club.

He told The Gazette: “For myself, on that journey, hopefully it’s a bit of a light on players that do fall out of the (professional) game like I did at the age of 18 or 19. A lot of players then fall out of the Under-23s and maybe it’s something I take a little bit of pride in that my journey will be different to Rob’s.

“That will be different to other members of staff we work with and we try and bring that all together so if any young player in the North East, or any young player that gets released by or doesn’t make an academy system, you can just say if you are passionate and do want to kick on, don’t give up, make the right decisions to put you on the right path and surround yourself with people that can help and guide you. It’s been a fantastic five years (for myself), but I want to make the next five years as successful, as enjoyable and as rewarding.”

Gateshead could hand debuts to a number of summer signings when they face Hebburn on Tuesday night after Elliot added the likes of Derby County forward Owen Oseni, Notts County goalkeeper Tiernan Brooks and former Middlesbrough academy star Fenton John to his squad over the last fortnight. Tickets for Tuesday night’s friendly are priced at £5 adults, £3 concessions, £1 under-16s, free for U12s and kick-off is at 7.30pm.