WATCH: South Shields striker goes global as incredible goal attracts over 1.5million views

A South Shields Football Club player has gone global after his incredible volley went viral and was shared across the world.
Warren Byrne celebrates his incredible goal for South Shields against Tow Law Town. Image by Peter Talbot.Warren Byrne celebrates his incredible goal for South Shields against Tow Law Town. Image by Peter Talbot.
Warren Byrne celebrates his incredible goal for South Shields against Tow Law Town. Image by Peter Talbot.

Warren Byrne, 33, scored the eye-catching strike in the Mariners’ 3-0 win at Tow Law Town on Saturday.

After flicking the ball up once, the factory worker - who joined Shields last summer - then hooked it over his head with his right foot and sent a stunning left-foot volley into the opposite corner from 20 yards.

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When the video was shared by the club on Saturday night, things quickly snowballed, and it has already had more than 45,000 views on the Mariners’ YouTube account alone.

It was also shared to Instagram account 433, which has more than 10million followers, and by Sunday afternoon the video had been watched there more than 1.5million times, with almost 300,000 likes and 3,000 comments.

On social networking sites Twitter and Facebook, meanwhile, the goal has been shared far and wide, with former Newcastle United striker Mick Quinn and Sky Sports presenter Max Rushden having posted it, along with numerous well-followed sport broadcasting accounts.

On Facebook, there have been at least 250,000 views of the goal.

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It was also posted on news websites across the world, including France, the Netherlands, Italy, Russia and Australia.

It was Byrne’s 29th goal for Shields - who won promotion on Thursday - this season, and he has gained a reputation for his spectacular strikes.

Less than three weeks ago, he scored a remarkable overhead kick in a 5-0 win over Crook Town.

Byrne, who has played for the likes of Seaham Red Star, Bishop Auckland and Crook Town in the past and is from Shildon, admits he can’t believe how far the goal has spread.

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He said: “It has been crazy. It’s definitely the best goal I’ve ever scored.

“When I heard about the amount of views that it had, though, and all of the worldwide broadcasters who’d got hold of it, I couldn’t believe it.

“I had lots of family members ringing and texting me, and saying they couldn’t believe it either. It’s incredible, and my phone has never stopped.

“It’s great not just for myself, but also for the club. It’s great exposure for Shields.

“I just can’t believe how much it has taken off.”

You can watch the goal at Tow Law for yourself above - have you seen a better one this season?