THORNABY FC have sealed promotion back to Ebac Northern League Division One and head coach Bobby Coltman insisted: “It’s great to help deliver what everyone at the club deserves.”

The Blues celebrated with fans, volunteers and board members at Perth Green on Saturday when they beat Jarrow in the Division Two play-off final 4-2 on penalties.

Goalkeeper Harry Alderson was the spot-kick hero for saving the first and fourth of the home side’s efforts.

And after Ryan Wright, Charlie Twinn and Luca Sartini had confidently scored their penalties, the stage was set for James Rowe to slot in the match-winning strike from 12 yards to start Thornaby’s celebrations.

The success sealed a promotion double too, arriving just weeks after Thornaby Women won the North-East Regional Women’s League northern section title.

Delighted head coach Coltman, clearly emotional after the final whistle as he chatted on the pitch, said: “I have not planned for this moment.

“I have planned for everything else, from who was taking the penalties, who was likely to take them for Jarrow, formations, training, a gameplan … but not this! Now it’s time to go with it and enjoy it.

“When I came in at the start of the year, the conversation was ‘let’s do everything we can to get in the play-offs’.

“The table was tight, competitive and it was great to get in there but there’s no point being in there if you don’t think you can win it – and we did that. It certainly wasn’t easy, playing against two of the stand out sides in the division this season, the players have been outstanding.

“I have been blown away by the club, I love it. We’d had a great time at Esh Winning so it was tough to leave.

“But when you speak to director of football Andy Campbell, the owners John McGee and Alison McGee, and the board, you soon understand what is happening here.

“There have been some tough moments along the way, but I haven’t once doubted that we made the right decision in making the move, this play-off final win is just the cap to it for me and for everyone at the club.”

A big crowd on South Tyneside witnessed a tight 90 minutes. It was a game of very few clear-cut chances.

Thornaby arguably had the best two, particularly when Dom Joynes saw an effort fly over the bar from close range when he reacted to an early second half effort that was saved in the area.

When the game headed to penalties it was a question of whether Thornaby – who had beaten Yarm & Eaglescliffe 3-0 in the semi-final – could outthink Jarrow, who had beaten Chester-le-Street United days earlier in another shoot-out to set up the final.

Bobby said: “We worked so hard on looking at what Jarrow might do in the penalties, and it worked for Harry who made two stunning saves. You can prepare for these things, but the players must step up and be brave in the moment, and Harry alongside the takers were incredible in helping us get over the line.

“Tuesday night’s semi-final took time for me to recover from, never mind the lads, so I feel a bit emotional and drained after this. I don’t think it will truly sink in for a few days yet.

“But I am so proud. I knew it was going to be difficult when we came in as a new management team during the season, and there have been challenges along the way –Deano Browne is a well-respected and thought of manager in this league, so we were under no illusions that we had to have a positive start with the club.

“But the way the players have responded to us has been fantastic and it is the players who have seen us through and got us over the line. They have been superb.

“There are lads who didn’t play in the final, some have come on, but they have been so brave and every one of those has played their part. We are just the support; they have to deliver on the pitch.”

The planning will start straight away for life in Ebac Northern League Division One, last achieved through promotion back in 2019 before relegation pushed them down again.

Coltman said: “This is a really young and exciting squad, with experienced players in it too. The teams that have been promoted in recent years have done very well in Division One.

“We have high quality players and they will be better next season when you look at their age and background in football.
“There’s no major surgery needed, and we will hope we can build on the togetherness and atmosphere in this squad by improving in certain areas where we need a bit more support.

“All that can wait because we want to enjoy this moment first and we can’t wait for next season – it feels incredible.”