South Shields

South Shields spent three straight seasons climbing out of the Northern League before winning anything worth remembering at the level that mattered: the National League North in 2022–23. It followed promotions from 2015–16 through 2017–18 that ran almost without pause, and along the way came the club's best-known afternoon, an FA Vase final at Wembley in 2017 that ended 4–0 against Cleethorpes Town.

None of it belongs to the club that first wore the name. That South Shields, founded in 1888 as South Shields Adelaide Athletic, folded in 1930 and its history passed largely to what became Gateshead. The present club was reformed in 1974, and for two seasons even that version had nowhere to call home: a lease dispute sent it to play in Peterlee between 2013 and 2015. Geoff Thompson, a local businessman, bought the ground the following year and gave it back its own name, Mariners Park, in place of Filtrona Park.

The most recognisable name to wear the shirt is Julio Arca, who came out of retirement to sign in 2015 after a career at Sunderland and Middlesbrough, and later took charge of the club as manager.

Hebburn Town supply the other local rivalry.