Gateshead FC First Team Squad - Midfielders
4. Kris Gate - Midfield
- Date of Birth:
- 01/01/1985
- Previous Clubs:
- Newcastle United
- Sponsors:
- Graham Wood
Gate joined Gateshead in September 2007 after he was released from hometown club Newcastle United and has played a major role in Gateshead’s two promotion campaigns and Conference premier survival.
The 25 year old is a former Newcastle reserves captain and went on to make the substitutes bench in the Premier League having made senior appearances for the Magpies in friendlies against Glasgow Rangers and Malaga. A skilful box-to-box player Gate has captained Gateshead for the last two seasons.
7. Martin Brittain - Midfield
- Date of Birth:
- 29/12/1984
- Previous Clubs:
- Newcastle United, Ipswich Town, Yeovil Town (Loan), Carlisle United, Walsall, Kidderminster Harriers
- Sponsors:
- WD Bathrooms
Ruled out for the majority of his first season at Gateshead after suffering a double leg break against Hayes & Yeading United in September 2009, Brittain is another former Newcastle United player in the Gateshead ranks. Signed from Kidderminster Harriers, where he played 44 games, the right sided midfielder made one full appearance for Newcastle and six off the bench before he spent a short period at Ipswich Town.
A loan spell at Yeovil Town saw Brittain make 15 appearances for the Glovers, followed by brief stays at Carlisle United and Walsall, before the 25 year old moved into non-league football with Kidderminster, and subsequently Gateshead.
8. Phil Turnbull - Midfield
- Date of Birth:
- 07/01/1987
- Previous Clubs:
- Hartlepool United, Gateshead (Loan), Blyth Spartans (Loan), York City
- Sponsors:
- TT Construction
Turnbull, 23, joined Gateshead for a second spell in February 2008 when he signed on loan from York City. The deal was made permanent in March that year when he was released from his contract with the Minstermen. He had previously made five appearances for Gateshead in the 2005/2006 season when on loan from Hartlepool United. When he failed to break into the first team at Victoria Park he moved on to Conference Premier side York where injury hampered his progress.
A skilful central midfield player and a good passer of the ball he has been a regular in the Gateshead engine room.
11. Craig Nelthorpe - Midfield
- Date of Birth:
- 10/07/1986
- Previous Clubs:
- Brodsworth Miners Welfare, Frickley Athletic, Doncaster Rovers, Hucknall Town (loan), Kidderminster Harriers (loan), Halifax Town (loan), Darlington (loan), Oxford United, York City, Barrow (loan), Luton Town (loan)
Popular left sided player Nelthorpe rejoined Gateshead for a third time in the summer, this time on a permanent basis following loan spells in 2006/7 and 2008/9.
He made 11 appearances for hometown club Doncaster Rovers over a four year period before he joined Oxford United and then York City, where first team starts were limited. A skilful player with an eye for goal the 23 year old has had loan spells at seven clubs including Luton Town and Darlington.
12. Andy Ferrell - Midfield
- Date of Birth:
- 09/01/1984
- Previous Clubs:
- Newcastle United, Watford, Hereford, Kidderminster Harriers, York City
The combative 26 year old's career began at hometown club Newcastle United before he spent a season at Watford. A move to Hereford United saw Ferrell help the Bulls reclaim their Football League status in the first of his two seasons at Edgar Street.
The Tynesider was then a regular in the Kidderminster Harriers midfield, playing 74 games in two years for the midlands outfit. A summer move took him to York City from where where he joined Gateshead during the 2010 transfer window for a £3,500 fee.
14. Alex Francis - Midfield
- Date of Birth:
- 07/01/1990
- Previous Clubs:
- Newcastle United
- Sponsors:
- NB Group
A 20 year old midfield prospect who was released by Premier League neighbours Newcastle United at the end of the 2007-8 season where he had been a regular in the Magpies Academy side. A Gateshead-born player whose preferred position is in the centre of midfield, though he can also play at the back.
Francis was a key player for the England Colleges side in 2008/9 and last season had an injury hit loan spell at Blyth Spartans.
16. Steven Baptist - Midfield
- Date of Birth:
- 12/10/1990
- Previous Clubs:
- Birtley Town, Ashington (Loan)
The teenage left sided midfielder joined Gateshead from Northern League neighbours Birtley Town in February 2009 and his only appearance before this season was off the bench against Hucknall Town during his first month at the club.
Tipped to have a bright future in the game Baptist gained further experience on loan at Northern League outfit Ashington last season.
21. James Marwood - Midfield
- Date of Birth:
- 21/05/1990
- Previous Clubs:
- Newcastle United, Blyth Spartans, Team Northumbria
Another player who came through the ranks at Newcastle United, right winger Marwood is the son of former Arsenal, Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday winger Brian Marwood.
After his release from Newcastle Marwood junior had brief spells at Blyth Spartans and Northern League club Team Northumbria before he linked up with Gateshead during the close season.
22. Josh Gillies - Midfield
- Date of Birth:
- 12/06/1990
- Previous Clubs:
- Sunderland Nissan, Newcastle Blue Star, Blyth Spartans, Whitley Bay
The 20 year old wide player signed for Gateshead during the close season after making 25 appearances for Blyth Spartans in the Blue Square North during the 2009/10 campaign. A late season move to Northern League club Whitley Bay saw Gillies score the Seahorses sixth and final goal in the FA Vase final win over Wroxham at Wembley in May.
