Match Preview: Bootle FC vs Newcastle Town

By Brendan Doyle

Today Bootle host Newcastle Town at our temporary home ground the Marine Travel Arena whilst our home the Berry Street Garage Stadium currently has works in place. It’s absolutely worth mentioning that we’re coming off the back of a very impressive and hard fought 2-0 victory away to Runcorn Linnets on Tuesday night, which hopefully The Bucks can carry that momentum into today. After just narrowly missing out on play offs last season, Bootle hope to aim to solidify a come the end of the 2026/27 campaign.

Bootle hope to kick off the first home fixture with a win against Midland visitors Newcastle Town, after coming so close to gaining a place in the play offs at the end of the 2025/26 season and only missing out by a point, Alan Morgan will be keen to cement a place by the end of the season, but will be aware that there is a long campaign ahead of us. A win in front of our home fans today will surely increase the confidence in both the squad and the fans.

Newcastle Town managed to finish fourteenth at the end of last season, although they did have a strong run in April with four wins out of five with their only defeat being a 2-1 loss at home to play off semi finalists Runcorn Linnets on the final day of the season. Gaffer Neil Baker will be hoping to carry that momentum into the 2026/27 campaign.

Club History:

Formation: The club began in 1964, starting out as a Sunday league team.

Early leagues: In 1982 they joined Division Two of the Mid-Cheshire League. They won that division in their first attempt, with a very strong season (only one loss, 102 goals scored in 30 games).

Merger: In 1986, they merged with Parkway Clayton to become what is their current form.

Ground: Their home is the Lyme Valley Stadium, in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire. Capacity is about 4,000, with seating for 300 and some covered standing, floodlights, and a clubhouse.

League movements & successes:

* After the merger, the club was promoted into the North West Counties League as a limited company in 1987.

* In the early 1990s they earned promotion from Division Two (of that league).

* They also won various local trophies including the Tennents Floodlit Trophy, the Walsall Senior Cup, and the NWCL Floodlit Trophy.

Form Guide:

Newcastle Town 3 Kidsgrove Athletic 1, April 6th 2026

Trafford 0 Newcastle Town 1, April 11th 2026

Lower Breck 2 Newcastle Town 3, April 18th 2026

Newcastle Town 1 Runcorn Linnets 2, April 25th 2026

Newcastle Town 1 1874 Northwich 0, August 11th 2026

The Manager:

Newcastle Town boss Neil Baker has previously managed Leek Town where also had a stint as the club’s sporting director, he also been caretaker manager of Crewe Alexandra whilst also taking up the roles of chief scout and assistant manager. Baker’s cv also consists of being a coach at Macclesfield and assistant manager.

Key Player:

Goalkeeper and captain Joe Slinn has been at Newcastle Town since February 2020 and is a vital part to the squad. Slinn spent a loan spell at Mickleover for the 2020/21 campaign but has since been in between the sticks for The Castle pulling off heroic performances in between the sticks. Slinn has also featured for Port Vale, Walsall, Rushall Olympic, Atherton Colleries and Alvechurch.

Last Five Seasons:

2025/26 Northern Premier League Division One West

2024/25 Northern Premier League Division One West

2023/24 Northern Premier League Division One West

2022/23 Northern Premier League Division One West

2021/22 Northern Premier League Division One West

Club Fact File:

Founded: 1964

Nickname: The Castle

Ground: Lyme Valley Stadium

Capacity: 4,000 (300 seated)

Recent Honours:

North West Counties Premier Division Winners 2009/10

Non League To Pro:

Tom Conlon/Rai Simmons