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Gateshead midfielder Owen Bailey has described reaching the FA Trophy final as an “unbelievable achievement” as his side prepare to face Halifax at Wembley on Sunday.
The Heed beat Barnet 4-1 on penalties after drawing 3-3 – the Bees fighting back from 3-0 down after 37 minutes – in a dramatic semi-final last month to reach their first-ever FA Trophy final.
Their cup run has come alongside a fantastic turnaround in the National League, which saw Gateshead lingering above the drop zone in February before recovering to finish 14th.
Relegation fears were eased during a 10-game unbeaten run in all competitions and Bailey praised a “monumental effort” after a resurgence in the second half of the season.
The 24-year-old told the PA news agency: “We brought a few lads in on loan, we had a few lads back from injury, we changed a bit of the shape and the way we played. We simplified everything and we went into so much detail, but we always do that.
“It wasn’t a real surprise to me, just for whatever reason it seemed to finally click and we’re on a really good run which has ultimately kept us in the league.
“It was a massive credit to the management and the players because we all came together and we weren’t going to accept getting relegated, so it was a monumental effort and it’s really positive for next year.”
Gateshead’s attention is now focused on Sunday’s final against a Halifax team who finished two points above them in the National League in 11th.
The Heed’s route to Wembley has been far from comfortable, requiring penalty shoot-outs in both the quarter and semi-finals, but Bailey believes the competition has been hugely beneficial for the team during the rough patches this season.
“The Trophy’s been something we’ve used for momentum to be honest,” he added.
“There’s been times where we’ve been so down, had bad results in the league, and when you’re in the bottom four and you can’t get out it’s so mentally draining because you think you’re doing everything you can to get out of there but nothing’s working.
“To have the Trophy alongside and totally focus on that game and have no bearing on the league, it’s really important to switch off from the league for a bit and it’s definitely helped along the way.
“It still is a thing for the lads who’ve been here from the start and aren’t cup-tied to have a lot of pride in, because there’s been times we’ve cobbled a team together and had to rely on the under-19s.”
“I know all the lads who are involved in it take a lot of pride in the fact that we might only have 13 or 14 players available, but we’ve got to the final and I think it’s an unbelievable achievement to be honest.”
Gateshead were on the brink of extinction only a few years ago before being taken over by a fan-led consortium with Neil Pinkerton and Trevor Clark installed as owners.
The club were then promoted to the National League after winning the 2021/22 National League North title.
Reflecting on how far the club have come, former Newcastle U23s captain Bailey hopes fans will be able to enjoy a day out at Wembley.
“The club obviously nearly went under and the job that the staff have done has been unbelievable,” said Bailey, who joined Gateshead in the summer of 2021.
“I don’t think anyone will ever understand or appreciate how much they have done for the club – they’ve kept the club afloat and put it in the position it’s in now, which is a healthy National League team competing in a cup final.
“The turnaround’s been unbelievable, and the fans were the ones that saved the club financially, so for them I think it’s another bit of repayment to thank them for what they did.
“(I’m) sure they’ll have a great day out at Wembley and it’s what they deserve.”
