Northern League chairman Mike Amos says that the Secret Shopper scheme could still continue, but without the same rewards.

The League was forced to call a sudden halt to the Secret Shopper scheme before Christmas, after the FA raised objections to the cash prizes that were on offer, even though they were fully aware of the scheme’s financial rewards almost a year ago. A club from the Northern League is understood to have raised several issues with the FA, and that prompted the FA to act.

The scheme consists of secret shoppers visiting games, and marking both clubs on the behaviour of players, club officials and fans. League sponsor John Elliott had provided prize money to be handed out to the best-behaved clubs at the end of the season.

The league’s management committee will meet on January 22 to discuss the options, and Amos said; “We could carry on running it, but without the monetary incentives, or we could just scrap it altogether there and then.

“It was such a disappointment when the FA instructed us to withdraw the prize money, when we felt that we were doing what the FA wanted, which was to embrace the Respect campaign.

“I thought that we were doing everything right. We told them in great detail last March about our plans for the new season with the backing by our league sponsor, John Elliott, and there were no queries raised. We were proud that we were getting real money to back the scheme and encourage all those concerned to improve their behaviour. We wanted to reward those clubs who were buying in to precisely what the FA wanted.

“Nine months ago we told them all about it, and no one at the FA said a word. We were putting our money where our mouths are.”

This is the third season of the Secret Shopper, with the prize money greatly increased on the previous two. The scheme won a gold medal and huge praise from the FA after its first season.

“The FA have told us that the principle of the Secret Shopper is fine, but we can’t provide an incentive, as it’s supposed to be against FA policy. The FA won’t tell me against which rule, so I can’t understand where the FA are coming from. The FA says that the secret shoppers themselves might not be 100 per cent unbiased, but in my opinion to implicitly question the integrity of the shoppers is totally unfair.”

The events of the last few weeks will be discussed in depth at a management committee meeting this Thursday.

“We have to do as we’re told, so we can scrap it altogether at the meeting, or run it until the end of the season.

“In some cases, the scheme has worked quite well, especially regarding communication with the clubs. In the second season, we sent all the secret shopper reports to the clubs so then they knew why they were given a certain mark and why they may have been marked down. At many clubs it made a real difference because some of the worst offenders were identified and clubs took action.

“Instead now, we will have to rely on the FA instructing match officials to act on foul and abusive language, but whether that will happen in earnest remains to be seen.”

While the scheme has had its detractors, there has been plenty of praise from many quarters as clubs try to promote a family atmosphere and encourage more supporters to come along to games. The league has run several campaigns to stamp out foul and abusive language over the years, and thought the Secret Shopper scheme was their best idea yet.

Northallerton have appointed Danny Mellanby as their new manager following the departure of Steve Skinner to West Auckland.

Former Darlington and Bishop Auckland striker Mellanby, who played a key role in Newton Aycliffe’s rise to the first division of the Northern League, had a brief spell as manager there at the start of the season before quitting and becoming player-assistant manager at Ainderby Road.

He retained the role when then manager Peter Mulcaster quit, and earlier in the week he accepted an offer to succeed Skinner.

Northallerton chairman Peter Young said; “Danny joined the club in September as assistant manager and has been a hit with players, supporters, and committee alike.

“Danny brings a wealth of experience with him both as a player and coach. He has played in the professional game with Darlington, and in the first division of the Northern League with Bishop Auckland and Newton Aycliffe in a long and successful career.

¨We are sad to see Stephen depart, he has rapidly made himself a big part of this club. I personally have appreciated the direct and straight manner Stephen has dealt with both Northallerton Town and me in this matter. Contrary to comment on some forums Stephen has kept me informed of all that has occurred.

“I hope that Stephen will remember his friends at Northallerton Town and the short time he spent here with pride and pleasure.¨

Crook manager Peter Mulcaster says that he is going to give youth a chance as he starts building for the future.

Crook are resigned to their relegation fate at the end of the season, being 18 points short of safety with thirteen games to play. They’ve only won two games this season, and had three points deducted for fielding an ineligible player.

Mulcaster has signed 16 year old Marcus Thompson from Bishop Auckland, and he said; “Marcus has come on as a sub twice in recent games, and done very well. We’re looking towards next season, we want to see how lads like him progress. We want to see them show the right attitude and approach to the game over the next three months. As a club, we’ve got nothing to lose by doing it.”

Seven clubs have applied for promotion to the Northern League from the feeder leagues, six of them from the Wearside League.

Redcar Athletic, Horden, Easington, Whitehaven, Stockton Town and Cleator Moor Celtic, who all occupy the top six places in the Wearside League, have applied, with an application also being made by Blyth Town from the Northern Alliance. All clubs will be inspected around the end of March, when they’ll be expected to have the ground standard for their respective leagues. The Northern League operates two up and two down with its feeder leagues, but that can be reduced if grounds aren’t up to standard.

Whitehaven, who were forcibly relegated from the Northern League last season for not having a ground up to standard, might ask the FA to be placed in the North West Counties League.

Darlington RA have appointed Danny Shoulder as their new assistant manager to Warren Moncur. Shoulder has got plenty of playing experience in the Northern League, and has already had one spell at the club. He has been playing at Northallerton.

FA Vase

North Shields assistant manager Andy Bowman says that today’s all Northern League Vase tie against Consett is probably the biggest game the club has had in recent years.

Shields had some great tussles last season on their way to winning promotion from the second division, but Bowman says today’s game for a place in the last 16 surpasses all of those.

“The last two years have been a real roller coaster. Winning the second division was great, and we set our goals for the first division. We’ve obliterated those, we didn’t expect to be top of the table in January,” he said.

“Everyone is really excited about today’s game, there’s a real buzz around the club and we want to give today’s game a really good go.

“Everyone who has stepped into the first team this season has done really well, and it’s fairly surprising to find ourselves in the position that we’re in, but in some ways I’m not surprised because I know what some of these young lads are about. The manager, Graham Fenton, and I have set our stalls out so then we don’t have to rely solely on one player. The lads listen, they give us respect, and there’s some great team spirit. I don’t think it’s sunk in yet with most of them about how much they’ve achieved. They just get on with it. If we win something this season it will be a massive achievement.”

Even though they’re virtual novices in the Vase – Shields hadn’t been beyond the first round until this season – the bookmakers have made them favourites to win the competition.

“When the Vase started, we weren’t even included in the odds,” Bowman said. “So I contacted the bookies, and they came back with odds of 33/1.

“They must only be judging the odds on current league positions. I would have thought that Dunston, who won the Vase three years ago, would be above us in the betting, as well as clubs from outside the area like Tadcaster Albion.”

Dunston UTS manager Billy Irwin disagrees with the notion that the Northern League might not win the FA Vase this season.

Dunston, who are at Heanor from the Northern Counties East League in the fourth round today, won the competition at Wembley in 2012, and are one of three Northern League clubs playing today – North Shields face Consett in all ENL clash.

“The reason why there aren’t so many clubs from our league left in, is because most have them played each other and knocked each other out. It’s all regionalized at this stage.

“We’ve knocked two clubs out to get this far, Consett have knocked two out and North Shields four.

“The Vase is meant to be a national competition, but in the early rounds the Northern League clubs are almost all playing each other. I couldn’t believe it when the season after we beat West Auckland in the final, we were drawn together again in the second round the following season.

“After today, at the most there will be two teams left in, and it wouldn’t surprise me if they go all the way.”

As he has always done in the Vase, Irwin has done plenty of research on his opponents. “I’ve been to watch Heanor myself, and somebody else has given me a rundown. They’re a big, strong physical side, the same as we are, so we have a good idea what to expect.

“But we’re in a good run of form, in the league we’ve beaten Whitley Bay and Consett, and drawn with West Auckland, Jarrow Roofing and Marske.

“We can feel the buzz again, the one that we had when we won the Vase in 2012. We still have several players who were with us in 2012, and now we’ve got David Coulson and Gary Ormston who were with Whitley Bay when they won it.”

Heanor are currently ninth in the Northern Counties East League, having lost just twice at home in the league this season. They play in the same league as Shaw Lane Aquaforce, who have defeated Shildon and West Auckland so far in the Vase.

Heanor started in the second qualifying round and have beaten Holwell Sports 6-1, AFC Wulfrunians 3-0 after a 0-0 draw, Colehill 4-3 and Deeping Rangers 2-1 to reach this stage.

North Shields are the new 5/1 favourites to win the FA Vase, according to bookmakers Bet Victor. Dunston UTS are second favourites at 8/1 along with the conquerors of Shildon and West Auckland, Shaw Lane Aquaforce. Tadcaster are 10/1 and Worksop are 12/1. Heanor Town, who are Dunston’s opponents next week, are 20/1. Consett, the other ENL team left in the competition, are rated at 25/1.

Whitley Bay have appointed Paddy Atkinson as their new manager. Atkinson, who played as a pro for several seasons, has recently been part of the management team at another Northern League club, Newcastle Benfield. He has also been at Blyth.

The announcement of his appointment was made before Whitley Bay’s home game against Bedlington, and at the same time, Atkinson was still acting as assistant manager to Newcastle Benfield who were playing at Bishop Auckland.

Leading scorers

Division One:

22 Paul Brayson (Newcastle Benfield), Michael Mackay (Consett),

18 John Butler (Bishop Auckland), John Campbell (Jarrow Roofing, now Oxford United), Michael Chilton (Morpeth), Danny Earl (Guisborough),

17 Jamie Owens (Marske), Lee Scott (Bedlington),

16, Paul Chow (Whitley Bay), Matty Moffat (West Auckland), Jordan Nellis (Bedlington), Sean Taylor (Morpeth)

15 Gareth Bainbridge (North Shields),

14 Peter Watling (Whitley Bay)

Division Two:

29 Mark Davison (Washington), Channon North (Hebburn),

23 Chris Winn (Washington)

20 James Fairley (Washington), Adam Shanks (Alnwick),

19 Sonny Andrews (Seaham Red Star),

18 Daniel Robinson (Ryton and Crawcrook)

Next week’s fixtures

Monday 19th

Doodson Sport League Cup

Harrogate RA v Spennymoor

Brooks Mileson Northern League Cup third round

Team Northumbria v Washington

Tuesday 20th

Brooks Mileson Northern League Cup third round

Bishop Auckland v Ashington, Newton Aycliffe v Marske, Seaham Red Star v North Shields

North Riding Senior Cup quarter final

Scarborough Athletic v Thornaby

Wednesday 21st

EBAC Northern League Division One

Shildon v Dunston UTS

Brooks Mileson Northern League Cup third round

Bedlington v Guisborough, Penrith v Morpeth