‘Damaged beyond repair?’ – Gateshead extend their abysmal form and slip to second from bottom of the National League table.
Eastleigh defeated Gateshead 3-1, with Harvey Saunders (13′), Aaron Blair (23′) and Paul McCallum (90′) all on the scoresheet for the Spitfires.
Gateshead got a consolation goal through Frank Nouble (31′), and played with 10 men after Fenton John’s red card (second yellow for simulation) early in the second half.
The hosts were booed off, with the result leaving them 23rd with 19 points from 22 games played, are a point from safety, and next face 5th place Carlisle.
Mark Carruthers summed up their defeat to Eastleigh on social media: “It’s another home defeat for Gateshead, another defeat for Gateshead ,falling to a 3-1 loss against Eastleigh.
“Pretty difficult times all around for Gateshead. Firstly, thoughts with manager Alun Armstrong not here the day after the sad passing of his Dad, think everyone will say there are far more important things in football as much as we all love it and thoughts are with Alun, Luke of course, former Gateshead striker, now a Carlisle and the rest of the family, really sad time and it couldn’t really have been at a worse time of year.
“It’s always difficult to talk about football when you’ve got that sort of backdrop but on the pitch, Gateshead really punished for defensive lapses once again.
“It’s been a bit of a recurring theme in the season. Harvey Saunders and Aaron Blair scoring inside the opening 25 minutes, making the most of just switch-offs in the Gateshead defence. That put Eastleigh 2-0 ahead after about 25 minutes. Gateshead get back into the game. Frank Nouble scoring a header from close range after Max Melbourne had hit the ball with a free kick.
“Takes Gateshead into half time with some momentum and you think just come out second half and have a go but within three, four minutes of the restart Fenton John gets a second yellow card and a red card for simulation which is just a little bit naive and after that it’s just can Gateshead really with ten men going and punish Eastleigh. They had some little bright moments but just didn’t happen and then Eastleigh later on bring on Paul McCallum of course, regular goal scorer in the National League throughout his career. Scores and punishes Gateshead as they’re pushing forward.
“Look, it’s a really difficult time for Gateshead. They’re now setting from bottom in the National League. Unless there is a turnaround, they will go down.
“You know, today there were some positive moments, but again, unless this defensive side of the game improves, they’re going to keep enough clean sheets, they’ll keep out enough goals to keep themselves up.
“And everything just feels really tough at the moment for Gateshead on and off the pitch, I think, there’s a lack of confidence I think which is unquestionable in the players you can see it in certain moments and key moments in games there’s frustration I think that thing’s just on going away and we’ve got a tough one here Carlisle come here on Boxing Day they’ll bring around it’s just over 3,000 they’ll bring so they’ll be in that far stand as you can see behind me there.
“You know big budget big chance to for them to kick on and try and get back in the EFL so Gateshead they’re really gonna have to just keep working hard and try and get some improvement because at the moment it’s only going one way and that’s something sad to say after the the effort to get them into the National League.”
A few thoughts after Gateshead’s 3-1 home defeat against Eastleigh as the Heed’s abysmal form continued and they slipped to second from bottom in the National League table. pic.twitter.com/q0783oI5kW
— Mark Carruthers (@MarkCarruthers_) December 21, 2025
Gateshead supporter Dan Bell tweeted: “Change or have no fans left. Whether we stay up or not is irrelevant, unless things change tenfold off the pitch in terms of the relationship between the club and the supporters, it will be away games only for me from next season, I’ll honour the remainder of this season ticket as I’ve already paid for it but I’ll not be buying any more refreshments from the stadium and I’m certainly not purchasing any more merchandise or anything like that.
“I still want my fix of watching my team (as mental as that sounds just now) but most importantly the one thing I’ll never turn my back on is my friends but the atmosphere at the GIS is toxic beyond all recognition now and we all know who is accountable for that, the stadium isn’t perfect and never will be but there was always that social aspect there and now that many of the the said people I’d socialise with are staying away, it to me is now asset less.
“Gateshead is a very working class fanbase and the least we expect is for the team to put the same levels of effort into their job as we do into ours so I really can’t blame anyone who doesn’t want to watch it right now. We were told of a “3 year plan” but there is absolutely NOTHING to suggest we’ll even be remotely close to “challenging by year 3”, maybe for a play-off spot in the NPL but as it stands is there any other outcome you can see that isn’t us dropping out of the National League then dropping out of the National League North? The stadium is a cop out answer for low attendances, it’s less than ideal but it wasn’t a problem when Grimsby came to town in the play-off semi final, when we were lifting the National League North trophy or winning back-to-back Trophy semi finals, the fact so many regulars now won’t go near the place shows that the issue is much deeper than how far away the pitch is.
“The money I save on not getting a season ticket can be used for a few more trips to Motherwell next season, I’ll probably stay local a bit more so that extra funds can be put aside to pursue more of my European to-do list. If by the end of the season I’m satisfied that a relationship is being re-built, I know it can’t happen overnight but I may re-consider but right now, it’s not a nice place to go and hasn’t been for some time. If you’re the board you surely have to question why so many regulars who have been there through thick and thin now don’t want anything to do with it?”
💬 “Really disappointing, really frustrating.”
Jacob Butterfield on today’s game at the GIS 👇📺#WorClub ⚪️⚫️ pic.twitter.com/b6bbBLPAYf
— Gateshead FC (@GatesheadFC) December 21, 2025
Gateshead’s season so far:
Sat 9 Aug – H – Southend United – National League – 0-3 – 1,278 att
Sat 16 Aug – A – Eastleigh – National League – 2-0 – 2,101 att
Wed 20 Aug – A – Rochdale – National League – 0-4 – 2,313 att
Sat 23 Aug – H – Tamworth – National League – 2-1 – 665 att
Mon 25 Aug – A – Yeovil Town – National League – 4-3 – 2,799 att
Sat 30 Aug – H – Aldershot Town – National League – 3-3 – 722 att
Wed 3 Sep – H – Altrincham – National League – 0-2 – 696 att
Sat 6 Sep – A – Woking – National League – 0-5 – 2,786 att
Sat 13 Sep – A – Wealdstone – National League – 2-2 – 1,109 att
Sat 20 Sep – H – FC Halifax Town – National League – 1-2 – 828 att
Tue 23 Sep – H – Hartlepool United – National League – 0-1 – 1,651 att
Sat 27 Sep – A – Braintree Town – National League – 2-1 – 1,007 att
Tue 30 Sep – A – Morecambe – National League – 5-2 – 2,396 att
Sat 4 Oct – H – Boston United – National League – 1-3 – 773 att
Sat 11 Oct – A – Aveley – FA Cup 4Q – 3-0 – 407 att
Sat 18 Oct – A – Brackley Town – National League – 0-0 – 862 att
Sat 25 Oct – H – Truro City – National League – 2-2 – 1,256 att
Sat 1 Nov – A – AFC Wimbledon – FA Cup 1 – 2-0 – 5,321 att
Wed 5 Nov – A – York City – National League – 0-4 – 4,952 att
Sat 8 Nov – H – Solihull Moors – National League – 0-2 – 811 att
Tue 11 Nov – H – West Auckland Town – Durham Challange Cup – 2-2 (4-5p)
Sat 15 Nov – A – Forest Green Rovers – National League – 1-3 – 2,386 att
Sat 22 Nov – H – Boreham Wood – National League – 0-3 – 549 att
Sat 29 Nov – A – Sutton United – National League – 2-4 – 2,327 att
Sun 7 Dec – H – Walsall – FA Cup 2 – 0-2 – 1,606 att
Sat 13 Dec – H – Morecambe – FA Trophy 3 – 0-3 – 363 att
Sun 21 Dec – H – Eastleigh – National League – 1-3 – 431 att
‘Damaged beyond repair?’ – This is how fans reacted as Gateshead extend abysmal form and slip to second from bottom…
@TheDB30: 10 losses in a row, one of those in the Durham Challenge Cup but the young lads that played that DCC game showed a damn sight more fight than the seniors in the other 9 combined. Less than 400 home fans when there’s fuck all other games on locally. Take accountability.
@ItsJustTheMess1: Enough is enough we are northern league level absolutely criminal from top to bottom no heart no fight no desire whatsoever. People are allowed an opinion but been told to f*** off and not come back is taking the piss i love this club to bits but at the moment future is bleak 😔
@Isaac_GFC: Always preferred the NLN anyways
@LRbix: Unbelievably it was one of our better performances but we were still shit. Relegation is on the cards here. Some of the players are showing no fight and no effort yet again. 10 losses in a row a absolute crime cannot see us winning a game at all this season #WorClub
@gfc1264: fair play to elliot wheeler only one who was up for it
@HeedAndToon: Can’t see us getting a single win for the rest of the season that’s how optimistic I am
@andymason86: A total disgrace from top to bottom. From board room to the dugout utter shambles
@RyanBro11591296: Says it all when that’s the best performance in weeks and it was still utter wank lol
@GFCJosh0503: Best performance since Wimbledon and still shite. Elliot-Wheeler was class once again. Bakare lost his head after the match. Seems as though very few players actually care and it shows. Heading at the speed of light towards relegation
— Luke (@LRbix) December 21, 2025
