Billingham Synthonia

Billingham Synthonia is a non-league football club that was formed in 1923, who represent the industrial town of Billingham, which is located on the north bank of the River Tees, adjacent to Middlesbrough.

The club was named after an agricultural fertiliser; with Synthonia being a contraction of ‘synthetic ammonia’, a product manufactured by ICI, with whom the club originally had a close connection.

Synthonia began life playing in the South Bank & District League before progressing to the Teesside League; where the team lifted the League Cup on a couple of occasions before becoming members of the Northern League for the 1945-46 season.

Billingham began playing home matches on the south side of Belasis Lane, which was part of the ICI sports complex; before moving to another pitch over the road to begin their Northern League spell.

In 1948-49 ‘The Synners’ reached the first round of the FA Cup where they went out 5-0 at Gresty Road against Crewe Alexandra. In 1949-50 the team finished as runners-up in the Northern League as well as appearing in the first round of the FA Cup; where they were defeated by Stockport County.

The 1950-51 campaign saw Synthonia become the only club to go an entire season in the Northern League without conceding a goal at home, a last minute penalty save in the final game by goalkeeper Harry Armstrong preserving this record.

Around this period Brian Clough and Frank Bough played for the club as the team finished as league runners-up for a third consecutive season in 1951-52. The league title finally arrived at the club in 1956-57; which coincided with another FA Cup first round appearance. This time the side were defeated by Carlisle United.

In 1957-58 the Synners went out again at the first round stage; against Boston United before a new ground was opened on September 6th 1958 by Lord Derby on Central Avenue with a 2-2 draw against Bishop Auckland, which attracted an attendance of 4,200.

Synthonia then entered a period of steady mid table finished for the next part of thirty years, before the team were relegated to Division Two of the Northern League in 1985-86; before regaining their top flight status at the first attempt with a championship win.

The same season saw an FA Cup forst round tie with Halifax Town moved to Hartlepool United’s Victoria Park; with the Shaymen winning the tie 4-2.

The momentum continued as a second Northern League title was secured in 1988-89 before retaining the championship the following season. The 1992-93 season saw the team finish as league runners-up.

A fine FA Trophy run in 1993-94 saw Synners defeat Consett, Frickley Athletic, Kettering Town and Macclesfield Town before going out at the quarter final stage against Woking in a replay at Central Avenue.

The following campaign saw the club finish as runners-up before a fourth Northern League title was won in 1995-96; before the team ended in second position in the following two seasons, as Bernie Slaven played up front.

Billingham weighed in with finishes towards the top end of the table before finishing as runners-up once again in 2004-05. The 2006-07 season would see a tremendous FA Vase run, which saw the club come agonisingly close to a Wembley appearance.

Spennymoor Town, Ryton, Colne, Romulus, Newcastle Blue Star, Mildenhall Town and Bideford were all defeated to set up a semi-final tie with AFC Totton. Synners went out 5-4 on penalties in the second leg on Teesside.

The Vase offered more excitement with Billingham going all the way to the fifth round in 2010-11 and 2011-12 before they were defeated away to Torpoint Athletic and then at Bournemouth after a replay.

Meanwhile in the league, the team continued to finish with a succession of mid table finishes until 2014-15 when a twentieth place saw them relegated. Synthonia recovered to win promotion to Division One after finishing in third place in 2016-17.

The promotion was tinged with sadness as the club left Central Avenue owing to the costs of necessary upgrade works and moved less than two miles to the Norton Sports Complex; the former home of Norton & Stockton Ancients. The clubs youth sides continued to play next door to the old arena which was later demolished for new construction.

The side was relegated in 2017-18 prior to a couple of years being lost to the Covid-19 pandemic. An eighth place finish was achieved in 2021-22, before the club moved homes again to become tenants to Stokesley Sports Club from the start of the 2022-23 season. 

The team narrowly missed out on a playoff spot in 2023-24 with manager Chris Dunwell at the helm.

Billingham Synthonia FC will compete in the Northern League Division Two in the 2024-25 season.

My visit

Wednesday 9^th January 2008

I was dropped off outside the gates on a bright but bitterly cold lunchtime by a gentleman in authority at Billingham Town after visiting their home while on a day of groundhopping before attending the Thornaby v Scarborough Athletic cup tie later that evening. The gates were open and soon I was inside the very impressive arena.

I'm not generally a fan of football pitches with athletic tracks around them but this place seemed a little more enclosed than the norm. Three sides had grass banks around the track with the one down the side slightly shallower. 

The Main Stand stood along the whole of the fourth side. It is a magnificent structure with all the facilities built underneath. There are a few rows of shallow terracing before giving a large raised area with a cantilever roof. The stand is divided into three sections, with seating in the centre and terracing at either side.

I was most impressed in general. It seemed strange that a relatively small town had two such excellent venues withing a five minutes walk of each other. I walked back to the station up Central Avenue content with my short visit.