About The Northern

The Northern Football Association was formed as a rival to the Northumberland FA by 'country clubs' who saw the parent body as Tyneside-centric way back in 1888.
The venture was short lived as the NFA talked the FA in London into not recognising the Northern as an official organisation, and it was strangled after just a couple of years of existence.

The rebel clubs that formed the Morpeth-based Northern Association included Amble, Burradon, Bedlington East End, Horncliffe, Berwick Rangers, Tweedside Wanderers, Newsham, Backworth, Broomhill, Warkworth, Blyth, Seaside Rovers, Morpeth Athletic, Weetslade, Longhirst, Spittal, Belford, Stobswood, Seaton Burn and the senior sides Morpeth Harriers and Shankhouse Black Watch.

Ashington joined the rebels following season, while Rothbury and Alnwick remained with the Northumberland.
In January 1889 the Northern put a representative team together to travel over the Border to play Motherwell and went down 5-0.
But there has always been a proud an independent spirit among the clubs from the former industrial South East corner of Northumberland right up to Berwick on the Border and The Northern aims to reflect that in the writing contained within it.