Dale mural to go ahead after total reached
BLYTH Spartans supporters are set to unveil a “spectacular and fitting” tribute to club legend Robbie Dale after a fundraising effort surpassed its target.
The long-serving forward became an icon of North East non-league football during a 15-year stay with the Croft Park club.
Dale wrote his name into Spartans folklore by plundering his way to 212 goals in a club record 680 appearances and notched up a number of achievements in the green and white.
Before hanging up his boots at the age of 36 last year, Dale won two Northern Premier League titles, two Northumberland Senior Cup triumphs and appeared twice in the third round of the FA Cup.
He was also named as the second greatest player to appear in the Northern Premier League – with only Leicester City and England striker Jamie Vardy preventing him from claiming top spot.
Spartans supporters launched a bid to honour Dale with a mural to be placed outside of their Croft Park home last month and Sunderland-based artist Frank Styles is to complete the piece over the coming months after fundraising past the £5,000 target yesterday.
Styles has produced several similar pieces of artwork with Sunderland legends Kevin Phillips, Jimmy Montgomery and Raich Carter all honoured on Wearside.
Supporter Simon Needham has played a key role in the project and he revealed his delight with the widespread support that has been received over the last month.
He told Chronicle: “The support has been incredible, and it just shows how popular Robbie is amongst the Blyth Spartans faithful.
“Robbie has given us so much joy over the years, so people have been only too willing to contribute.
“I am sure it will generate a lot of local interest when the work starts and the mural starts to take shape.
“It has been a superb effort to reach this target in just six weeks and we believe Frank Styles is hoping to start on the mural in mid to late-April.
“We can’t wait to see his progress on what a spectacular and fitting tribute to a Blyth Spartans legend should be.”