STEVE CAN TAKE HEED FROM TALES OF SUCCESS
PREMIER ace Steve Watson believes a good FA Cup run can help rejuvenate his new Gateshead side. Watson is no stranger to the world-renouned competition having played in the 1998 final at Wembley for Newcastle United against Arsenal. On Saturday, his Heed side entertain National League South promotion-challengers Chelmsford City at the International Stadium. Watson has already tasted cup success at Non-League level. Last season, he was assistant manager at Macclesfield Town as they shocked Walsall, while also leading Macc back to Wembley in the FA Trophy Final. Now he wants his new Heed side to use the competition as a springboard to greater things. “It’s a fantastic competition and it gave me some of the best days of my career,” he said. “For teams in our league, it’s about the fairytale isn’t it? It captures the imagination and it gives you a chance to experience some things that you can’t in the league. “We had some great experiences at Macclesfield last season, beating Walsall at their place and then narrowly losing to Oxford. “Things like that can rejuvenate a club and I hope we can go through the same experiences starting on Saturday.” Chelmsford travel to the north-east in fineform and are one of four clubs sat on 28 points at the top of the National League South. Gateshead have had them watched in recent weeks and Watson believes his side are in for a tough test against the Clarets. “We have had people watching Chelmsford City and they are doing very well in their league. “They are competitive and they play a similar style of football to Dover, who we played this weekend, so it’s a game against some very hungry players. “They will want to prove that they can play at a higher level by beating us. It will be competitive and we have to match them in every department.”