Heaton Stannington are delighted to announce the signing of goalkeeper Dan Lister.

The 26-year-old joins from Newcastle Blue Star where he spent the last two years. Prior to that he was a popular figure at Whitley Bay where he made over 100 appearances and received Supporters’ Player of the Season in 2022. Dan is also a League Cup winner from his time at Birtley Town.

In his own words, he’s a vocal goalkeeper who likes to keep everything organised from the back, with calmness, reliability and high standards across everything he does.

Upon signing for the club, Dan Lister said:

“I’m very excited to join the Stan. It’s a great club with a great set-up and support. The ambitions of the club are high and it’s exciting to be a part of. The step-up in level was a big factor in making the move. The challenge of playing at a higher level has always been an aim of mine. As a goalkeeper, the aim is to play and keep clean sheets to help the team win matches.”

Manager Dean Nicholson said:

“Dan is an established goalkeeper locally and brings loads of qualities. A leader, vocal, a great shot stopper with great distribution. so a positive addition to our goalkeeping department. Another one for the Stan Army to celebrate.”

Heaton Stannington are delighted to announce the signing of forward Tomas Boothroyd.

The 20-year-old joins from Durham United where he helped them secure the Wearside League title in 2025, before scoring 18 goals in the club’s first season in Northern League Division Two. Boothroyd is no stranger to Heaton having spent four years with the reserves side Stan A where he’s been part of three promotion-winning sides. Fans will have spotted Tomas in the first team in recent pre-season games against Stan A, Dunbar and Seaham, impressing with his work rate, creativity and rapid pace.

Upon signing for the club, Tomas Boothroyd said:

“I’m very excited to be joining. I’ve been with the reserves since I was 16 and this has always been the natural progression within the club. Having been local and watching a lot of the first team, including the two play-off finals, it’s always been my aim to play for them, so I’m excited for the season ahead.”

Asked about his ambitions for the season, Tomas said:

“Promotion is always the aim, and the consensus within the group is that we have the quality to push for the top of the league. I’d also like to win a couple of trophies along the way and go on a good cup run. All in all, I’d like to compete at my best and give the fans a good season to talk about for years to come.”

Manager Dean Nicholson said:

“We have been monitoring Tomas for a long time now since being in with the reserves. His pace, aggression and positive attitude are things that we will need in abundance this season.”

Everyone at Heaton Stannington is delighted to share that William Kirvan has been shortlisted for Northumberland FA’s Young Volunteer of The Year award.

We’d like to congratulate William on his nomination and are proud that his hard work and dedication to grassroots football have been recognised.

Many Heaton Stan fans will know and recognise William as our Club Shop Manager.

This year, Northumberland FA received over 300 nominations, celebrating the incredible work happening across grassroots football in the region, so to be shortlisted is a fantastic achievement.

We all wish William the best of luck at the annual Grassroots Awards which will be held on Friday, 25th September, at the Grand Hotel, Gosforth, hosted by Pete Graves.

We are delighted to confirm the Heaton Stannington’s fixture list for the upcoming 2026/27 Pitching In Northern Premier League East Division season.

The campaign begins with back-to-back home games against newcomers to the division, with Stocksbridge Park Steels visiting on Saturday 8th August, followed by a midweek clash with Northern League champions Guisborough Town on Tuesday 11th August.

Over the August bank holiday weekend, we host Wythenshawe in the FA Trophy 1st Qualifying Round on Saturday 29th August, and then two days later on Monday 31st August we welcome Ashington to The Willow Park.

Our Boxing Day fixture is a home game against Consett, and then we travel to Ashington for the first match of 2027 on Saturday 2nd January.

The regular season wraps up with an away trip to Hallam on Saturday 17th April.

Giving his reaction to the fixtures, manager Dean Nicholson said:

“Fixture release day is always a good day to look forward too. You realise quickly that it’s an extremely tough league again, but we are really looking forward to it. Stocksbridge is a brilliant home game to start and there will be plenty of away trips for the Stan Army to enjoy.”

FULL FIXTURE LIST

AUGUST 2026

Saturday 8th – Stocksbridge Park Steels (h)
Tuesday 11th – Guisborough Town (h)
Saturday 15th – Lincoln United (a)
Tuesday 18th – Silsden (a)
Saturday 22nd – Newton Aycliffe or Kendal Town (a – FAC PR)
Tuesday 25th – Morpeth Town (a)
Saturday 29th – Wythenshawe (h – FAT 1QR)

SEPTEMBER 2026

Saturday 5th – West Auckland Town (a) / FA Cup 1st Qualifying Round
Saturday 12th – Liversedge (h) / FA Trophy 2nd Qualifying Round
Tuesday 15th – Dunston (h)
Saturday 19th – Matlock Town (a) / FA Cup 2nd Qualifying Round
Saturday 26th – Grimsby Borough (h) / FA Trophy 3rd Qualifying Round
Tuesday 29th – Blyth Spartans (a)

OCTOBER 2026

Saturday 3rd – Beverley Town (a) / FA Cup 3rd Qualifying Round
Saturday 10th – Ossett United (h)
Saturday 17th – North Ferriby (a) / FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round
Saturday 24th – Bradford (Park Avenue) (h) / FA Trophy 1st Round
Saturday 31st – Pontefract Collieries (a)

NOVEMBER 2026

Saturday 7th – Hallam (h) / FA Cup 1st Round
Saturday 14th – Bridlington Town (h)
Saturday 21st – Guisborough Town (a)
Saturday 28th – Lincoln United (h)

DECEMBER 2026

Saturday 5th – Stocksbridge Park Steels (a)
Saturday 12th – West Auckland Town (h)
Saturday 19th – Garforth Town (a)
Saturday 26th – Consett (h)

JANUARY 2027

Saturday 2nd – Ashington (a)
Saturday 9th – Bridlington Town (a)
Saturday 16th – Silsden (h)
Saturday 23rd – Matlock Town (h)
Saturday 30th – Dunston (a)

FEBRUARY 2027

Saturday 6th – Blyth Spartans (h)
Saturday 13th – Grimsby Borough (a)
Saturday 20th – Beverley Town (h)
Saturday 27th – Ossett United (a)

MARCH 2027

Saturday 6th – Bradford (Park Avenue) (a)
Saturday 13th – North Ferriby (h)
Saturday 20th – Liversedge (a)
Saturday 27th – Morpeth Town (h)
Monday 29th – Consett (a)

APRIL 2027

Saturday 3rd – Garforth Town (h)
Saturday 10th – Pontefract Collieries (h)
Saturday 17th – Hallam (a)

Note: all dates and kick-off times are subject to change. Follow us on social media @heatonstan to keep across any updates to the schedule.

After a period of sustained growth, which has included our recent rise up the football pyramid and consolidation of our place at Step 4 of the National League System, with a record seventh place finish in the Northern Premier League East division, Heaton Stannington FC has transitioned to a new corporate structure in order to future-proof the club.

Over the last few years we’ve continued to welcome record numbers of fans to games, invested more than £250,000 into facilities and the experience at The Willow Park thanks to support from the Premier League Stadium Fund, expanded our Stan Army volunteer base to more than 100 people, established and grown our Heaton Stan Juniors division to more than 40 teams, 500 players, and 85 FA-qualified coaches, and seen our Stan A reserves side win back-to-back promotions to reach the Northern Alliance Premier Division.

With this growth and success, both on and off the pitch, and our continued ambition, the time was right to reassess the corporate structure of the club, providing a robust legal framework to professionalise operations moving forward.

Scott Lyndon, Co-Chair and Club Secretary, said:

“This is a significant milestone in the club’s history. While promotion and cup finals naturally attract attention, ensuring the club has a modern and sustainable governance structure is equally important for our long-term future. Having grown significantly in recent years, we outgrew the unincorporated model that had served the club for more than a century. This new structure provides a scalable framework that will help ensure Heaton Stannington remains sustainable and community-focused for generations to come.”

The club called on the team at Muckle LLP and accounting firm, Azets, to support the incorporation. To formalise and update the governance of the club and set it on a more professional footing for the future.

As part of the new structure, the inaugural board of directors comprises existing club committee members Scott Lyndon (Co-Chair and Secretary), Neil Drummond (Co-Chair), George Clark (Treasurer), and Kevin Mochrie, alongside newly appointed directors Craig Swinhoe and Lee Massingham. A number of custodian trustees have also been appointed to safeguard the club’s long-term interests and provide additional protection over the future of the Club.

The club, its directors and trustees will continue to put the interests of fans, its members and the community at the heart of everything it does and will remain volunteer-run and self-funded.

If you’re itching to get some football fixtures in the calendar, we have some good news for you! The draws for the early rounds of the Emirates FA Cup, The Isuzu FA Trophy and FA Youth Cup have been made, and this is what happened…

In The Isuzu FA Trophy 1st Qualifying Round, we’ll welcome Wythenshawe to The Willow Park on Saturday 29th August 2026. Wythenshawe are making their return to the Pitching In Northern Premier League West Division in this upcoming season after promotion from the North West Counties League Premier Division as champions earlier this year.

For the first time we have received a bye in the Emirates FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round and progress straight to the Preliminary Round where we’ll face an away trip to either Newton Aycliffe or Kendal Town. Both sides will be playing in the Northern League this season, Newton Aycliffe having been relegated from the Northern Premier League East Division, and Kendal Town having finished seventh in the division. That tie will be played on the weekend of Saturday 22nd August 2026.

Our academy side will once again participate in the FA Youth Cup, receiving a bye in the Extra Preliminary Round and proceeding straight to the Preliminary Round where they’ll take on Blyth Spartans at home. The tie will be played in the week commencing Monday 31st August 2026.

Make sure you’re following @heatonstan on Facebook, Instagram, X and Bluesky for confirmation of kick-off dates, times and venues.

Heaton Stannington are delighted to announce the signing of versatile defender Alex Fil.

The 22-year-old joins from Blyth Town where he was an integral part of back-to-back promotions, taking the club from Northern League Division 2 to the Northern Premier League East Division. Last season he made 23 league starts and 10 league substitute appearances, scoring in victories against North Ferriby and local rivals Blyth Spartans.

Fil says he mainly plays as a centre back or full back, but is known for his flexibility to play across the pitch, helping the team in any way that he can, be that defensively or going up the other way to create opportunities.

Upon signing for the club, Alex Fil says:

“I’m raring to go, I can’t wait to get the season started. The main motivation for me to make the move was the reputation of the club and the ambitions it has for the season ahead, both in the league and the cup. I only live a couple of minutes away from the ground, so I’ve always been aware of the club’s reputation and what it’s trying to build. Seeing the quality of the lads who’ve also signed makes it clear that everyone recognises those ambitions too. After last year, I’d love to get into those play-off spots and push on to get promotion.”

Manager Dean Nicholson says:

“This is another signing which we have been chasing and we’re delighted to get it done. Alex is a big, strong commanding leader who is versatile and will fit right into the squad we are building. Welcome to the club, Alex!”