Up next...

Last time out...

New stadium...

Dates for your diary...

Links...

Jon Shaw, Paul Heckingbottom and Jonny Allan join the Tynesiders

Date: Saturday 29th May 2010, by Tynesider

This past week saw Gateshead complete a triple signing of striker Jon Shaw from Mansfield, left-back Paul Heckingbottom from Mansfield and striker Jonny Allan from Northwich Victoria.

Jon Shaw is a old fashioned style centre forward similar to the departed Graeme Armstrong, but has a pedigree from a higher level. The Sheffield born striker started out at home town Sheffield Wednesday before moving onto Burton Albion in the Conference to link up with fellow Heed striker Daryl Clare where he finished top scorer twice. Moving onto Halifax Town for the 2007/08 season he scored 20 goals and won supporters club player of the season. He moved into the football league in July 2008 with Rochdale for £50,000. His stint at Rochdale was a frustrating one, with then Manager Keith Hill sending him regularly out on-loan.

Having joined Gateshead on-loan last December from Rochdale, Shaw only made one appearance on Boxing Day at Barrow due to injury. That match saw him link up well with Daryl Clare and Gateshead subsequently attempted to sign him in the January transfer window. However the move was aborted when the plug was pulled on the deal, with Shaw then joining Mansfield Town.

His contract at Mansfield has been terminated by mutual consent, with him having made six starts and eight substitute appearances, scoring three goals for the Stags.

Shaw told www.mansfieldtown.net: "My family are in the north-east and I want to take my wife and son nearer to them".

"I have enjoyed my time at the Stags and wish them all the best for the future. They are a club destined for the Football League.

Mansfield Manager David Holdsworth added: "I wish Jon and his young family all the very best.

"I respect his honesty regarding this situation."

Shaw joins Gateshead on a 2 year contract, with Heed Manager Ian Bogie telling www.gateshead-fc.com: "Jon Shaw is a big signing for this club. He was excellent in the one full game he played for us on loan and I was disappointed to miss out on him in the January transfer window, Mansfield Town manager David Holdsworth has been very accommodating in allowing him to move to the North East where he has family."

"Shaw will give us a physical presence up front. He is great in the air, at 26 is at the peak of his powers and his stats and pedigree are impressive."

Jonny Allan joins from Northwich Victoria, where the striker has spent the last eight years as a very loyal servant to the Vics. Born in Penrith, Allan started his career at Carlisle United making 19 appearances before moving onto Northwich in 2000.

The last eight seasons have seen Allan regularly finish as leading scorer for Northwich in the Conference and Conference North. 2006 saw him form a formidable partnership with ex-Heed striker Paul Brayson (who's currently slumming it north of the border), with the Vics going on an FA Cup run including a visit to the Stadium of Light.

With Northwich looking likely to be thrown out of the Conference due to the dreaded Appendix E, Allan saw it as time to move on, telling the official club website: "I enjoyed my eight years at Northwich but off the field problems have made life difficult in recent times and the club have just suffered a second successive demotion.

"Ian Bogie contacted me last week and I was immediately interested. It is great to be back in the Conference Premier and the facilities at Gateshead are excellent.

"It was time to move on and Gateshead is a new challenge that I am looking forward to. Having four good strikers will keep us all on our toes and is just what we need.

Paul Heckingbottom was the third signing. The experienced left-back who joined on-loan in the 2nd half of last season penned a permanent deal after his release by Mansfield Town. Heckingbottom was a massive plus during the run in, putting in some solid performances at left-back and centre-back when called upon.

Other speculated transfer activity

Gateshead were linked to Kidderminster Harriers 28-year-old striker Robbie Matthews, with their Assistant Manager telling a local paper "Gateshead have been in contact with us expressing an interest in taking Robbie on board there.  I'm sure the two parties will now get together and we'll see whether or not they can thrash out an agreement that suits them both." With the subsequent addition of Shaw and Allan giving us a four man strike force, it's unlikely this deal will be pursued.

Gateshead will have to shift their attention elsewhere in search of a left winger as Peter Winn has signed a 1 year deal for newly promoted League 2 side Stevenage FC. Added to this the news that South Shields born winger Adam Rundle turned both ourselves and Darlington down to sign a 2 year deal at Morecambe.

Bogie is said to be looking for 6 more recruits, after missing out on Winn. With Gateshead being linked to York left-back Andy McWilliams, goalkeepers Ben Smith and Adam Bartlett amongst others.

Whilst it's still early days, the standard of targets coming in and being linked in the last week, certainly help to ease worries on the desired quality wanted by the club, after the failed bid for the part-time pub worker annoyed a number of fans.