'EVERYTHING HAS COME TOGETHER' AS MARINE FC CLINCH HISTORIC PROMOTION

Marine FC has gained promotion to the National League North after a huge victory in the final of the Northern Premier League play-offs.

Crosby's local football team travelled to Macclesfield for yesterday's (May 6) clash, where they won 2-1 against their "highly fancied" opponent. The win came courtesy of a 25th minute penalty from Finlay Sinclair-Smith and a well-taken second-half shot from Jack Bainbridge.

Marine came to national attention when they clashed with Spurs in the third round of the FA Cup in 2021. However, for those in Sefton and especially Crosby, the club is ingrained into the community and a part of many people's lives.

After yesterday's result, players and fans partied through the night as the club readied itself to usher in a new chapter, saying goodbye to the NPL after a 45-year spell. One local pub which is no stranger to Marine fans and their festivities is The Edinburgh, or 'The Bug', on College Road - a few doors down from the team's ground, the Marine Travel Arena.

Mike Smith, who owns the pub, spoke of a "fantastic atmosphere" after the win. He said: "You could hear the singing during the night. We have a customer who is a delivery driver and he needed to be up at half three in the morning - he wasn't bothered though, he realised how good it was for the club.

"Everything's been great for Marine recently - they've just won the Liverpool Senior Cup as well. We get home and away fans in here and we all have loads of banter. We get on with the club and they do a lot for the community."

One man who was at the game - and every other match this season - was Ken Riley. The 63-year-old, who has been watching the Mariners for over 40 years, described their fanbase as "one big family" and thinks the win will further increase the club's prominence. He told the ECHO: "When we won I was overjoyed. There was a huge sense of achievement and a feeling that everything had come together.

"I was made up for all the players, spectators and people behind the scenes. It really is a club on the up and interest in it is snowballing; there's a huge demographic of young, old, men and women who go to the games.

"A couple of my mates have already said they are going to buy season tickets for next year."

Sefton councillor and Crosby resident, Peter Harvey also commented on the club's recent success. He said: “Marine’s promotion is the talk of the town - hot on the heels of their fairy-tale FA Cup run in 2021 when Spurs came to Crosby.

“There is such a special bond between club and community - and it gets stronger as the seasons go by. Crosby is rightly proud of our mighty Mariners. Roll on next season.”

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2024-05-07T14:26:32Z dg43tfdfdgfd