A lifelong Newcastle United supporter has turned more than half a century of football memories into a new online business. Angela Stanger-Leathes, from Seaton Sluice, has launched Footy Passion, a website bringing together Newcastle United books, authenticated signed shirts, official club clothing and collectable memorabilia for fans across the world.
The venture is the culmination of a passion that began when she was 12 years old. What started as an idea to provide a home for books about the club has grown into an online destination for supporters looking for official replica shirts, tracksuits and rare items signed by some of the biggest names in Newcastle United history.
From books to a full merchandise range
Angie, who has written several books about the club, said she had wanted to create such a website since discovering what websites could do. She wanted somewhere other than Amazon or eBay where supporters could find books about their club, including those by other authors.
When she wrote her latest book about John Tudor last year, the website was developed and has grown from there. The range now includes Newcastle United merchandise for men, women and children, along with special pieces of memorabilia.
Signed shirts and special collectables
Among the most popular collectables are authenticated shirts signed by Newcastle legends Alan Shearer and Kevin Keegan. One particularly special item is a shirt signed by players from the celebrated "Entertainers" Newcastle side, along with Keegan himself and his assistant Arthur Cox. The shirt had been stored in a safe for years before Angie had the chance to buy it.
She described it as an amazing piece of Newcastle United history, kept safe for years, and said she could not resist purchasing it. The shirt is signed by the Entertainers and Kevin Keegan, and there is also a signed football. She said she might sell it one day, but it is something very special to her.
Global interest and local support
The website is already attracting interest from Newcastle United supporters around the world, with shirts sent all over the world. Angie said the business is about more than selling merchandise; it is about preserving the stories, personalities and memories that have made the club important to generations of supporters.
Her devotion began more than 50 years ago when her father took her to an evening match at St James' Park. She recalled the players coming onto the pitch under enormous old floodlights, each with four shadows, describing it as magical. She fell in love with Newcastle United that night.
That passion led to organising supporters' coaches to away matches during the 1970s, with travelling companions including Anne Tudor, wife of John Tudor, and journalist John Gibson. She organised tickets, collected money and managed to cover the cost of her own trip and sometimes a friend's.
Her friendship with John and Anne Tudor inspired her latest book about the striker. She has also written a history of Newcastle United stretching back to the 1800s, combining the club's story with photographs, interviews and personal memories from supporters of all ages. She interviewed fans from every part of the ground, young and old, because supporters make the club what it is.
Away from the business, Angie supports grassroots football in her local community. Having previously sponsored a men's walking football team, she has recently agreed to sponsor two newly formed girls' teams in Seaton Sluice. As a youngster, she was told football was not a game for girls, and she decided to help young girls who want to play football today.
More than half a century after first stepping into St James' Park, Angie remains a regular at home matches. Through Footie Passion, she hopes to share her enthusiasm with supporters everywhere, bringing together everything she loves about the club in one place, from books and official shirts to special pieces of memorabilia.
