THE world's second oldest football league - The Northern League - celebrated its 125th birthday in Teesside yesterday (Sunday, September 7).

The occasion was marked by a ceremony and players' reunion at the former Normanby Road ground in South Bank, where one of the first three league fixtures was played on September 7, 1889.

There South Bank beat Auckland Town 3-0, while in other opening day games Birtley beat Elswick Rangers 4-1 and Newcastle East End beat Darlington 2-1. That game was delayed for 45 minutes, however, because Darlington’s train was late.

South Bank were the North’s first football club, founded in 1868.

They remained Northern League members until 1993, won the FA Amateur Cup in 1913 , were finalists on two other occasions and produced several future England internationals – including Middlesbrough legend Wilf Mannion – at both professional and amateur levels.

The club also holds the record for the biggest Northern League victory – 21-0 against North Skelton in 1895.

The ground where once more than 8,000 people watched an Amateur Cup tie against Bishop Auckland, is now called Golden Boy Green, in honour of Wilf Mannion and is home to a community centre and play area. Much of the original pitch is still grassed.

There the Redcar & Cleveland mayor Carole Simms unveiled a plaque at 3pm yesterday - 125 years to the minute since the Northern League kicked off.

Ebac Northern League chairman Mike Amos said he was pleased the council had organised the event at such short notice.

"I visited South Bank last week and was surprised to see no acknowledgment either of one of the amateur game’s most famous clubs or of its role in Northern League history," he said.

“We’re the world’s second oldest league and really wanted to do something to mark a milestone birthday. This will be very special and hopefully help the club be better remembered as part of the community’s heritage.”

The present South Bank team – still in the famous reed and white stripes and black shorts – played a Sunday cup match on the Harcourt Road ground yesterday morning, while in the afternoon former players and club officials held a reunion in the Erimus Club in Normanby Road before the mayor kicked off a Victorian football at the ground.

There was also an exhibition of club memorabilia, including photographs from when the ground was dominated by the huge blast furnace.