A potentially monumental Mariner’s season: South Shields final push for promotion
Written by Tyler Elleanor on 24th March 2026
A potentially monumental Mariner’s season: South Shields final push for promotion
South Shields Football Club are on the verge of what they see, as a monumental season, one which could see the club achieve history – reaching a tier in the footballing pyramid the football club has never seen since its beginning.
The fifth tier of footballing pyramid is a place that the Mariners have never seen before a place where the prestigious clubs of the North East have graced – South Shields hope to be the next if they are to continue their winning ways and extraordinary season thus far.
The context then tells you what an incredible and historical achievement it could be for South Shields – but what is just as impactful – is what promotion could mean for the livelihood and careers of staff and players within the club.
If you rewind to the start of the season, the Mariners were not thinking about promotion at all – with their club Commercial Director Carl Mowatt, stating that he’d have “taken your arm off” if you were to tell him that South Shields would have been guaranteed the play-offs in the upcoming season, considering that last season the clarets and blue finished 17th in the league.
Commercial Director Carl Mowatt, has worked tirelessly for the club as well as being a fan for many years and insists that his role will be impacted massively – however, in a positive manner if the club are able to achieve promotion.
The Commercial Directors role and how promotion could make Carl’s life “easier”
Image Credit: Tyler Elleanor Carl Mowatt at the 1st Cloud Arena
When asked about his role and how it would be impacted Carl said: “Well it would actually make my job a bit easier. Because I think success breeds success.”
“So, if we go to the next tier and then become a higher position in the league, the success is probably easier to sell.”
Carl went on to speak about selling this success having “more advertising boards, more opportunities to get sponsorship”. As well as adding: “You can see there’s predominantly local businesses that support South Shields Football Club.”
“And without them we probably wouldn’t be where we are now.”
He went on to say: “We still might win this league. That is our aim, to get to the dizzy heights of being a national league club.”
Click below to watch both South Shields’ Carl Mowatt and Will Jenkins speak on the season so far and how impactful promotion could be for the club.
In today’s world it is more than fair and arguable to say that football is considerably out of touch with the real world and what a human impact the game can have on people’s lives – with transfers reaching upwards of £100 million pounds and everyone talking about Erling Haaland.
In non-league football, where the Mariners find themselves – things are different – and for the better. You can truly see the sparkle in the eyes of players such as their vice-captain Will Jenkins and how much it would mean for him if he were able to get his team promoted, with the midfielder evoking that the club is “home” to him.
Players like Jenkins then – who rose through South Shields academy after joining when he was just fifteen years old, are extremely passionate about the club as it is their livelihood that is at stake.
Merely days then, before South Shields’ immense clash with AFC Fylde, Jenkins underlined the idea that the game is hard to look away from with how close his side are to promotion.
“We have to understand it’s a privilege to be under pressure.”
Image Credit: Kev Wilson
“You have to understand there’s a reason for the pressure, it’s because we’ve done so well and you have to take it as a positive and take it in your stride.” – Jenkins on the pressure of the final games in South Shields’ push for promotion.
When asked about being one of the “vital” parts of the South Shields squad and what promotion would mean for Jenkins he said: “Massive. It means everything. This place is home to me. It has been for a while.”
Jenkins added that: “To be on the journey that we’ve been on, that I’ve been on, personally to get the club promoted would be really special for me and everyone else at the football club.”
Image Credit: Kev Wilson
South Shields Media officer Sam Jones: How promotion would impact his career as well as boosting the players careers having such a “remarkable achievement”
Keeping with the theme of people’s livelihood and what South Shields promotion could do for the staff and players careers, the Mariners’ Media Officer, Sam Jones, touched upon what it could do for his role within the club and how for his career it would be “incredible”.
“I mean my role would be impacted significantly. Obviously if we were promoted into the National League we’d have so much more content to create and obviously that’s my job as a Media Officer. It’s creating content to put out.”
Sam went on to say: “And for my career it would be incredible because more eyes would be seeing the content I’m being responsible to post for the club.”
“And in terms of the players I think it would boost their careers. To have this sort of achievement with this football club, being able to say you got a team promoted to the fifth tier of football, who a year ago finished 17th is a remarkable achievement.
“I think it’d be incredible for them as people, not just players.”
The full interview with Carl Mowatt can be viewed below.
