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Senators' Hall of Fame | |
Players | ||
| Mal Armstrong - Newcastle & Gateshead Senators Mally became a hard hitting 'backer who always gave 110%. Led by example, Remembered for 'Get up for it!' and 'Best B....rd Team in the B.....td Land' (Picture taken 2003) | LB Inducted 2003 |  |
| Sal Cintorino The first American to play for the Club. Sal came from the Central Connecticut State Blue Devils and played middle linebacker with a passion and a ferocity that made running against the first 10-0 team in the Club's history a very bad idea indeed. Returned to the USA to coach the Blue Devils and is currently the university's Vice President for Administrative Affairs. Unable to stay away from the game, he accepted a second position as the Head Football Coach at the local senior high school, winning a conference championship in 2005. (Picture taken 2004) | MLB Inducted 2004 |  |
| Pete Gannon Quietly went about his game and inflicted some of the hardest hits ever seen. Never created a fuss, just got on with playing the game in whatever position the team needed him to be in. A true team player and an excellent linebacker/D lineman. "Hadja" was a real hardman. You could always rely on him to be at the tough games. He always gave 110%. One of (if not the hardest hitting) linebackers in the game - true instinct and other teams are lucky he retired 'cause he brought a world of hurt. A quiet bloke on and off the field but boy, could he hit! | LB/DL Inducted 2005 |  |
| Rob Grahamslaw- Newcastle & Gateshead Senators Played for Trojans before joining Senators, able to motivate the team in any situation ran a no nonsense huddle, if you talked you were benched! First ex-player to have playing number (#11) retired. Versatility made him the Team's Jim Jenson! | QB/DE/TE Inducted 2003 |  |
| Rod Moors - Gateshead Senators Top Canadian import QB still holds many Club & League records, explosive combination with Paul Shorten. Top pocket passer with a strong accurate arm able to find open receivers anywhere on the field. Also helped coach WRs and RBs. Took the Senators into the playoffs mainly through the air! | QB Inducted 2003 |  |
| Kev Nixon - Newcastle & Gateshead Senators Top British receiver, joined from Washington Presidents, great concentration, good hands and ran very precise routes, flourished under Moors and Grahamslaw. Would have made an excellent coach. (Picture taken 2003) | Receiver Inducted 2003 |  |
| Paul Shorten - Gateshead Senators Top Canadian WR, Grey Cup winner with Winnipeg Blue Bombers. 'Shorty' was one of the best import receivers to play in this country, also good long snapper and elusive kick returner. Still holds Club & League records. Surfer dude who was a fan favourite with the ladies! | Receiver Inducted 2003 |  |
| Mark Sloan - Gateshead Senators Sloany typifies what is good about Football, inspirational leader never gives in always hard but fair. Played against the Club for many years as a Wolverine before 'seeing the light' and crossing the Pennines. Mark has earned the respect of every Team he has played against. Great partnership with The Woot. In his final game against the Os Sloany took a snap at QB as it was the only position on 'O' he hadn't played. | Linebacker Inducted 2003 |  |
| Ian Storey - Newcastle & Gateshead Senators 'Bonce' began as a receiver and moved to play corner and safety as well as returning kicks and punts. Led the league in Ints. last season. Another of the original Senators, family and work pressure led to him hanging his boots up after last seasons efforts. Played in a vitally important relegation battle for the club only hours after the birth of his first baby and scored a TD as well! Bonce has the best collection of Club games on video going back over the last 18yrs. (Picture taken 2006) | DB Inducted 2005 |  |
| Kevin Storey One of the best and hardest hitting safeties in the league. He smashed a player's face cage in an exhibition game with the force of tackle. | Safety Inducted 2004 | |
| Mickey Thompson Anybody who knew this guy knew how much class & heart the big guy had!! He gave everything on every play never taking a play off. He embodied the Senator spirit. A man who instilled, spirit and confidence in team mates, and a great sense of humour. Always gave 100%, a class act. As he would say, "No one runs over Big Mik". Determined, spirited, hard working, and a great team member, he played like he was 6'4" and 240 pounds. A true Senator! "Big Mik" tribute page | Inducted 2005 |  |
| Jeff Wooton a member of that family that still contributes so much to the Sunday Family today. He was an excellent cover guy during the days when every team had an American QB arguably making the job of Brit defenders much harder. | CB Inducted 2004 | |
| Stevie Wooton Linebacker Stevie Wooton, whose ferocity and dedication in defense made many an opponent remember being "wooted" coupled with being a great team-mate off the field, earned him respect right across the UK game. Stevie is Mr Senator, his history with the club dates back even before the Newcastle Senators days, right back to the Newcastle Browns. He had an uncoachable knack of knowing where the ball was on the field, he got there quicker than anyone else and always made the tackle. There will be a lot of running backs throughout the country very pleased that he has retired. Truly one of the best linebackers to play the game on these shores and a class act both on and off the field. | Linebacker Inducted 2006 |  |
| Ronnie Young Players from earlier times are not forgotten as the choice of Ronnie Young shows. The name may not mean much to today's young generation of players, but many from previous times will remember it with a mix of awe and considerable respect. A defensive back whose talent made many a wide receiver doubt the wisdom of their playing, he had a reputation as one of the "old school", hard hitting and aggressive. He could "scare the living daylights" out of his own team in practice, but opponents felt his full force, and remembered it! His talent was not just physical though, he had the speed and anticipation needed for his position, as his interception record shows, once making three picks in one game. The new generation of Wide Receivers at Gateshead and throughout the league should thank God that Ronnie is no longer playing. | DB Inducted 2006 |  |
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Coaches, Officials & Others | ||
| Richard Bass - Gateshead Senators Coached at University of Toronto and Purdue. Instrumental in the signing of Moors and Shorten who had played at U. of T. also brought over two other Canadians to make the Senators competitive with the top teams in the Country. Took the club into the playoffs A student of the game who laid the foundations for the future success of the Club. Last heard of playing golf on the Pro circuit in the States. | Coach Inducted 2003 |  |
| Wally Cleminson - Newcastle Senators The late Wally Cleminson was the Clubs first Equipment Manager and another of the 'Sunderland Set'. Wally's love of the game and the Club were legendary as were some of his exploits that cannot be recounted here - ask some of the older players for details! | Equipment Manager Inducted 2003 | |
| RC Ledford - Newcastle Senators American born Head Coach who brought some American touches to the Team in terms of Cheerleaders and pre-game entertainment in between his deep sea diving work trips. Took the Senators into the playoffs and promotion to the top flight of Football in this country. | Coach Inducted 2005 | |
| Scott Pioli A DE DT that never actually played a down due to college insurance NCAA regulations, but turned the defense into a machine. Also the Senator who made it big in the NFL. He has been part of the New England Patriots for four seasons and won two Superbowls Scott was named the NFL's 2004 Executive of the Year. Currently the Director Vice President of Player Personnel at the New England Patriots and married to Dallas Parcells (daughter of NFL legend Bill Parcells), Scotty was the owner of the first defensive playbook ever seen in the North East. He was also a young man with endless patience as a coach and the fact that he could not play for the Club was his only regret of his whole Senators experience. (Photo: New England Patriots, 2004) | Coach Inducted 2004 |  |