To celebrate the 40th anniversary of South Tyneside’s Metro line, Tyne and Wear Metro is partnering with Tyneside football club South Shields FC as the club seeks to secure a place in the promotion play-offs from the National League North.

Ahead of the club’s last home league game of the season on Saturday, 20 April against Southport FC, Nexus, the operator of the Tyne and Wear Metro, were presented with a commemorative shirt with ‘Metro’ and the number 40 printed on the back.

South Shields Football Club is known as the Mariners, and the club’s 1st Cloud Arena stadium is adjacent to Bede Metro station.

As part of an attempt by Nexus to encourage more supporters to use Metro for getting to home games at the 1st Cloud stadium, South Shields players and coaching staff were taken for a trip on Metro.

Fans travelling on Metro can save money with Pop Pay As You Go cards. Parents can also take advantage of the ‘Take the Kids for Free’ permanent price promise by taking up to three children under 11 years old on both Metro and the Shields Ferry free of charge.

A representative from Nexus said it was delighted to link up with South Shields FC to mark four decades of serving the local community.

In return, the club is urging fans to use the Metro to get to the game to avoid traffic congestion and save on car parking charges.

The route from Heworth to South Shields is also a key part of Metro’s story, one that has transformed connectivity in the borough.

We’re honoured to receive this 40th anniversary tribute from our friends at South Shields Football Club.

Metro plays such an important role in the communities it serves, and that’s particularly the case for the Mariners, whose ground is just a few minutes away from Bede Metro station. It’s situated so close to our lines you can even see the pitch from on board the train when you pass by.

Many South Shields supporters rely on Metro to get to their home games, and that’s never been more so the case since the club has entered such a resurgent new era.

Our thanks go to the club, the players, and the management for presenting us with this commemorative home shirt to mark our 40 years of serving the borough of South Tyneside.

We wish them well for the rest of the season.

Huw Lewis, Nexus Customer Services Director