Greg Olley has delivered a scathing verdict on Gateshead‘s collapse, as the former Newcastle United academy product prepares to exit the club.
The midfielder, who captained the Tynesiders, has revealed the extent of internal unrest that derailed their promotion hopes.
Takeover chaos and dressing room divide
Greg Olley has lifted the lid on a chaotic second half of the season at Gateshead, describing the club’s situation as the worst he’s experienced since joining in 2018. Despite a promising start to the campaign, a dramatic loss of form saw them miss out on the play-offs, with the team winning just five of their final 22 matches.
Their downturn coincided with significant off-field disruption, including the departure of Rob Elliot and his staff to Crawley Town, and growing instability caused by a proposed takeover fronted by former Sunderland striker Victor Anichebe.
“This has been lingering over us for four or five months now,” said Olley. “You’ve got new owners bringing lads in, speaking to players and then you’ve also got the people at the top right now trying to potentially stay on.
“You just hear so many different rumours and potentially being lied to constantly about what’s happening.”
“Then the new owner coming into the changing room when he hasn’t officially took over the club and talking to all of us as a team… it’s just not right. It unsettled everything.”
Olley believes the impact of the mid-season departures — including key players Callum Whelan and Owen Oseni — was never properly addressed, and that the club failed to reinvest. He praised Magnay’s efforts under difficult circumstances but said the lack of leadership above the manager left the squad vulnerable.
Club legend set to depart
Now 29, Olley is out of contract and appears set to leave Gateshead after seven years of service. He has made over 200 appearances, won the FA Trophy, and helped secure promotion from the National League North.
However, he says he has received no communication from the club about a new deal, despite repeated attempts to seek clarity. He expressed frustration with how his contributions had been overlooked in the current uncertainty.
“I’ve given my all, I’ve ruptured ligaments, I’ve broke my leg, I’ve taken wage cuts, and now I’m being treat like something on the bottom of your shoe,” he said. “There’s a very sour note in the air at the minute.”
Writer’s View
This isn’t just a case of a club missing out on the play-offs — it’s the tale of an organisation unravelling from the inside. Greg Olley’s honest account exposes a lack of leadership and poor communication that led to disunity and ultimately derailed a promising campaign.
With fan sentiment already sympathetic to Olley, Gateshead’s next steps — especially regarding ownership — will be under intense scrutiny.
