Ex-Hartlepool United contingent earn promotion to National League North

South Shields, managed by former Sunderland goal scoring hero Kevin Phillips, confirmed their promotion to the second tier of non-league football following their 1-0 win over Whitby Town with former Pools defender Liddle a stalwart throughout the season for the Mariners.

Phillips’ side also included a number of other ex-Hartlepool players with the likes of Martin Smith and Lewis Alessandra also featuring in Monday’s success.

Both Liddle and Smith left the Suit Direct Stadium last summer after helping Hartlepool retain their Football League status.

Liddle was offered the option to remain with the club but took up a deal at the 1st Cloud Arena instead to help lead the promotion charge under Phillips.

And that dream became a reality with two games to spare with victory over Whitby.

“It was always going to be a tough decision because Hartlepool showed they wanted to keep me around next season by offering me a contract,” Liddle said when completing his move to South Shields last summer.

“I could have had it easy and just stayed at Hartlepool, but I want to finish my career being successful and helping another club.

“South Shields is a good and ambitious club with an ambitious owner and ambitious manager, and I’m thrilled to be part of helping them drive to have that success.”

Smith meanwhile, who also joined the club following his Pools exit, has insisted the Mariners need to challenge again in National League North.

"The overriding emotion is one of relief. It’s been a long season but I’m just so happy for everyone involved," said Smith.

“The main target was promotion and to win the league. That’s what the gaffer set for us, that was the target we as players set for ourselves.

"There was pressure on that. We've dealt with criticism coming from certain people which absolutely baffled me, but as staff and as players we’ve dealt with every obstacle thrown at us.

“Next year we’ve got to go again and drive again,” Smith added.

"We have to set the same expectations, not resting on your laurels and thinking we’re here now, because we want to go again and we want to challenge again.

"So we’ll enjoy the rest of the season and have a nice little break and then we’ll be going again.”

Upon clinching promotion in his first job as manager, Phillips, 49, has revealed it is a feeling which tops anything he achieved on the field as a player.

“That's the proudest I've been in my career because I took on a challenge 18-months ago when I came up here on my own with my mate Keith and as we all well know that I lost him very early on in my time here and it broke me,” said Phillips.

“I had to recollect and gather my thoughts. Obviously I had the disappointment of not going up last season and you know I had a decision of what I wanted to do but I thought no, I owe it to South Shields to build my squad and try and challenge this year.

“I’m delighted with everybody in that changing room. They're the ones that have got us promoted.”