Marine AFC have secured their place in the National League North for next season – without kicking a ball!
Needham Market’s 3-2 loss to Curzon Ashton means the Merseyside club are mathematically safe.
The Mariners were promoted to the National League North for the first time last season, ending their 45-year spell in the Northern Premier League.
The club sat rock bottom in February, and their debut season in the division looked set to be over.
However, after a remarkable turnaround, Neil Young’s men have lost just one in 10 league games.
The run has seen the side slowly creep out of the relegation places and help aid them to safety.
Securing safety will be a huge boost for Marine amid their plans to build and move to a new 5,000 capacity stadium.
The ambitious project is still in the funding phase, with the club hoping to establish themselves as a National League North club and beyond.
Fans and players react
Well done Marine. Congratulations! Looked bleak around Christmas but second half of the season, stepped up most when you needed it and it’s paid off. 👏
— Kisu (@KAE1967) April 1, 2025
A superb turnaround. Magnificent effort by the players and the coaching team! Now let's learn from our mistakes and make next season even better UTM
— Paul Tee (@Nokkapie) April 1, 2025
The fans deserve this, stuck with us throughout and followed us up and down the country in numbers, see you Saturday 👌🏻 https://t.co/6e6SfIb0ib
— Harvey Gregson (@GregsonHarvey) April 1, 2025
(Featured image with permission by Susan Nugent)
