appointed as the new player-manager. However, after 10 games without a win, Ray Gowan came in but even he was unable to arrest the slide and promptly resigned at the end of the campaign. West Auckland were able to retain their First Division status, however, due to Sunderland Nissan folding. The club then received the news that, to celebrate their centenary of winning the Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy, Juventus had agreed to a re-match in Italy, which the Italian club's under-20 team won 7–1. Shortly afterwards Hartlepool legend Brian Honour was appointed the new manager in the hot seat. Fairhurst and his successor Wilf Constantine struggled to get West back on track and both had short lived spells in charge. For the third season in a row, a new manager was appointed – Peter Dixon arrived on 7 December 2009, swapping a promotion push with Crook for a relegation battle. West finished the season in 16th place despite having a −41 goal difference and 5 points from 19 matches when Dixon took the reins. In both 2011–12 and 2013–14 West Auckland reached the final of the FA Vase, held at Wembley Stadium. In 2012 they lost 2–0 against fellow Northern League side Dunston UTS and two years later, lost 1–0 to Sholing with a deflected goal separating the sides whilst Jonathan Gibson hit the post in stoppage time. After Dixon's departure a difficult spell followed with several managerial appointments being short lived. In 2017–18 Gary Forrest joined the club; in the 2018–19 season West Auckland reached the FA Vase quarter-final before losing to Chertsey Town. Honours Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy Winners – 1909, 1911 Northern League Champions – 1959–60 Northern League Cup Winners – 1959–60, 1962–63, 2018–2019 Durham Benevolent Bowl Winners – 1960–61, 1962–63 Durham Challenge Cup Winners −1963–64, 2020-2021** FA Amateur Cup Finalists – 1960–61 FA Cup 1st Round Proper – 1959, 1961, 1999 FA Vase Finalists – 2011–12, 2013–14 Northern League Division 2 Champions – 1990–91 JR Cleator Cup Finalists – 2021 References External links West Auckland Village Website page about the first World Cup West Auckland: "World Cup" winners Results of the Thomas Lipton Trophy Football's First World Cup Report and full match footage from West Auckland's 2009 pre-season game against Sassco.co.uk Football clubs in England Northern Football League Football clubs in County Durham Association football clubs established in 1893 1893 establishments in England