Club statistician Lynn Bone has revealed that Whitley’s 5-1 victory over Ryhope CW was their biggest ever home win on the first day of a League season. 44 years ago on the opening day of the 1972/73 season they won 5-1 at West Auckland but the only times they exceeded that victory margin came in the Northern Alliance days of the 1950’s, with a 6-1 win at Shankhouse in 1953 and a 7-2 victory away to North Shields Reserves the following season.