As the name suggests, this side was from the “Old Town” area of West Hartlepool and are believed to have played their games at Carr House Field, Seaton Carew.  Like many of the minor Clubs at the time they played in both the Hartlepool and Durham County Junior Cups and were founder members of the Pyman League.

Season 1898/99 saw them lift the Hartlepool Junior Cup by 6 pts to nil in a replay against Hartlepool Institute, the first game ending in a 3 all draw. The names on the team pic feature in team selections over the next few seasons until 1906 when they appear to have renamed themselves Stranton Vulcans and went on to be succcessful in 1905 - 1907 seasons before the name disappears

Disputes between clubs were common at this time as happened during the 1901/1902 seasons Durham Junior Cup run, they drew Empress Rovers from Hartlepool, with the first meeting being abandoned due to poor light, 20 minutes early. The replay saw Rovers home by 16-9, however Celtic protested and the game was ordered to be replayed.  Rovers failed to show for this new date but at the 4^th attempt Rovers came out on top by 3 – 0. Empress Rovers then went on to eventually win the County Cup defeating Hetton Old Boys at Hollow Drift in Durham City by 6 pts to 3.

One later member of the club was R W Salvin (1882-1947) who played for West, was capped by the County in 1907 and then played for Winlaton Vulcans and Durham City, just one of a number of quality town players who moved to those two clubs at this time. He won a Senior Cup Medal with Durham City in their 1910 side, later in life he was prominent in local Quoit circles with the Boilermakers and Raglan club sides.

The opening draw for NSC in the successful season of 1898/99 was as follows: -

Middleton Wanderers v Old Boys Juniors

Hpl Institute v w Hpl St Clements

Victoria Star v Hartlepool Creelers

Tip Rangers v Hpl Trinity Church

Hpl Haddocks v Durham Albion

Brougham Rovers v Hartlepool Utd

New Stranton Celtic v St Hilda Chior

.

Row 1

1. J. Finn,

2. R.Smith,

2nd Row

1. D. Muirs,

2. A. Manning,

3. J.Hewitt,

4. J. Higgins,

5. S. Harvey,

6. T. Carr,

3rd Row

1. H. Moran,

2. F.Spence,

3. H. Grant,

4. A. Bartlemore,

5. R.Shaw,

4th Row

1. T.Byron,

2. T. Harvey,

3. F. Gallacher,

4. M.Collins.

Date (of image) : 1898

Donor : Mrs C Smith

Creator : Unknown