Greg Olley goes viral as he criticises owners in candid interview on the chaos at Gateshead

Greg Olley goes viral as he criticises the owners in candid interview on the chaos at Gateshead after they just missed out on the playoffs.

In the explosive chat after the draw with Southend on the final day of the National League season, Olley expressed frustration calling out the ownership and a proposed takeover led by former Sunderland striker Victor Anichebe.

He described feeling “treated like something on the bottom of your shoe” and questioned why Gateshead struggles to retain top players, despite his own loyalty as one of the club’s best performers.

Olley, who has been with Gateshead since 2018, spoke passionately about the club’s decline from its previously well-run state, emphasising issues that have led to an uncertain future.

His honesty resonated with fans and commentators, with the likes of Jeff Stelling praising the rare transparency, calling it an “incredible summing up of the chaos” at Gateshead.

Greg Olley has been through it all with Gateshead.

From career threatening injuries and potential player strikes to a league title win and Wembley glory.

When he talks like this, it’s worth taking note…https://t.co/HE4puxdXcD

— Mark Carruthers (@MarkCarruthers_) May 6, 2025

Speaking in an explosive club interview, which you can watch in full above, he said: “It’s hard to get your head around because as a changing room, the staff, we worked so hard to get where we are. But there’s really no help from anywhere, it’s just us and unfortunately that’s the way the club has been in the last six or seven years since I’ve been here.

“This season I’ve never seen a club meltdown as bad. The season starts, we are flying, we’ve got some amazing players, the team is gelling, we are playing some really good football and January comes along, there are some sniffs with different managers at different clubs and it’s kind of always expected bigger teams will take your bigger players and that is football.

“I genuinely felt we had something special and you don’t need to get rid of these players or you don’t need to lose those players. Whelo (Callum Whelan) was huge, Owen Oseni was huge, I think both would have wanted to stay but have decided to leave and that’s just the nature of football, which is hard because why can’t we keep good players. They’ve always gone one step higher, they’ve always gone two steps higher and players now come into Gateshead, see the way they play and it’s like we can showcase their ability, play for themselves and get moves to better clubs because that’s what we are at the minute – we are a feeder club and we have been for years.

“For the core that has been here for the last three or four years, it’s so hard to rebuild that once you lose certain aspects of it. Once you lose the core fundamentals of why we are playing and what we have built here, it’s just never going to work. Losing those players in January has killed us and can you say we have reinvested that money? I don’t think so.

“I don’t know where this money goes. We’ve never had a major signing come in, we’ve never really bolstered the squad and Carl’s been left with all of this. I played with Carl, I’ve been his friend for a number of years and he’s my gaffer but I’m talking to Carl as a friend here. He has been through the mill this season.

“Fans won’t understand. The backlash he gets on Twitter is not justified at all. His hands are firmly tied behind his back. He has no help from above, he’s got the new takeover lingering. So he’s getting pressure from all angles, the pressure is coming from the lads, the players that aren’t playing well. He’s got that pressure, he’s then got the fans on his back after every game, wanting him to leave.

“The club can’t even get rid of him because the current situation isn’t viable to do so and Carl would speak for himself and say that. It’s so hard to speak but then last week you have certain things said in the foyer of another football club, which is outrageous and shouldn’t be happening at a football club anyway.

“The takeover situation has been lingering over us for four or five months now. We were told it was going to be the fastest takeover in football history, which obviously if you hear rumours of a takeover your interest spikes. The club managed to hide all of that and no-one really found out until a month ago and you talk about contributing factors why players aren’t playing well, why the club’s not thriving, it’s a massive factor.

“After two or three months of hearing whispers and it’s still not happened, you’ve got new owners bringing lads in, speaking to players and you’ve got the people at the top right now trying to potentially stay on. You hear so many rumours and potentially being lied to about what’s happening or is it going to happen soon.

“To then, the new owner coming into the changing room when he hasn’t officially taken over, talking to us as a team, saying what he expects, what he wants – but the fact of the matter is he hasn’t taken over yet so how has he been allowed to come in, unsettle the dressing room, to then talk about who he is wanting to keep on next year, who he wants to build around?

“There has almost been a little bit of a divide in the camp until the last few weeks when we’ve tried to resolve it and bring us all back together. It’s been tarnished for a while, for a few months.

“As I am speaking right now, I’m officially out of contract along with ten or 12 lads, a few have options that the club hold – but there has not been one single talk between me and this football club to continue at this football club.

“I’ve been here seven years, I’ve given my all, I ruptured ligaments in tackles, I’ve broken my leg, I’ve won at Wembley, we’ve won the league, took wage cuts in the first two years I was here to help the club survive and now I’m being treat like something on the bottom of your shoe.

“I’ve asked the question umpteen times what is going on? I haven’t had a proper answer yet so at this minute, this is where we are at. I’ve tried my best for the other lads in the team to know what’s going on – but I haven’t had the answer.

“Who is going to going to give me the answer? I’ve no idea. Is it the new owners? Is it the old owners? No idea. So at the minute, it’s been a pleasure, I’ve loved playing for Gateshead. I’ll probably be a fan for life but it’s a very sour note in the air at the minute.”

💬 “It’s been nowhere near good enough since January – there’s no excuses for it.”

Kenton Richardson speaks after the final day 👇📺#WorClub ⚪️⚫️ pic.twitter.com/e1ETYmLtxJ

— Gateshead FC (@GatesheadFC) May 5, 2025

As you can imagine, Greg Olley goes viral as he criticises the owners in a candid interview on the chaos at Gateshead…

@JeffStelling: Well that was a simply incredible summing up of the chaos at Gateshead by Greg Olley. Gives a picture of what is going on inside the club that fans never usually get. Rarely if ever heard a player talk so honestly and articulately. Feel for those at the club.

@Freddie48677797: He speaks as a true fan, can feel the pain in his voice, he’s absolutely devastated about everything. Lads at the top sort yourselves out leader of this so called takeover, “fastest one in football” if you want to disrupt things come takeover now and sort it out. We’re in a mess the full interview says it. Respect @gregolley7 for coming out and saying all of it someone had to. Think when you hear about everything that’s went on mags has a had a lot to deal with. Greg lives and breathes this football club he could have easily moved on, no way he hasn’t been offered something. But he’s mr Gateshead and he’s stayed while 70% of players in the last few years have moved on. We’re a feeder club we have been for years, time that changes

@Isaac_GFC: If they don’t resign Greg olley I well genuinely never go to a game again

@Dec6666: Bloody hell, saying it wasn’t council’s fault and effectively our board for doing us over last season

@DoolanPd: A very honest and emotional interview. Things are not looking good …..

@joshgfc23: Keep victor anichebe away from our club now

@RunDaddyRun16: Southend fan here. That is an excellent interview from your captain. Hope the problems going on behind the scenes get sorted.

@GrahamBannist15: Not a Gateshead fan but as a football fan you’ve got to feel for their supporters. You can feel the hurt and anger in his voice, never have I heard such an honest interview. Well said Olly, good to see players speaking out and letting fans know the truth. 👏

@NelmesMalcolm: Speaking has a York City fan here Gateshead have for years been a really good team (recruitment being exceptional, year in year out) I hope everything turns out positively for all the players and staff

@ajfranco8: Great interview and probably a fraction of what mags and the players have had to deal with. Shocking

@gfc1264: absolutely ridiculous , seems this owner isn’t the right thing but the board is also just as corrupt and cannot tell us what’s happening “fan owned club” feel bad for the players not knowing what’s happening mostly the lads who been with us for a few year now gregg/kenton etc.

@AlexinWells: This takeover stuff sounds remarkably similar to what happened at Yeovil a couple of years ago with potential owners making ‘decisions’ which cost us our place in the national league.

@joshgfc23: nearly in tears watching this, i mean im disgusted, upset and have so many questions. what has happened😭

@simon_garrity: Wow what a devastating interview that is, you can hear the hurt in Greg’s voice. The voice of not only a captain but a Gateshead fan too

@andymason86:
This is how you treat our captain
This is how you treat the fans
SACK THE BOARD!!!

@MarkSparky10: Fantastic interview. Not going to say a lot as people will say it because he’s one of my closest mates, but mags has had no chance. Imagine trying to work and build something in that environment.

@cufcjoel: Wow, no other word. Would recommend anyone to give this a full listen.

@Ann687052: What a shame. When you came to #ycfc you were doing great, some good players and a manager playing a chess game with our Hinsh. Then you lost key players. Not a great stadium for footie. But Hope, you get sorted out. Great honest interview.

@PaulMartinMc: My god… this is shameful and utterly heartbreaking @gregolley7 The utter betrayal is etched not only on his face, but in the blood,sweat and tears this club legend has given.Thank you for everything you have endured and you will always be remembered.

@TheDB30: This is pretty damning to listen to but it’s the best communication we’ve had in some time though it shouldn’t be his responsibility to give us that. If he’s moving on, he doesn’t owe us anything, started as a trialist, became the most decorated player we’ve ever had.

@josh_lucas02: As a member of the backroom staff who gives everything from day one at this football club… I can’t speak highly enough of the skipper on and off the pitch and this interview is a perfect example of his character and desire for the group and the club…who else knows what’s best

@tylerjamez2001: Also fair fucks for posting this man, I would imagine they’re likely to get into shit for posting something like this on the clubs official account

@Freddie48677797: “I’ve never seen a club meltdown as bad” Wow, magnay BBC radio interview and this makes behind the scenes sound an absolute shit show

@tylerjamez2001: Wow. The fact that it’s taken the captain, a club legend, to reveal all of that, when we’ve been getting no updates from the higher ups at all is absolutely disgusting. For him to call out the higher ups at the club in the way he has there, you know something is really fucked up

@MaxHeadroom68: Club legend. What an utter shit show this is.