Stockton Town Football Club has been a part of my life for as long as I can honestly
remember, Writes Jordan Clarke.
I’ve always lived less than a 15 minute walk away from the clubhouse, which is
where I spent a lot of my childhood weekends watching live football, so it’s always been my
local sports team.
As a child, I attended the club’s Saturday morning sessions every single week, as well as the
half-term holiday camps, which were always incredibly enjoyable to, not only grow my
football skills, but help make some friends and grow as a person.
It wasn’t until I was 13, just over seven years ago now, when I realised the club had a first
team, which I basically found by accident. I saw a leaflet inside the clubhouse which
promoted a Pre-Season game against Darlington RA, which 13-year-old Jordan thought was
the National League North side. It wasn’t until I was at the game that when I realised this
wasn’t the case, but I was greatly intrigued by it all.
The Anchors won that pre-season fixture 4-0, and I got my first ever taste of non-league
football, let’s just say I went home that day and researched everything about the team as
much as I could.
I grew up as a Liverpool fan, never being able to get tickets for games and never really
understanding what being a ‘supporter’ of a team felt like. Actually feeling the enjoyment of
live football was thrilling. I’d been to Boro games occasionally, but never enjoyed them as
much as I’d wanted too – of course the prices were a factor too.
Stockton felt different. It was a community. The players knew me by name within weeks.
They’d stop for chats, ask how I was doing… they’re genuinely good people, playing football
for the pure love of the game, and playing entertaining football whilst doing so.
After that Pre-Season game, I went back, and I went back again, and it became a weekly
occurrence. I started bringing my dad and my friends, and he felt that same passion really
quickly. It’s real football, just like what he experienced when he was younger.
My first season was the 17/18 season, which of course ended with a once-in-a-lifetime trip to
Wembley Stadium in the FA Vase final. A ridiculous experience for me, who attended near
enough every game during that run, jokingly saying after each round ‘we’re going to
Wembley’ until it happened.
During my first season, I started volunteering with the club, helping Alan Farley with his
kit-man duties, primarily picking up cones from the Warm-Ups and putting loose balls into
bags, but it made me realise what it’s all about. It’s one big family.
Following my first season, I became a season ticket holder, my dad and I attended every
game we could, attending near enough every single game, home and away, until Covid hit in
2020. By the time normal service resumed in late 2021, I had moved down to London for
university, studying sports journalism, after writing some silly previews and reports for my
own enjoyment every game made me realise that it’s what I’d like to do for a living.
I officially joined the media team as a volunteer during the middle of the 2022/23 season – a
victory at Brighouse Town was the first game I covered, but my lack of availability meant I
couldn’t do as much as I would’ve liked too. But for the 2023/24 season, a change in my
situation meant I was living at home on weekends for my final university year, which gave
me the chance to improve my role, doing match day tweets for every game, as well as
helping with reports, previews, programme features and photography just to name a few.
This was highlighted when I covered our incredible playoff final victory over Dunston – a day
I’ll never, ever forget, and likely will remain as the best moment of my career for however
long it may last.
Even today still feels crazy to me. I remember visiting teams like Scarborough, and
Spennymoor, Darlington years ago in pre-season games thinking how crazy it is to be
playing these kind of teams, now we’re playing these teams because we’ve earned it.
I’m so deeply in love with this football club, and I like to think our amazing media team,
massively helped by James Cartwright and Harry Cook, play our part to help others find out
about this amazing club, and allow the opportunity for many others to fall in love with
non-league football, the same way I, and so many of you reading this have too.
