Features

By Stuart Croll (NonLeagueToday)

Mark Southgate was ten ­years-old when he first saw his beloved Tilbury FC play.

It was in 1975 in an FA Trophy match against Biggleswade Town and Mark witnessed a 10-0 win for Tilbury.

Mark instantly caught the Tilbury FC bug and he raced down after cubs the following midweek to see them play again.

This time he saw the Dockers win 11-0 against Hertford Town in the Isthmian League.

"It's been a little downhill since then," admitted Mark but at such an impressionable age he became a fan of Tilbury and now 33 years on he is the club secretary is as passionate about his team and NonLeague football as anyone in the country.
Despite Markıs joke about the team going downhill after his first two matches, the mid and late 70s were a golden period for Tilbury.

They won the Isthmian division 2 in 1975 and in the 1977-78 season reached the third round of the FA Cup where they lost to Stoke City - with Garth Crooks among the goals.

When he was 30 Mark joined the club's committee and for the past four years he has been the club's secretary Mark enjoys this role and all the tasks it involves and remarkably in his first three seasons in that position he was involved with three different league administrations.

Firstly they were in the Isthmian League.  Then for the 2004-05 campaign the club were switched to the Southern League where they finished bottom and were relegated to the Essex League.

He said "I had to deal with three different league structures, administrations and I just loved it."

Now back in the Isthmian (Ryman) leagues Mark is very positive about the future for Tilbury.

"We are very fortunate that we own the freehold of our ground so without tempting fate the future looks good. Frank Lampard senior has been assisting us recently as well and the new manager ­ Graham Chester - is working incredibly hard to help the club move forward."

Mark loves his football memorabilia and of course he has a large collection of all things Tilbury FC.

The one thing Mark misses at the moment is the derby matches with neighbourly rivals Grays Athletic.

Mark's love of NonLeague football makes him realise how fortunate Tilbury are.
"It must be so hard to be a fan of Edgware Town, Hendon Town, Fisher Athletic and many others in the south-east who have no home ground. It's a disgrace really that nothing is done to help football grounds continue as football grounds." The fact Mark is upset with seeing so many of Tilbury's rivals suffer proves he is such as a fan of NonLeague football.