Battle ahead for Norton's biggest fan

Norton United fan Mark Tilsley is used to battling against the odds in order to watch his beloved club play at home and away in the Vodkat League.

But now Mark is facing a battle of a different kind – a fight against cancer that means he needs to undergo surgery to have one of his kidneys removed in a few weeks time.

 

Unless you are in that position it’s hard to imagine what emotions you would experience if you were given that sort of news - but in Mark’s case there was only one thought in his mind.

“When the consultant told me I had cancer and that I would need major surgery, I said to him I hoped that I’d get a date for the operation when I wouldn’t miss too many Norton fixtures”, he recalled. “He gave me a bit of a funny look, and thought it was quite comical, telling me I needed a big operation and all I was worried about was missing a few Norton games.”

However to those who know Mark, it’s a reaction that wouldn’t come as a surprise as his devotion to Norton United is legendary around the Potteries area. His association with the club began soon after they joined the NWCFL in 2001, and he was quickly hooked.

“I used to live in Norton and just went along one day to watch a game and enjoyed the whole occasion. The people at the club were friendly and I just enjoyed the atmosphere. I started going regularly and began to build up friendships over the years.

Now I follow them every game home and away, friendlies the lot. If they had a friendly in Spain I’d get there somehow. Cars, trains, cadge lifts, travel on the team coach, whatever it takes, I’ll get there. I’m like a stick of rock if you cut me in half I’ll have Norton United running right through me.

“I’ve got all the strips at home going back years, and every time we get a new strip the committee make sure I get one of the home and away jerseys. I’ve got various training tops going back for years. Fortunately my partner Sadie doesn’t mind, and I’ve got her hooked as well now. She comes with me to all the games, home and away, too.”

Not surprisingly, with most of Norton’s away games involving some lengthy journeys, Mark has a few memories of away trips over the years, with the longest league trip of the season at the top of the list.

“I actually did a trip to Holker Old Boys on the train once. I was up in Blackpool, so I was halfway there anyway, and I made the mistake first of all of going to the small South Shore station. I was waiting there when a chap came over to me and said “Excuse me, do you know there’s no trains from here today?”.

I didn’t know that, but he kindly told me that I could get a bus to Preston from the bridge above, so I did that and then got a train to Lancaster, waited an hour for a train to Barrow and arrived there at five to three. I made the lads aware that I was on my way and one of them picked me up and took me to the ground.

“We travelled all the way up to Holker earlier this season and ten minutes before the game the referee called the game off, but fortunately my journey there that day was a bit more straightforward. I like the setting of the ground up at Rakesmoor Lane too, the scenery from the ground is great.

We’ve had one or two problems over the years with coach drivers going there over the years, though. I remember on one of our first trips up there the driver set off to take us to Barrow’s ground instead of Holker’s and we had to direct him to the right place.

“New Mills is another favourite of mine too, it’s a really friendly club. Although I was pleased for them that they got promoted last season, I’m sorry that I won’t get the chance to see Norton play there this season. It’s great to sit on the benches outside the clubhouse on a sunny day and look at the hills in the distance, it’s a really nice place to watch a game.”

As well as favourite grounds, Mark has some favourite memories of Norton games over the years too.

“The one that sticks out for me was when we beat FC United at Gigg Lane in their first season in the league. It was the first time they had ever lost a game and it was overwhelming. A late goal from Michael Machin won it for us and I remember that they got a penalty in the game and scored it, the referee ordered the kick to be retaken, and our keeper Gavin Deaville then saved the retake. It was a great atmosphere that day too.

“Another one that sticks out is a game at Padiham. On the same day, Stoke City were scheduled to play at home to Burnley and the game was called off because of high winds, but our game went ahead. It was really windy up at Padiham, with their ground being up on the hill. The gale was so strong that the team with the wind behind them completely dominated the game, in the first half it was them and in the second half it was us, and I think it finished 5-4 to Padiham in the end.”

As well as being a Norton fan, like many of us Mark is a big enthusiast when it comes to non-league football in general.

 

“I love the atmosphere at non-league football, and the way that everyone can stand together and have a good laugh and a pint together after the game”, he said. “You just can’t do that in the Football League or the Premiership.

“I think the Vodkat League is great, for me you just can’t beat it. In this league, every game is a hard game. You might go to a team near the bottom of the league but you still know it’s going to be a hard game, every team is capable putting up a good performance. Some of the clubs have a great history too, with the likes of Darwen and Nelson having been in the Football League in the past.

“I love watching Norton, and I’m devastated when one of our games gets postponed through bad weather, but if that happens I always try and get to another Vodkat League game, usually in the Potteries area, as I live in Longton. I sometimes go to Eccleshall, in fact Dave Dale who used to be at our club and is at Eccleshall now, rang me when he heard I’d been diagnosed with cancer.

“I also go to Leek CSOB sometimes, because I’ve got friends playing there who used to play for Norton, and Newcastle Town as well, as I know John Cotton who is a great guy and always makes me welcome. Newcastle have always been a nearly team, they’ve just missed out on promotion a few times, it would be great for them if they finally managed to get promotion and move up the pyramid like FC United and Fleetwod have done in recent years.

“One of our old managers is at Meir KA, and my cousin is one of his management team, so I watch them occasionally too. I’ll watch our reserves in the Staffordshire Senior League too, as long as a Norton team is playing I’ll try to get to see them.

“I just wish that the clubs at non-league level were better supported, as they don’t get the crowds they deserve for the quality of football that’s played. The immediate catchment around Norton’s ground is massive, and you would think that we would be able to attract more people down than we do. I wish we could get more young people down to games, after all they are tomorrow’s supporters.”

Since the summer, there’s no chance of mistaking what team Mark supports, as he took the ultimate step of showing his support for the club by getting the club badge tattooed on his neck.

 

“I love the club, and wanted to do something to show my love for the club, and a tattoo seemed the best way to do that”, he said. “Everyone at Norton calls me “The Fan”. That all came about after the chairman Steve Beaumont gave me a club top with “The Fan” embroidered on it. I usually wear that or another top that the manager Dave Johnson gave me. So when it came to having the tattoo done, the club badge with the words “The Fan” seemed the obvious thing to have on it.”

As well as being a fan of Norton United, it’s important to point out that Mark takes an active role in carrying out behind the scenes duties at the club too.

“I do whatever I can to help out on match days”, he said. “I take nets down at the end of games, put the dirty kits in bags, and generally just do whatever needs doing, helping out everyone else at the club. I usually man the turnstiles too, and I did some painting at the ground over the summer too.

“I like the feeling of being involved at the club. If I watched a Premiership team, for example, I wouldn’t be able to travel with them and have a pint with them in the bar afterwards and that’s what I enjoy. Most of the time I travel with the team, and keep in touch with them, texting them during the week and so on. Players come and go but they still keep in touch and it’s a like a family to me. I couldn’t do without them.”

That support from his friends has meant a lot to Mark during the dark days of the last few months as he prepared for facing his battle against his illness.

“I was diagnosed in April when I began passing blood, and after getting some tests it got a bit better, but eventually I was sent for some scans, including a body scan in a sort of tunnel. I was told to go back a week or so later to find out the results, and I had a feeling that something was up. When I was waiting to see the consultant, there were all these posters up on the wall about cancer, and I realised I had been called into a cancer clinic.

“The consultant showed me I had a tumour on my kidney and told me that he could attempt keyhole surgery but couldn’t be sure it would be successful, so I asked if I could have the kidney removed. He said that if I wanted to go down that route, he would have me in within a few weeks and I just told him to go for it. I’ve been for a pre-op consultation and now I’m just waiting to go in.

“I think there’s a lot of truth in the old saying you can choose your friends but you can’t choose your relatives, and everyone at the club is like a family to me. They all really care about me, and the support I’ve had from everyone since I was diagnosed has been fantastic.

“Just to give one example of that, recently we played Holker Old Boys at Community Drive, and Sadie and me were travelling to the game on public transport and we hit terrible traffic on the way. We missed the start of the game, and I missed our first goal. By the time I got there, Holker were 2-1 up, but the lads came out in the second half and scored twice to win 3-2.

After the game the lads invited me into the dressing room and presented me with a shirt that they had all signed and written messages, along with a card, and someone shouted “Three cheers for the fan” and they all gave me three cheers. It was a great moment.”

Mark may appreciate the support he is getting from his colleagues at Norton, but the feeling is mutual. Secretary Dennis Vickers explained that Mark’s devotion and commitment is admired by everyone at the club.

“Mark arrived at Norton United during our first season in the NWCFL. He came to a game and asked about away travel when we were due to visit Squires Gate. He explained he was wanting to travel up to Blackpool to see family, but insisted it was Norton United he was going to support. He duly came and the rest as they say is history.

”Since then he has travelled up and down the country to support Norton United and sometimes has shocked us by turning up in the most difficult of places. Whether he is dedicated, mad or both I don’t know. He got left behind once at Cheadle but still got home - don't ask- we haven't.

“He is an avid collector of Norton United memorabilia, and he must have every programme going back years - even when he is too late to buy one, he still gets one somehow!

“Despite being ill, he has spent time at the ground during the close season painting the goal posts and the pitch barriers. This has meant a long trek by public transport – and sometimes a walk – across the city. He can also be found on one of the gates on a matchday checking passes.

”I know that everyone at Norton United is very saddened to hear that he is ill, but we all expect to see him at the next game- he is always there!

 

”We would all like to wish him a very speedy and full recovery and hope to see him at many more Norton United games in the years to come.”

The final word in this story has to go to Mark, whose positive outlook during a time of great concern for him should serve as an inspiration to us all.

“People have said to me, if you’re so ill why are you still going to games, but I take the view that life is for living”, he said. “I believe in spiritualism and go to a spiritualist church, so I believe that things happen for a reason. But I love going to games and I’m not going to let this illness get in the way of me watching Norton.

“I just hope that one day I’ll be able to see Norton getting promoted to the Vodkat League Premier Division.”

Click the image for a better view of Mark's tattoo!

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