Stockbridge Town

Stockbridge Town
Full name	Stockbridge Town
Founded	?
Ground	? , Stockbridge, England
League	Fourth Division

Stockbridge Town are a fictional football team that appeared in the Bristish comic Roy of the Rovers and The Marks Brothers comic strip.

Stockbridge overall appeared in just two stories, The Marks Brothers in ROTR and in Ritchie: He Builds Footballers in Hotspur. The The Marks Brothers (replaced Mike's Mini Men) comic strip appeared in the ROTR comic strip from 03/05/80 to 04/06/83 featuring Kingsbay and Stockbridge Town.^[1]

History

1950s

In the early 50s Stockbridge were twice First Division champions and FA Cup winners.

1970s

The once great Stockbridge Town had fallen on hard times. Stranded in the Fourth Division and fighting for their very survival. But, their fortunes would soon change with the introduction of a big haired young defender to the first eleven.

Terry Marks was a class above anybody who had won the Town shirt since the glory days of the early 50s when they were twice First Division champions and FA Cup winners. Tall and agile, his excellent reading of the game was well beyond his tender years. But, Terry alone could not prevent Town's involvement in a scrap at the bottom of Division 4. With one game to go Stockbridge needed to win to avoid having to reapply for their position in the Football League, and with huge debts hovering over them, a high chance of being kicked out of the league.

Stockbridge Town 79-80 stats

A nervous Town took the field, star goalkeeper Paul Knight visibly sickly. But Terry was full of beans and inspired his side to a great win over Bradfield, scoring the final goal in a fine 3-0 win.

1980s

The 1980/81 season would be Stockbridge's best for many years. Player-manager Frank Peters knew his side wouldn't concede many with Knight in goal and Marks at centre-back or sweeper. And the club's financial troubles had been eased after two headline friendlies against a star studded Roy Race XI and First Division Portdean.

With a solid defence, scoring goals would be the main problem Peters needed to solve. Luckily Town managed to keep enough clean sheets to compensate for their lack of firepower. However, the goals did come, and promotion favourites Barnvale were thrashed 5-0, striker Dave Ashworth netting twice.

Stockbridge Town 80-81 stats

Town were on the fringes of the promotion race, but a fine run meant that victory over Southfield United saw Peters's boys go to the top of the table. They would fight off challenges to remain at the top, but Terry was attracting a lot of attention after a brilliant season. Turning down a host of transfer offers, Terry eventually chose to join his big brother Steve at nearby Kingsbay.

With his future secure Terry was determind to leave Stockbridge on a high. In his final match as a Town player Terry knew that a win over Westbury would secure the Fourth Division title. And win they did, three-nil, with a superb hat-trick from Ashworth.

Town's first season in the Third Division for years was a success, with their status secured early and a good run in the League Cup including. Paul Knight's heroic displays in goal were now the focus of attention from bigger clubs. After Ray Bailey's shock departure, Kingsbay were in need of an experienced number 1 and Knight fit the bill.

Stockbridge had sold their two best players in a six month period and never regained their position as giants of the English game.

Honours

Note that all records are fictional, as of the 2000/01 season. Info may be incomplete.

League

First Division: 2 (early 50s)
Fourth Division: 1980-81

Cups

FA Cup: 1 (early 50s)
- Runners up:

League Cup:

European

Colours and kits

A once great club, Stockbridge fell on hard times dropping to the Fourth Division. But with Terry Marks at centre half Town avoided dropping out of the league gaining promotion the next season.