By James Burch
When thinking about football clubs, many think that all is done on the pitch from the management team and players. However at a club especially one as community driven as Clitheroe, the hard working volunteers make the club what it is. 49 year old Andrew Jackson has been there, done it and bought the t-shirt...TWICE at the club and can safely be described as a man of many talents. Jackson met up with media reporter James Burch to tell all about how he finds enough hours in the day to keep the club running.
How did you get the job at Clitheroe and what did you do before you worked there?
This is a voluntary part time position which I run alongside my main job which is an Accountant in a firm of Chartered Accountants based in the Ribble Valley. I was asked to be Honorary Auditor nearly 20 years ago because of my Accountancy background.
This involved producing and checking the year end accounts for the AGM which I then presented at. Unfortunately due to financial difficulties caused by theft of funds I was asked to take over as Treasurer in January 2006 to help bring some financial stability to the club. This was done mainly with the assistance of Carl Garner and Bob Kay who organised a successful friendly against FC United, a Sportsman’s Dinner and Presentation Night together with help from the rest of the committee. I treat the clubs money like my own which means I don't spend a penny of it unless I have too!
What does your job at Clitheroe involve?
I deal with everything financial at the club including negotiating supplier contracts, counting gate money and making sure everything is running smoothly behind the scenes. On a match day at Shawbridge I am the man on the gate when our usual attendant Chris Snape is at Blackburn Rovers. I’m also resident ball boy and steward to name just a few jobs I do. Chairman Anne Barker and I also wash the player’s kit as well as cooking sausages for the players post-match.
We also have very successful youth tournaments at the end of the season for the Accrington Boys League and Clitheroe Wolves where I do bacon and sausage butties. I restock the Grub Tub between games.
I organise several events in bar in the form of Quiz Nights and Roundtable events where I serve pie and peas. These are always well supported by the local community. I have also been known to appear behind the bar.
I help run the website and post new stories on the website as produced by the one and only James Burch. Updating Facebook and Twitter as required. The website is going great guns at the moment with the club currently in the top 50 of the Pitchero website rankings for the first time ever.
As I am the most computer literate of the board I tend to be the one that sorts out all the player registrations with the Evostik League together with submitting player contracts to the FA
It's amazing I find time to do my day job!
Favourite game you’ve seen at Clitheroe?
Of recent times the Droylsden FA Trophy game at Shawbridge is right up there. We were cruising, two nil up at half time but then two second half penalties from Droylsden brought them level. With the final whistle looming Richard Burns finally got the better of the big centre half and crossed for David Lynch to coolly fire the ball home from in the box. His celebration with the Topsiders was magic.
Favourite player at Clitheroe and why?
I’d have to say David Lynch, he sums up everything that I would want from a player. He has passion and the other players in the team feed off that. He has a great engine and is still going as strong in the 90th minute as he did in the 1st. He also has a great football brain and to add to that he scores goals.
Is it a dream working for a club you follow?
It is something I love doing. It is a standing joke at home that if I am going out in the evening it is quite often to my second home (Clitheroe FC). I enjoy working closely with Anne Barker and we make a great team as we have the same ethos when it comes to the clubs money (we don't like spending it!). I have now managed to get my whole family involved (Ruth my wife does the half time refreshments for the sponsors lounge, Rebekah my eldest daughter runs the Grub Tub and Emma my youngest helps her out occasionally). My only regret is not having time to spend with fans/players in the bar after the game as there is always a job to get done.
Best part about the job?
Seeing the club do as well as it can on the budget that we are able to generate. When we win and when a new sponsorship deal is arranged is also a very sweet feeling especially with all the hard work that goes on behind the scenes for all of this to happen. I do prefer the away games as I get to watch more of the game as I am not as busy but then again the buzz around Shawbridge when we are winning and hearing everyone on the terraces singing their hearts out is a great feeling.