Glossop North End vs. Stockport Town, 07.09.2025 – the assistant referee talks to Stockport manager Paul Turnbull

As a sports photographer in Stockport, I’ve decided this year to try to get as much non-league football in as possible. Where I live I’m surrounded by non-league teams, a few of some repute. Like New Mills, Glossop is a club just down the road from me – one with the distinction of being the smallest town to have ever had a top-flight club, back at the very end of the 19th century.

This is not an old fashioned club, however. Like most teams at this level these days, there’s an unexpected level of sophistication that those of an older generation might not recognise as non-league. Glossop for example have a physio on hand (with more than just a magic sponge) and even had electronic substitution boards!

They also have a dedicated fan base – over 200 in the place for a chilly Tuesday night match against Stockport Town FC. Quaint? Nope – fiery af.

Glossop scored within the first 60 seconds (I was NOT in position), belying their low league position at kickoff. Stockport Town began to dominate however, hitting the bar twice before equalising with a speculative – but deadly accurate – shot from their own half.

There were a lot of fouls going unseen or at least unpunished. Studs were left in, yellow cards were brandished. and controversially just after half time, Glossop were reduced to ten men.

Stockport turned the screw and with 5 minutes left bagged the winner. The locals were not happy – all displeasure firmly aimed at the referee, however, rather than their beleaguered manager.

So Glossop North End vs. Stockport Town finished 2-1 to the visitors – Glossop’s poor start to the season continues. I’ll have to pop back in the season to see how they get on!