FOOTBALL journalist Alex Connor is in the process of writing a heritage book about Stratford Town after unearthing the wartime origins of the club.
Connor has spent more than a year researching the book and has interviewed a number of significant figures from the club – past and present – to document Stratford’s journey through the decades.
Notably, Connor discovered the fascinating wartime origins of the Bards and found the club acted as a means of escapism for soldiers returning home on leave and foreign prisoners of war.
Some of the people interviewed for the book include the children of club founder Paul Bartlett and 96-year-old Don Payne who played in matches for Stratford against Italian prisoners of war in Ettington.
And Connor revealed the idea to write the book initially came from a request for work experience.
Connor said: “I was looking for work experience in sports journalism and Stratford are one of my local clubs.
“Jed [McCrory] and Woody [Stephen Wood] came back to me with this idea of a heritage book.
“Initially, I was bit sceptical because I was thinking ‘I know what it is with most football clubs, they all have similar origin stories’.
“But doing more research, I found a lot of detail about the war element and have spoken to a number of people who have given me loads of resources.
“It’s been great to find out about people’s lives and their stories which haven’t been told before.”
Connor delivered a talk at the Fusilier Museum in Warwick regarding the formation of the club in World War II and his book in September last year.
He also helped curate the ‘Home and Away: Football in the British Army’ exhibition in the museum.
And Connor admits not many people are aware of the true origins of Stratford Town.
Connor added: “No one really has any idea about this story. No one has a clue about the origins of the club when I mention it.
“It’s a really unique story that deserves more coverage.
“I did a history degree at university so I have an interest in history and it has given me new opportunities.
“It’s been really interesting to learn about all this history on my doorstep and I’ve found it really rewarding.”
The book also looks back on Stratford’s memorable Birmingham Senior Cup triumph back in 1963.
Connor has interviewed two players from the team which lifted the trophy and uncovered one of the players’ fathers played for Manchester United.
Connor said: “In 1963 Stratford won the Birmingham Senior Cup and I interviewed two of the players who were in the final-winning team – Brian Merritt and Alan Gardner.
“It’s arguably one of Stratford’s biggest ever achievements in their history and it turns out Alan Gardner’s dad Dick played for Manchester United before the war.
“When the war was ending, a match was organised in Malta and he captained the army team.
“It’s interesting to see how the club has progressed decade by decade and chatting to people who haven’t been interviewed before.”
Connor is still conducting interviews and research for the book which will likely be released later this year.
