Stephen Howson is documenting Stretford Paddock’s progress via YouTubeWhen the Lancashire and Cheshire First Division was briefly brought out of its 43-day pandemic-enforced exile in mid-December, Trafford United’s defenders could have been forgiven for wishing they hadn’t shown up.Under the floodlights of the 3G pitch at the Wright Robinson College in Gorton, Manchester, the away side found themselves on the wrong end of a 6-3 defeat. They were run ragged by what must be the most talent-rich forward line in their division and several above. It was comprised of a striker who won the European Under-19 Championship with England in 2017, a winger who represented Liverpool at youth level and another wide forward who played in League One last season.Stretford Paddock FC were only admitted to the 14th tier of the football pyramid for the 2020-21 season, but they are hopeful of a quick escape from the division. And if the start-up club’s ambitions are realised, these will be mere humble beginnings in a thoroughly modern success story.The club was founded by Stephen Howson, a prominent Manchester United YouTube personality with more than 100,000 Twitter followers and almost 50,000 subscribers to his Stretford Paddock channel. Inspired by his participation with the Full Time Devils crew in the 2017 FanLeague Cup – a London-based 11-a-side tournament bringing together Fan TV teams from around the country – and by the success of Hashtag United, another YouTube-spawned club, he decided to create a team made up of those he employs to run the… Click below to read the full story from BBC Sport
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Stretford Paddock: The Man Utd fan TV team with lofty ambitions
