North Riding FA proudly presented dedicated football servant Keith Sykes with an FA Long Service Award this month, recognising his remarkable 50 years of service to the game locally.

Keith’s long and illustrious football career started at the age of 12, playing for Middlesbrough High School in the 1950s right up to the point he left school, despite rugby and cricket being the main sports played in schools at the time. Keith supported local football teams, among others being his local Boys Brigade, working as a volunteer. To boost junior football locally, Keith contacted his local comprehensive school to ask if he could set up and run a school football team. Although the offer was politely declined, Keith’s passion for football was clear from an early age.

Later in life, and now married with children, Keith was fuelled by a passion to create a football team for his son and friends, who were at a rugby-oriented school. Constantly looking for ways to bring young football to the area, in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Keith identified unused ground at the side of the local cricket club of which he is a lifelong member. He turned that unused ground into a full-sized football field – and so, Marton Football Club was born in 1982.

The first match played was at U14 level, with Keith acting as manager. Continuing for two years, during which Keith had attracted new members to the club, Keith took a step back and oversaw the running of the club and the maintenance of the pitch.

The club continued to grow every year, meaning that Keith needed to search the local area to find a bigger site to use. Identifying land that could be leased from Middlesbrough Council in Acklam, Marton submitted a bid that competed with one submitted by Middlesbrough Football Club and supported by Bryan Robson. However, the council chose Marton’s bid – and the club remains there to this day.

Always looking for ways to add teams to the club and improve the quality of pitches for players, Keith works hard to ensure youngsters can develop their skills in a friendly, safe environment. 

England internationals Stewart Downing and Jonathan Woodgate both started their careers at Marton, along with many others that have made it to the professional ranks. Today, Marton is one of the leading clubs in the north.

Keith’s delivered thousands of hours of unpaid work to the day-to-day running of the club and maintaining the ground. He continues to be at his beloved club seven days a week, come rain or shine. 

Keith’s role in creating football for young people is inspirational, and his dedication since simply invaluable. All at North Riding FA congratulate you on everything you have achieved – and thank you for all you’ve done, and continue to do, for the game and all involved at Marton Football Club.