IT CAN BE A DIFFICULT TIME FOR YOUNG PLAYERS WHEN THEY ARE RELEASED FROM PROFESSIONAL CLUBS 12:52, 31 May 2025 Nathan Harker had a tantalising glimpse into the glitz and glamour of the

Premier League during his time with Newcastle United - but it is only now that the former Magpies academy star is truly enjoying his football. Just over six years have passed since Harker

was an unused substitute in an FA Cup third round home draw with Blackburn Rovers before remaining on the bench as Rafa Benitez’s United claimed a 4-2 replay win at Ewood Park thanks to

goals from Joselu, Ayoze Perez and his fellow academy products Sean Longstaff and Callum Roberts. A short loan spell with Blyth Spartans failed to kickstart Harker’s career and despite

Division One club Whickham and Marske United. However, it is with Stockton Town where the 26-year-old appears to have found a home after he helped the Anchors secure a third promotion in

seven completed seasons during his first year with the Anchors as they saw off North East rivals Dunston UTS in the Northern Premier League East Division play-off final. In achieving success

with Michael Dunwell’s side, Harker is finally living up to a promise he made to himself as he reeled from the end of his dreams of carving out a career at the top end of the game. Article

continues below He told Chronicle Live: “It was a big jump down the leagues for me after I left Newcastle and it took some getting use to. I went down to the second division in the Northern

League and I just wanted to try and find some enjoyment again after leaving Newcastle. "I made a promise to myself that if I didn’t enjoy something, I wouldn’t do it. That outlook has

helped me because I’ve made those steps back up the leagues and I can’t really say I’ve enjoyed anywhere since I’ve left Newcastle as much as I have enjoyed Stockton. “They’ve got a really

good group there, they’ve built around a spine of players that have been together for years and there is a strong spirit in the dressing room that means we have won games that I would

probably say we didn’t deserve to win. There is that close-knit nature amongst the club, we are all in it together and that’s helped me enjoy this part of my career more than any other.”

There were contrasting emotions at the end of Stockton’s first ever season in the Northern Premier league Premier Division as they celebrated a remarkable campaign with a third placed finish

and a place in the play-off semi-final. A second successive promotion moved a step closer with a semi-final win against Guiseley - but there would be a sting in the tail when the Anchors

were removed from the play-offs for fielding an ineligible player in their victory against the Lions. Such disappointment has only ‘fuelled the fire’ for Harker and his team-mates as they

look to challenge for a place in the National League North once again next season. “We came into the season a bit blind on where we would be and how we would cope with the step up and that

worked in our favour because everything felt like a bonus. "We just kept ticking off games, we just kept going and we never really felt under pressure. There was expectation in the year

before when Hebburn pipped us to the league, there was a pressure but we didn’t feel it this year. We had a major learning curve but we took it all in our stride and we had a positive

season despite the unfortunate way it ended. “It will be tougher next season because teams will know what they are up against and they will know we are a good team. The manner the season

ended at the end, it has lit a fire in everyone’s belly because we want to achieve something, it’s given us every reason to push on and challenge at the top end of the league once again next

season.” Stockton’s rise has been one of the stories of the North East non-league scene over the last decade after manager Dunwell and assistant manager JD Briggs guided the club from the

Wearside League to within touching distance of joining the likes of Darlington, Kidderminster Harriers and South Shields in the National League North. Their journey has not been without its

difficult moments as they were denied promotion into the Northern League over a failure to meet ground-grading criteria and were cruelly prevented from sealing a Northern League title win

when the Covid-19 pandemic curtailed the 2019/20 season. However, the managerial duo have enabled the club to kick on once again and Harker believes the Anchors are now in a position to

‘take the next step’ in their journey up the non-league pyramid. He said: “I think when someone has been at a club for so long and had so much success, you can’t help but but have full

respect for them. "I am excited to be part of their plans, I know there are big plans looking at this new season and the future. If they’d had a big backer like Ryan Reynolds, I think

they would have had a Netflix series done on them by now because it’s always been eventful. Article continues below "The success they have had over the last ten years has maybe crept

under the radar but it looks like a club that can continue moving forward and take the next step.”