Former Bristol Rovers striker Claridge looks to make his name as Paulton chase FA Cup upset
Claridge, 29, is set to line up for Paulton Rovers in front of a live television audience when they take on League One club Norwich in a game the robust targetman describes as "the most unbelievable of my career".
That career has taken in many stops around the local non-league scene after his dream of making it as a professional at the Memorial Stadium was over almost as soon as it started.
It was always going to be difficult to make an impression among a host of promising strikers that all eventually went on to enjoy success in the top flight.
"I was quite young when I was at Rovers and there were some big players and big characters there," said Claridge. "I had a 12-month contract and it just came to an end.
"Jamie Cureton, Barry Hayles, Jason Roberts, Nathan Ellington and Bobby Zamora were all in the squad, and we all know what each of them has done in their careers.
"I was never going to get past that lot and it was hard to make an impression. I was gutted when it came to an end and getting released knocked me sideways a bit.
"At least I had the sort of opportunity that not many people get so I consider myself quite lucky to have had the experience."
Claridge has since trucked around the non-league scene, taking in Mangotsfield, Weston-super-Mare, Clevedon Town and Brislington before arriving at Winterfield Road.
"You don't expect to ever have a day like this once you are released from a professional club," he said.
"This is absolutely massive because players at our level can only dream of playing live on the television against a side like Norwich.
"I had a taste of it when I was younger but this is the biggest game of my career by far; just absolutely massive.
"I haven't managed to get my head around the fact that I am going to be playing live on ITV.
"I have tried not to think about it and that is probably the best way to approach things. Whatever happens it will be a great day and I'm quite excited about the whole thing.
Claridge is one of three players who is employed by manager Andrew Jones at his Bristol-based business Flowervision. Does this gaurantee him a starting spot in the gaffer's line-up?
"I hope so," Claridge joked, before saying: "That is the only reason I work for him. I make the tea for him everyday in the hope that he will keep playing me."
He added: "He's a good boss and a massive character. He has put together a great collection of lads and the spirit in this camp is fantastic.
"He has worked so hard at this club and this is a great reward for him. I just hope we can go out and repay him a little bit by turning up on Saturday."
Whether Paulton 'turn up' today seems to hold no sway with the bookies, who consider them to be a best-priced 12-1 outside shot to win the game, but Claridge argued: "We have done well against teams higher up than us all the way through to this stage.
"It hasn't been a fluke and there were some of the games where we could have won by a bigger margin," he added when talking about the five-match run through the qualifying rounds to the first round proper.
"We've beaten Tiverton and Didcot, who are both in the division above us, and also saw off Newport, who are top of the league two divisions above us. Chippenham are another side higher up the pyramid and we beat them 3-0, so the confidence here is sky-high at the moment."
Claridge scored three goals on that run and is still unsure of how he would celebrate should he add another to his tally today.
"A couple of years ago when we beat Dorchester I did this really bad roly-poly thing I used to do at school," he said. "My girlfriend likes that one, so I might give that another go."
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