The best I can describe it is that the car makes this fairly loud creaking noise, like an old wooden door being opened, when I release the clutch and start moving forward. The noise is coming somewhere from the front, possibly under the car, it's hard to pinpoint it. This noise is usually more prominent when doing a hill start ie having to release the clutch in steep uphill situations. This creaking noise doesn't occur when operating the clutch and shifting gears while the car is already moving. The car still works normally, the creaking noise just doesn't inspire confidence.

 

The car is a hatchback Focus MK2 1.6 TI-VCT.

Could be the release bearings on the way out. Has the clutch been replaced during your ownership? What mileage?

46 minutes ago, Gymfocused said:

Could be the release bearings on the way out. Has the clutch been replaced during your ownership? What mileage?

AFAIK the clutch has never been serviced on this car. It has 160 000km on it and manufactured in 2006. The clutch itself doesn't feel bad to use.

It's the weirdest thing since the noise isn't consistent. Sometimes the creaking noise happens when releasing the clutch, sometimes not. 

Not had this on a Focus but I did have it on an old Nissan Micra - it was worn bushes on the front suspension mounts.