Weedy
terraces, failing floodlights, bad pitches, sloppy burgers, cheap pints and generally
mediocre football. Put all these things together and you something that is
known as the Non League. Currently, the Non League is arguably suffering its
all time low. The credit crunch and reduced rates at Premier League and
Championship clubs has led to reduced attendances and financial difficulties for
many clubs. People are refusing to part with their cash to watch their local
team at 3pm on a Saturday afternoon. You can see why when they can sit in their
comfy armchair and watch Jeff Stelling and co or their favourite team on a
grainy illegal stream with Brazilian commentators getting overexcited and
shouting GOOOOAL every time the ball hits the back of the net. However, as much
as non league football might not be pretty or as comfortable as Saturday
afternoon in front of the television, it is people’s reluctance to go watch
their local team play that makes me feel that romance in football is certainly
fading. Where have the days gone where people would wake up on a Saturday
morning as if it was Christmas waiting for 3pm to roll around so they could
watch their local team play? It is sad
to see that Sky’s influence on Football is slowly killing off interest in non
league football, or even distorting its existence behind the glitz and glamour
of the Premier League.
Despite
dwindling attendances however, the non league game still has the ability to be
totally infectious. In recent seasons, there has certainly been a slight
disillusionment with the Premier League and the top level game because of
overpaid players, the league becoming a game of monopoly between foreign investors,
and pansy players rivalling Tom Daley’s diving skills. Some fans eventually had
enough and decided to give the non league game a chance, coming and watching
Redditch United’s first away fixture of the season at Oxford City. Their
reaction at the end of the game proves that the non league experience certainly
has something to offer. They quickly became involved with the singing section
of our supporters and enjoyed what was a competitive game of football. Since
this game, they have become firmly part of Redditch’s hardcore supporters. These
fans fresh enthusiasm for the club and the non league game has even rubbed off
on some of the clubs long term fans who certainly had reason to have a lack of
enthusiasm for the reds after seasons of turmoil on and off the pitch. There without
doubt is some hope that there can be new found interest in non league football
and that it is not becoming the final remnants of what English football used to
be.
Recently,
the non league clubs finally got some of national coverage in the form of Non
League Day. If you hadn't already heard of it, it was a dedicated day to go
watch your local non league team play while all Premier League players had
jetted off for international duty. This acted as a great platform to showcase
the non league experience to Premier League fans and people just love any form
of the beautiful game. It was certainly success with attendances bolstered up
and down the country.
It proves that there is something that draws people
to the non league game; it just is suffering because it does not get the same
media attention as the big leagues. Hopefully non league day is just a
foundation for a reinforced support for grass-roots football, as many clubs are
in dire need of financial support. I am lucky that I even still have a club to support;
it got so desperate at Redditch United in 2010 that bailiffs came in to take away
the goalposts and team kit if bills were not paid. So if you have a passion for
any level of football whether it is the World Cup final or a kick about in the
park with jumpers for goalposts, I urge that you give the non league experience
a chance, it will not disappoint and it needs your support.
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