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When the date was set for the 2025 Non-League Day, a wonderful concept that was set up in 2010 by James Doe to champion all that is great about non-league football, one of the toughest decisions, as always, was to pick which game to go to! The day that is always scheduled to coincide with the international break enables a platform for grassroots clubs to promote the importance of volunteer-led community football whilst the cash cow that is the Premier League along with the EFL Championship takes second stage and gives fans across the country the chance to show continued support or even discover for the first time all the joys and benefits that non-league football has to offer. For me, it was an easy choice this season. The famous grandstand at Wellesley Road, the home of Great Yarmouth Town, which is believed to be the oldest wooden stand still in use, had been on my football bucket list for some time, and it didn't disappoint! But what equally blew me away on the day and epitomised one of the things that have rekindled my love for our beautiful game was to see and hear about the fantastic work the club does in the local community! First impressions are always important and the lady on the turnstiles and the man selling the 50/50 halftime tickets just inside the ground set the tone perfectly for the day ahead with a very warm welcome! My first port of call was to have a chat with the Chairman of The Bloaters, Martyn Sinclair who had kindly agreed to spend some time with me after I had contacted the club during the week, I asked a fan if they could point me in the right direction to locate Martyn and he said, "Yeah, he's out their on the pitch" which he followed up by shouting out Martyn's nickname and called him over from where he was picking up a bit of litter and making sure everything was just right in the lead up to kick off. This little episode spoke volumes for the club and left me with a big smile on my face! Ahead of kick-off, I took the opportunity to have a chat with 'The Amber Wave', a lovely group of fellas who have come together to form a supporters group that creates a great atmosphere home and away following The Bloaters! It was now time for the kick-off in what turned out to be one of the most bizarre and entertaining matches I have attended in all the years I've been going to football! It may have been Non-League Day, but I will forever remember this as Red Card Day! After an even start, Cornard United took the lead in the 20th minute, but everything changed at the half-hour mark when the visitors received their first Red card of the day! Just before 'The Ards' went down to 10 men, I caught up with 'The Bloaters' Honorary Club Chaplin, The Reverend David Mills, who told me about his and the club's work in the local area with the GYTCIC Shop, which is the community arm of Great Yarmouth Town Football Club situated In the heart of the town and is the hub of opportunity, activity & community support. With halftime approaching, I had the pleasure to speak with The Bloater's social media man, Ian Honeyman, who is also the commercial manager, and we spoke about the importance of the role in growing the club profile. Yet again, whilst doing another interview, a second Cornard player was sent off in the 45th minute! I could sense a bit of a theme going on here! 😂 The referee, who it's fair to say had an indifferent first 45 minutes brought the half to an end with the away side still 1-0 up despite being reduced to 9 men. It was time to sample the food on offer and have a look around. The Tea Hut which is situated next to the famous old grandstand had hot pies and pasties on sale as well as the usual refreshments along with a merchandise stand manned by Tony '2 Hats' who was one of the many characters I met on the day along with the lovely lady who was in charge of the catering, I also met Paul, aka 'Squeaky' who is the stadium announcer. These were just some of the many volunteers who were dotted around the ground and were the heartbeat of the football club. There is also a very nice bar called Smudgers to the right of the turnstile once you come into the ground which has plenty of beverages to choose from and had a really nice buzz about it, I believe Smudgers bar was named after a former official at the club and outside the bar was a bench in memory of a former player Mike Sutton (Son of Chris) who played for the Bloaters for many years over the 70s and 80s which is another nod to it being a proper club who remember those who have passed, there was also a BBQ on the go serving up some quality burgers and hotdogs that went down a treat! It was time for the second half, and what a half it was! The Amber Wave lads had moved to the end where The Bloaters were attacking just outside Smudgers Bar, and the atmosphere was cranked up a notch! You can watch what ensued in the second 45 minutes here, including 4 goals, 2 more red cards, and a sin-bin!!! 👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼 Before I sum up the day I just want to tip my hat to what the club do in the community and highlight what the Great Yarmouth Town CIC shop in the town centre brings to the people in the local area. The mission statement for the GYTCIC is to “Improve People's Lives” and that everyone deserves access to opportunities that enable them to reach their full potential, regardless of background or circumstance. The second-hand shop provides affordable sports and leisure equipment, making it easier for everyone to stay active and healthy. They assist the homeless by providing essential items such as tents, sleeping bags, and groundsheets, offering a lifeline to those in need. They offer an employment support program that helps individuals overcome barriers to employment, offering resources and guidance to re-enter the workforce with confidence. They supply food and essential items, offer free haircuts and interview attire, and provide critical support to individuals and families in crisis. They also have a Football Against Dementia campaign that raises awareness and supports those affected by dementia and their families. Plus, lots more, including Nordic walking, to promote physical activity and social connection, and at Christmas, they distribute stockings filled with gifts to families facing financial hardship. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 I am so pleased I chose Great Yarmouth Town as my choice of game on Non-League Day as it embodied everything that the annual day is about and much more! This club is definitely on the up and with so many fantastic people who are like one big family working together alongside a very young talented squad of players the future looks very bright for The Bloaters and I urge anyone from the town who has not been to a game yet to get themselves down to Wellesley Road and be part of something that is ultimately great for the town! A massive thank you to everyone who made me so welcome on the day and we sincerely wish you all the best for the future. Great Yarmouth Town is a Proper Football Club!

Ravens Swoop for All Three Points! After a long week of toil and longing for our football fix, the Proper Football boys were out on their travels again, this time making the short trip to the Mander Cruickshank Solicitors Stadium, home of Coalville Town. On arrival, we were warmly greeted by Club Secretary Gary, who, whilst relatively new to the role, clearly embodies the spirit of the club and demonstrates a perfect example of someone who has the club’s best interests at heart, which we will touch on in further detail later in the piece. The ground itself consists of two seated stands (east & west) and two safe standing areas (north & south), complimented by a tremendously well-kept playing surface and overlooked by a seated balcony providing a captivating viewpoint for onlookers. An outdoor bar area with seating and a hot food kiosk provides fans with the freedom to snare a pint and revel in the delights of some proper footy fare whilst taking in the ambience of the pitch and surrounding areas. Should you endure a colder or rainier day, synonymous with atypical British weather, the club also has the indoor ‘Jack’s Bar’ offering a good selection of drinks and snacks, keeping fans well nourished and not to mention dry and warm where necessary. Naturally, the Proper Football nosey parker division, of course, took a full guided tour and captured a scintillating montage of pictures showcasing the exceptional facilities the club has at its disposal. Part of our initial introductions included meeting the Manager and Assistant Manager, Ash and Jay respectively, who after a quick cheesy grin and pose on the pitch, were kind enough to step in front of the Proper Football cameras, providing an insight on the workings of the club, their connections, targets for the remainder of the campaign and how things are shaping up for the future. Testament to the club’s ability to establish long-term connections and relationships, this season saw Manager Ash return to the club after enjoying a sterling 11-year spell as a player at the club, some of which he spent as club captain, bringing with him his trusty leftenant Jay as Assistant Manager. Jay, a man who is also a success story in his own right within the football world, provides the necessary support that any great leader would not succeed without. The future of a football club is always an important topic of discussion, something of equal importance however is understanding the journey, and how the club, now in a strong position to build for the future achieved the level of stability it now enjoys after a period of turbulence, which saw the club withdraw from it’s step 3 standing, dropping down to step 6. A decision I am told that was not taken lightly has proved to be a shrewd one, in that it has provided the club with the platform to rebuild and consolidate, ensuring stability is reinstated in a club that is held in immensely high regard within the local community. Credited for his spirit and holding the club’s best interests close to his heart earlier in the piece, a man exceptionally well placed to provide an insight into the persistent and relentless graft that was put in to restore order to this great club is Club Secretary, Gary. From my very first exchange with Gary, it became evident that in his and all within the club’s hands, the club is held in exceptionally good stead for the future. As touched upon in our chat with Gary, Coalville Town provides a safe haven and nurturing environment for, on average, over 900 young people every week to come into their own, utilising the club’s facilities to aid their personal development, not only as budding footballers but also as individuals. Providing a pathway for the next generation and offering the teaching of life skills, whilst potentially unearthing gems that can and have demonstrably gone on to play for the first team, the club delivers a far more important message to the wider community in that their doors are always open to the those that can benefit from what it has to offer, the importance of which cannot be emphasised enough. It was great to see the children on the pitch at halftime taking penalties, and with some well-taken pens and the Ravens Mascot in goal and not getting a call-up anytime soon, The kids won the day! With the stage set and all in attendance eagerly anticipating kick-off, a certain name kept popping up throughout our time at Coalville Town so far: someone who has held just about every voluntary role within the club but classes the club shop as her ‘baby’ was Val. Part of the fabric of the club having been associated in one form or another for over 20 years, Val is a true club legend and face of warmth and familiarity for many, whether that be young Ravens popping into her club shop just for a quick ‘hello’ or when she is being recognised out and about on her daily endeavours within the local area. Val, decked out in her club official attire, took time away from her busy and essential role to speak with me, revealing all about her 20+ years of association with the club whilst telling an intriguing tale or two referencing her many outings following the Ravens up and down the country over the years. Val, a personal message from Proper Football to you - we are so grateful for all you do for grassroots football and your achievements within the game are unprecedented. Without people like you, the game would not be the same, and we salute you and your relentless will to continue to do all that you do purely for the love of the game; your impassioned dedication to the cause is immensely admirable, and it was a real pleasure to meet you. Now, onto the match action - seated in the covered nearside stand, the game kicked off in what was in honesty, a midfield battle in the early stages, as both teams sized one another up, poised to try and take the initiative. Neither side achieved this in the first half unfortunately, with the action petering out somewhat as the first half drew to a close. The second half, however, saw the game come to life, with both sides having chances of their own after decent passages of play respectively. It was the Ravens in the end, who swooped to pinch what was a deserved 3 points, further consolidating their mid-table position in what has so far been a season of solid rebuilding, given the challenges faced in the not-so-distant past. A raucous home following, vocal throughout were understandably delighted with the result with the home players showing their appreciation for the support, further showcasing the demonstrably unbreakable connection between the club and it’s fans. We were even treated to some instrumental numbers from the Coalville Town resident drummer, who, in what is a rather unorthodox but effective set-up, fuels the atmosphere with his renditions of famous footy chants. Another person you hear before you see, in addition to the aforementioned drummer, is John, AKA ‘The voice of Coalville Town.’ John controls everything sound-related within the club, right from the pre and post-match tunes through to substitutions and various other pieces of relevant information. John, another quintessential example of a non-league hero and voluntary member of the Coalville Town contingent, gave up yet more of his valuable time for a chat in front of the Proper Football cameras. With the 3 points in the bag, the sun beginning to set behind the far side stand and our outing drawing to a close, it was time to reflect on what had been a thoroughly enjoyable day. The set-up at Coalville Town is incredibly impressive, contributed to in no small part by all of the aforementioned individuals we spoke with, the fans and all within the club behind the scenes. I don’t think there are words to justifiably describe quite how much this club offers the local community in terms of a hub to express themselves and satisfy their football crave, whilst contributing to the organic growth of grassroots football and being a safe space for fans young and old. This club gives so much back to those who take the time to come and enjoy what it has to offer, something that was abundantly clear throughout our visit. I think I speak on behalf of all at Proper Football when I say, we will be keeping an eye on the club’s progress and look forward to the continuity of a relationship with the club - we wish them all the very best for the remainder of this campaign and beyond, on and off the pitch! Match Highlights of the clash can be found below from Coalville Town FC TV.

Last Saturday, we had the pleasure of visiting Leek Town Football Club after an invite from Mat Knight-Burton, the Staffordshire club's community engagement officer, and we couldn't wait to come and see what the club was all about and what it does in the community. Leek Town play in the Northern Premier League Premier Division, which is step 3 of the National League pyramid, after gaining promotion last season from the Division One West as champions. At the start of play, The Blues sat in 18th position, one above the relegation zone, and today's opposition, Guiseley, were in 3rd place in the play-offs. Unfortunately, on the day, Mat couldn't be there due to a family birthday, but we were welcomed by Georgina Chandler, one of the club's directors, who couldn't do enough for us and was a credit to the club. Before the game, Georgina gave Dan a tour behind the scenes and told us how she got involved with the club. When arriving at the F. Ball community stadium - Harrison Park, our first impressions were WOW! What a cracking old-school stadium with a great-looking main stand that had a seated upper tier which seats 600 and terraced lower tier, and full-length terracing on the other three sides of the ground, 80% of which is covered, with a capacity of 3,600 now reduced to 3,200. All in all a fantastic little stadium. We are always amazed when visiting a club of the commitment and effort they put into their communities and Leek Town were no exception. Gary had the pleasure of chatting with Leeks under 8's coaches. What would football do without people like Wayne and Jamie? It was great to have our Proper Football Podcast resident ex-pro Nigel 'Cally' Callaghan with us on the day who joined Gary to interview one of Leek Towns' committed and loyal fans, there's no better way to capture the true essence of a club, so it was great that Damon agreed to have a chat with us before kick-off. Greg caught up with Guiseley supporter Andy before the match, one of the many away supporters who had made the 160-mile round trip down to today's game to find out how their season is going and his thoughts on today's fixture. It was now time for kick-off with a good crowd of 502 in attendance; the early rain had cleared, and the sun was out, ready for the match, with both teams looking for the 3 points at opposite ends of the table. We didn't have to wait long for the first goal of the day and it came from Leek Town's Hayden Campbell in the 3rd minute! Despite the low league position of Leek, they more than held their own and looked the better side for the first 25 minutes, but The Lions levelled things up in the 26th minute with a goal from Jack Emmett. Half-time rolled around with the game poised nicely at 1-1, and it was time to grab a beer and sample the food; the Blues bar and food cabin were situated behind the large outdoor open space right next to the pitch. We all agreed it was one of the best pies we had ever had at a non-league ground! And it was wonderful to hear it was supplied by the local butchers and another nod to the community feel about the club. The second half kicked off, and Leek struck early again with a 51st-minute goal from a Louis Potts header! Dan took the opportunity to have a quick chat with another friendly Leek supporter who told us why he comes down to watch The Blues. With Guiseley now needing to find an equaliser they made a double substitution in the 55th minute and it seemed to make a difference with The Lions now gaining control of the game and getting on the front foot but full credit to Leek as they were defending for their lives with the keeper making some good saves, but the prolonged pressure finally paid off in the 88th minute with a scrambled goal from close range by Gabriel Johnson following a corner! Guiseley were now looking for the winner, but Leek stood firm and hung on at the end. The referee blew the full-time whistle, bringing an end to what was an enthralling game with the spoils being shared and what could be a valuable point for the home side come the end of the season. Today's point moves Leek Town up a position to 17th, 2 points from the drop zone, and with 10 games to go before the season comes to a close, The Blues have their destiny in their own hands. The lads gave their summary and thoughts on the game after the match. We would all like to thank Leek Town for making us so welcome on the day and it was heartwarming to witness and hear about all the work they do in the community and being a hub for the young and old to get together, be it junior football, walking football or all the other great schemes they have going on 7 days a week. Non-league football clubs play such a pivotal role in bringing people together; it's not only about supporting a football club; it is about people's well-being, fitness, social gatherings, getting youngsters active and supporting the local economy, and it is something that needs championing, and Leek Town are a perfect example of this! A big thank you again to Mat for the invite, and we will be doing a separate interview with him very soon to go more in-depth about the role he plays at the club. We wish Leek Town and Guiseley all the best for the future, and if you would like to watch the highlights from the game here they are courtesy of Leek Towns' official YouTube channel.

Blue Skies & 3 Points for The Millers! As many football fans will attest to, we often find ourselves trudging the length and the breadth of the country following our beloved clubs accompanied by the typical Great British weather, and I take my hat off to all who travel in such conditions simply for the love of the game. I however was treated to a blue sky and sunshine throughout my visit to Carlton Town, which was not only a rarity for the month of March but an added bonus on top of what was a thoroughly enjoyable outing. On arrival at the ground, set in the heart of Nottinghamshire and upon entering the clubhouse for the very first time, I received a welcome equally as warm as the ever welcome March sunshine, immediately being made to feel part of the family by many that consider the charismatic, atmospheric stands of the Bill Stokeld Stadium a home from home. During my early exchanges with the Carlton Town faithful, I met Hugo, part of the extended family of the club in that he does not live local to the area, however travels up from his home in Dorking for a day in the area he feels most at home in whenever he can. Naturally, this triggered my interest, and after speaking with him, it was easy to understand just why he uses his spare time to follow the club. One of the most intriguing elements of a day out at the football in addition to being somewhere completely new in this instance, is the characters that you meet, each with their own views and tales to tell that add to the camaraderie that us away day revellers crave. A quintessential depiction of which I managed to find in a man they call ‘The Bear,’ a self-confessed graduate of football’s ’darker side’ who took the time to speak with me, providing an insight into why he feels he and a number of others are, despite his initial scepticism, gravitating towards non-league football. The stage was then set for kick off with the players warm and readied, the dugout graced by pacing managers of each side respectively and each club’s ever-faithful following immovably placed in the stands in eager anticipation of the first display of action. Such is the close proximity of the stands to the pitch, fans may as well be part of the physical action themselves - often referred to as the ‘12th man,’ no ground I’ve ever observed provides fans with quite the opportunity to live up to this old epithet than the home of the Millers. Now, anyone who has read any of my previous articles will know I’m a man who loves value (and grub), so there’s no way I was going to let this day pass me by without sampling the cuisine on offer and demonstrate the phenomenal value and quality I was treated to. Steak & Kidney Pie, Chips, Mushy peas & Gravy Pint - £4.50 - £5.50 You can even pay with Bitcoin should you so wish! In addition to all of the aforementioned motivation to take yourself down to Carlton Town are those without which none of it would be possible - the real non-league grafters, devoting their time and passion to the cause, keeping the club running and readily available to many that benefit from what the club has to offer and are able to keep what is a solitary outlet to come alive. Casting our minds back to my arrival and entry to the clubhouse, front and centre was club stalwart Kelly, in her element, welcoming home and away fans alike with her natural warmth and well-honed ability to make people feel at home. In what she classes as her ‘happy place,’ Kelly and her team demonstrate how hospitality is done, showcasing what it means to be the heartbeat of the club with their hard work and dedication. I was lucky enough to catch up with the woman herself at full-time to understand just how much the club and role means to her. I couldn’t have planned a more fitting way to conclude my time at Carlton Town and would like to extend my personal thanks to the club and all that took the time to speak with me on the day. Non-league clubs like this really are the heartbeat of local communities and are inordinately deserving of our time and support. My opinion is that it is our duty as football fans to show support and contribute positively to our local non-league clubs that give so much to us in so many ways - I for one could not imagine a world without them and the community initiatives that benefit many.

Our latest away day saw us take a trip to Nottinghamshire to visit our good friends at Carlton Town who were taking on North Ferriby in the Northern Premier East Division clash, with Carlton Town still having an outside chance of reaching the playoffs and North Ferriby sitting in a playoff place, this game had all the makings of an intriguing game. When arriving at the Bill Stokeld Stadium, you are greeted with a nice sized car park, always a good start, you enter through the turnstiles which I must say look like museum pieces, proper old school, I loved them! I found out later they were donated by Leicestershire County Cricket Club. As you come through the turnstiles, you have a large clear tarmacked space to the left of the Chuck Fowler suite that houses the board room, changing rooms, Snack bar and Club shop. To the right is the clubhouse, which is a nice size with 2 screens showing football and a well-stocked Bar. The stadium itself consists of a covered area on the side of the Chuck Fowler suite, a small covered standing area at one end of the ground with a covered seated stand at the other end, there is a covered area overlooking the pitch with tables and chairs just in front of the clubhouse and the club's colours of yellow and blue are very prominent around the stadium, all in all, a nice tidy little stadium. Carlton Town is a member-owned club, and the success of this club on and off the pitch comes down to the blood and sweat of its membership and volunteers, all credit goes to Mick Garton (Chairman) and his team for all the efforts and many cases, financial support that they give to this wonderful club. The North Ferriby team bus arrived, also bringing with it approximately 30 away supporters; well done to them! On arrival at the Bill Stokeld Stadium, the Ferriby Supporters did their best to make their presence felt. I counted a dozen flags around the ground, and yes, the obligatory drum made an appearance. A good friend of Proper Football and an absolute Football legend, Ian-Storey-Moore had popped in after attending the Forest vs City game up the road at the City ground; I managed to catch up with Ian, touching on his role as ambassador for Carlton Town/Nottingham Forest and the late great Dennis Law of whom Ian had the pleasure of playing with. It has become a regular theme on our journeys that we like to shine a spotlight on the community aspect of football clubs and Carlton Town is no exception, they have a youth academy system which also encompasses a scheme in which deprived children from inner-cities have the opportunity to join the club and have a potential route to the first team as well as being part of an educational program. The main pitch at Carlton Town is grass; however, they have a 3G pitch at one end of the ground as well as a smaller pitch, which in the near future will become a 4G playing surface as it is currently grass. Once again I found as I do on all my journeys the importance of clubs at the grassroots level as they are not just football clubs in many cases they are the hub of their local community, they provide both young and old, male and female the opportunity to play football or be involved in other ways, and for the young, it teaches them life skills, teamwork which gives them a sense of achievement and something to look forward to, it’s quite ironic that today the club attended an anti-knife crime rally and without the contribution of this and many other non-league clubs many more children would potentially be roaming the streets with nothing to do and we know too well unfortunately what that leads to, so my message to the FA and the government is that you underestimate the importance of these community clubs, they need more support and financial help for a sport awash with money much more could and should be done! I had the opportunity to catch up with Gary Clarke, AKA Boatsy, who puts so much time and effort into this club, all credit to him! Very interestingly earlier in the morning Gary and others attended an anti-knife crime, and we also touched on his beloved Nottingham Forest who had just beaten Manchester City to give them a real chance of Champions League football next season. With the game finishing Carlton Town 1 North Ferriby 0, the table now looks like this: A big THANK YOU to both teams and we wish them both all the very best for the rest of the season. A big apology to Andy (assistant Manager of Carlton Town) and Mick (Chairman of Carlton Town), who both gave me great Interviews, only for me to wipe the SD card and lose their interviews, as they say, "sacked in the morning, you're getting sacked in the morning!" Part 2 Carlton Town v North Ferriby THE FANS VEIW will be released Sunday 16/3/25 You can watch the highlights of the game below courtesy of Carlton Town TV.

We were recently sent a new book by one of our followers, Lee Wellings. Lee is not only a passionate fan of non-league Isthmian League Premier Division side Horsham FC, but he is also an author, broadcaster and journalist who’s covered sports for over 35 years around the world, and his latest offering is 'Football Fables' The First Eleven. This excellent thought-provoking book contains 11 fictional short stories encompassing our 'beautiful game'. I use the term 'Beautiful Game' but in truth, that has become somewhat of a myth, a saying that is now so far removed from what football has become in the upper echelons, its morphed from Cinderella-to the Ugly Sisters with the imposters driven by greed and money, taking everything they can out of it to line their own pockets or to further agendas. We started Proper Football 3 years ago because we realised there still is a beautiful game, a game that is found in local communities, towns and villages all over the country where football fans still feel part of the game and have a sense of belonging and it's clear to me after reading 'Football Fables', that Lee is of the same mindset, not only because of his love of following Horsham FC but also his work writing about America’s growing influence in 'soccer', the Middle East’s takeover of sport and a game dominated by owners and broadcasting rights-holders who too often don’t care about the fans. So, onto the book, a book that not only highlights the bad things engulfing our game but also some heart-warming tales that you can relate to. The first fable is called 'The Footballer Who Kicked A Tortoise' , now, sometimes you have to exaggerate a point to make a point but after I read this story I smiled to myself and thought this bizarre tale is actually believable! It's the story of a very famous footballer with a huge ego surrounded by people who say yes and follows the frenzied media fallout and social media explosion after an incident with a Tortoise. Lee writes these fables with plenty of wit and humour and superbly mocks the characters of whom you can visualise from the real media and punditry world we see on our TV screens. In the book, Lee also tackles the dreaded topic of VAR in a chapter called, 'The Check' but does it in such an amusing way that shows just how ludicrous it is! 'A Tale of Two Clubs'' is about two Irish clubs being merged together that is orchestrated solely by an American TV corporation that couldn't care less about the community and the long history of the 2 sides, again, this fable has startling similarities to what is ongoing with Bedford Town a club with a long history who are on the verge of being merged/taken over by Real Bedford a relatively new club funded by American cryptocurrency investors! Another fable, 'REF!', delves into the abuse referees suffer at the grassroots level, something that has filtered down from the professional game and how the hollow campaigns are a waste of time and ineffective. 'A Fable Of New York' is a story I found quite thought-provoking, the story of 2 old school commentators who were legendary and part of football royalty but are now being edged out for a new bread of young talent on the mic, sometimes accepting that things move on is not just difficult for those involved but for us fans who have to realise that dinosaurs didn't live forever! This isn't just a book of stories that dives into all that is wrong with the game there are also some touching and soul-stirring fables. 'Tie A Yellow Scarf' is a fable about an old Oak tree that hinders a non-league side's progress up the football pyramid, a tale that was an inspiration from that of the real-life story of St Albans FC, which Lee actually reported on at the time. The fable follows the relationship between two characters, one ageing club groundsman and a young fan who both have the same passion for their club, with the baton being passed over in a very touching story. Another fable, 'Superstition' , is an upbeat, funny look into the rituals many fans and players go through on a matchday for their team to win! Be it wearing a lucky item of clothing or meeting up for the game at the same place and sitting in the same seat! I have to say this book is wonderful, an easy read that makes you reflect on things in the game and the changes that we see; it also stirs the memory with bits of nostalgia, which are brought to the fore in one of the fables called 'Golden Eras' which left me all sentimental! 'Lazy Susan' , another one of the excellent fables is about a Scottish teenage girl who is a very talented footballer but is completely misunderstood and a troubled character who just needs someone to understand and believe in her, it's a story that highlights the struggle for women and girls to make their way in the game and for those who are typecast and labelled and consequently looked over but also shows that barriers can be broken down, this story leaves you with a smile on your face. I can say without any hesitation this book is a thoroughly enjoyable read; even though they are short stories, you get to understand each character intimately, feel their emotions and visualise what they look like or who they portray in the real world of football! You can buy your copy of this excellent book by clicking below. FOOTBALL FABLES - BY LEE WELLINGS I asked Lee what has following Horsham FC given to him and what he loves about football at that level? Horsham FC helped me rediscover my childhood love of sport. The club and many other aspects of English non-league football are what sport should be. They are for the community, bringing people together, and affordable, and the bonus at Horsham is how well the team have done on the pitch under Dom di Paola. My first visit to the club (while house hunting in Horsham) was his first full season in charge in 2016. The club have had unprecedented success in the league (two promotions) and cups under him. The bond between management, players, and fans is a special one and has been an inspiration to use in my writing about ‘proper football’ in the past few years. Here's a video and a wonderful story we recently shared on our Facebook courtesy of Lee and it really sums up one of the many great things about non-league football and Horsham FC! This is Jose. He’s from Peru. The many travelling Horsham fans sing about our love for a South American country who was one of the best ⚽️ teams in the world in the late 70s. “it’s just like watching Peru.” The sash on our kit is inspired by Peru. A few of our fans wear Peru shirts. So when I saw the shirt waved around at the game today during the song I presumed it was a fan from our town. Turns out Jose is actually from Peru! And this was his first Horsham match. He’s from Lima but moved to Sussex from Italy! A 2-1 away win at Whitehawk with around 250 travelling fans in the 7th tier of English football. Naturally, he loved it! Lee can also be found on Substack, where you can follow his brand-new online fables, which are part of a subscription to The Sports Specialist, where you can find his latest fable offering, 'Gangsta Ref', about a referee who turns the stakes and terrorises fans and players! Here's a little teaser from Lee: Lee also writes other interesting journalistic articles on sports throughout each month: 👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼 https://substack.com/@leewellings?r=1mq3dz&utm_medium=ios It's been an absolute pleasure reading the book and speaking to Lee, and I look forward to reading his future work and Football Fables and lastly, best wishes to Horsham FC in the future!

Our Awayday this week saw us attend Carlton town taking on North Ferriby in the Northern Premier east Div. as always the full article will be out 1900hrs on Thursday bout here is a taster: I caught up with Football Royalty on Saturday, one of the nicest men in football a top top bloke, we had a chat about Carlton town, Nottingham Forest and the the Late great Dennis Law who Ian played with at Manchester United.

One of us took the opportunity to take a trip down to Hampshire to visit Wessex League Premier Division side Andover New Street FC for their huge FA Vase quarter-final cup match and the biggest game in their history against Heanor Town in a game where both teams had never reached this far in the non-league cup competition for sides who play at step 5 & 6 of the National League system. After arriving at Andover train station it was time for a quick pint in the nearest pub and straight away you could sense the buzz in the town, one of the locals informed me his Godson was playing for The Street today! he then told me where to get the free minibus transfer to Foxcotte Park the home of Andover New Street which had been kindly put on by the club for the 3-mile journey. After paying the £7 to get in and picking up an excellent programme for £2, I met up with The Street's head of media, Kelly Wilson, who had kindly agreed to show me around even though she was super busy, which was much appreciated! The sun was out and it felt like the first day of spring! The DH Property Stadium was buzzing with hundreds of fans soaking up the atmosphere, taking advantage of the 2 separate food stalls and a burger bar, and quenching their thirsts in the busy clubhouse. You could see the local community had turned out in numbers and it was fantastic to see so many kids who play in the 50 junior sides playing impromptu games of football in their Andover New Street kits on any spare bit of grass they could find! The stadium is situated in a beautiful setting, and Foxcotte Park has been their home since 1992 with a grass pitch, a modern-looking seated stand on one side, and a covered small stand behind one goal; the previous record attendance was smashed on the day with a fantastic crowd of 953! It was great to meet Rufus, the dog, as well, who was wearing his Streets football kit! As I was mooching around the ground, I saw quite a few fans wearing face masks depicting The Streets manager Jamie Coleman, which obviously shows how well thought of he is at the club; I spoke to one of the fans called Steve, who only turned out to be Jamie's long lost brother! It was great to have a little chat with some of The Streets 'Green & Black Army' who were a lovely group of fellas who go home & away and create the atmosphere that no doubt inspires the lads on the pitch. Hats off to the 2 to 300 Heanor fans who had made the 150-mile trip down from Derbyshire for what was one of their biggest game for years and it was a pleasure to have a chat with some of them and was great to see the passion from their young fans who made plenty of noise throughout the game along with their drum. Before the match, one of The Streets players, Jake Rawkins, who was unfortunately cup-tied on the day, kindly gave his time for a short interview. The waiting was over and it was time for Kick-off! The young Heanor fans made sure to give the home side keeper a warm welcome with a rendition of 'Baldy give us a wave, baldy baldy give us a wave'! 😂 The first half was a close affair with nothing between the 2 sides, and the referee made his mark early on by booking a Heanor player after just 10 seconds! However, the deadlock was broken just before halftime with the home side taking the lead in the 43rd minute At half-time, I went and got a drink in the hospitality bar and started to talk to a lovely lady called Joy, who told me she would be turning 88 this week! And then went on to tell me about her late husband, Brian Waterman, who had played a big part in the club over many years, and how much this big day meant to her. Into the second half & The Green & Black Army were now in full voice and didn't hold back in poking fun at Heanor Town & Derby County! 😂 In the 58th minute, the referee had his cards out again, but this time, it was a straight Red 🟥 meaning the task for Heanor had just got a lot harder! Full credit to Heanor Town, though, as they kept pilling forward, looking for an equaliser, and the game was becoming end to end due to them leaving themselves open at the back. With minutes to go, I bumped into an old work colleague I hadn't seen for years, and he told me his son Scott Hassell was on the bench for the street and was just about to come on. Heanor was now throwing the kitchen sink at The Street, and in the 90+11th minute, they had a freekick in a very dangerous area! The referee finally blew the full-time whistle, and the amazing scenes followed with the players, staff and fans all celebrating together! The players were applauded off by the many youngsters as they made their way back to the dressing room. I caught a quick word with one of the Street players, forward Greg Peel who looked like he had given everything! The celebrations after the game continued in the bar with "Que sera sera" echoing around the clubhouse! During the day, I also spoke to Alex, who really highlighted all the great work the club do in the community with The Andover Streets Ahead project, who proudly support adults & children with additional needs to participate in community-based football. All I can say is what a fantastic day at a fantastic club! It was an absolute pleasure to be in attendance on such a historic day for The Street! A big thank you to Kelly for giving me her time and hats off to both sets of supporters who created a cracking atmosphere, you can clearly see this club is a hub for the community and feels like one big family from the board to the manager Jamie Coleman to the players and all the supporters of all ages. We sincerely hope Andover New Street go all the way to Wembley and creates a legacy for future generations to come and compounds all the great things they bring to the community already! My day out in Hampshire was truly a day of Proper Football! Best of luck in the semi-finals!

Proper footballs, good friend Darren Ashley took his non-league Vlog down to Hendon for their clash against top of the table Dartford. Hendon probably more famous for its RAF museum and the training of Metropolitan police officers but is also home to Hendon FC . Find out more and see Darren‘s highlights of what looks to be a cracking game of football with plenty of goals by clicking the link below. https://youtu.be/iakJgPlq65Q

Catch up on our latest live Proper Football Podcast! On Mondays live show we looked back at the FA Cup 4th round and discussed all the talking points to come out of it, the lads also touch on a non-league football, VAR and lots more! Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel!

Yes, our first ever live podcast on a Monday night and with all the FA Cup has thrown up this weekend what a podcast it will be so join me and the team . Stream will be live on our Facebook, YouTube and X platforms all accessible by links on this website, so we look forward to you joining us tomorrow and as always you can comment and ask questions and get involved.

To those with relevant interest, the name Nuneaton mentioned in a football context carries, in the eyes of some, a rather unsavoury reputation, with various examples of poor running and ill-intentioned ownership cited as the reasons behind this. The club’s ever loyal fanbase have seen their club hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons in the not-too-distant past, longing for stability and a club they can be proud of.   A New Regime in Town at Nuneaton!   Fast forward to the present day however and what we are now presented with is a club that bears no resemblance of the old regime, demonstrating that they are firmly on track and powering forwards in the right direction, providing fans with what they’d been longing for and more. Testament to the fans’ passion, dedication and unrivalled determination, a steering group was created and the wheels set in motion to bring football back to Nuneaton, which proved to be a huge contributor to the inception of Nuneaton Town FC.  As a result of the new set up and the club now having the right people in the right places (something I personally witnessed and experienced firsthand), coupled with a completely fresh outlook and a real determination to move this club in a positive direction, fans now have the opportunity to support their local club and turned out in decent numbers with a total attendance of 405 on the day of my visit.   Whilst what I am about to reference can be demonstrated at various clubs regardless of the level they play at, and something I find is not talked about and celebrated enough are those within clubs like Nuneaton dedicating their time on a voluntary basis, purely for the love and passion they hold for their club. Nobody that I have ever encountered epitomises this and provides a more existential example than Phil, a match day volunteer that I met during our visit to the home of Bedworth United, where Nuneaton currently play their home games.   What was clear to me from my very first interaction with Phil was how much he loves the club and how much his role within the club means to him, he spoke with pure passion and brimmed with excitement when providing me with his thoughts on the new regime and what he hopes the future holds for the club, a full interview on which can be found below and is well worth a watch. Something equally apparent to me from the early exchanges with the hierarchy at the club is how much people like Phil and roles that can sometimes go criminally unnoticed are spoken about with such appreciation and clearly valued immensely. It was a real pleasure and a privilege to meet a real-life grassroots hero! As many a football fan will attest to, you can’t beat a bit of good old fashioned footy fare, which is exactly what I managed to get my hands on and finding decent value in terms of the pricing to boot made it taste that little bit better. Value in football is an ever-dwindling commodity, demonstrated in no small part by those at the ‘top’ of the game, who are quite frankly ripping the heart and soul out of football for me with inflated prices to match the inflated egos that dominate topflight football in this country, thus creating a corporate style environment no longer aimed at your traditional football fan. Drop a bit further down the pyramid however (where the entertainment value is just as high might I add) and you can enjoy your football fix for a fraction of the price and contribute to organic growth of clubs deserving of your hard-earned money and time.  ‘ Chicken Balti Pie & Chips with Gravy – £7.50 Pint of Guinness - £4.65 What’s not to love about that!’ ‘Tickets – Adults £8 Concessions (65+) £6 Young Adults (16-18) £6 Children (5-15) £1 Children (Under 5) FREE   Value for money if I ever did see it, and in case you were worried about a lack of atmosphere, you need not!’     For me, a day at the football isn’t just about the football itself, it’s the whole experience from the atmosphere to the food (and beer) on offer, your surroundings and the general feel within the stadium. A friendly, family, community feel around a club is immensely important to me and it would be an understatement to say that Nuneaton Town possesses all of this and more in abundance. There absolutely is a new regime in town and the fans have a club they can shout about once again. I cannot thank everyone at Nuneaton Town enough for their phenomenal hospitality or speak highly enough of their exemplary ownership model and vision for the future. It’s safe to say that I will be back, not just as part of the Proper Football team, but also as a fan!