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Sun beating down on a good natured pitch invasion, and grown men crying with joy. That was the scenes at the final whistle of yesterday’s National League North play off final, where, Boston United, in my opinion, deservedly on the day, beat Brackley Town. Although very much in the camp of really wanting Brackley to win, I couldn’t help but be happy for Boston and their fans, all in all, my experience of them, even before kick off, was that they were a great bunch. When I visited St James Park yesterday to record my weekly Non League vlog (found at the bottom of this post), I thought it may be tricky to do it in the way I usually try to, as, the ground was segregated, and I knew that if I was to get a half decent recording spot, it would mean having to stand at the same spot for a few hours… one movement, and it would be quickly taken. I managed to get bits and pieces filmed before finding my spot an hour or so before kick off, so, it actually wasn't too bad in the end. Talking of end, after the pitch invasion, and the high profile nature of the match, I thought it may be really hard to get any post match interviews from the winning team, however, I was wrong. Keaton Ward, who had scored Boston’s equaliser, and incidentally, it was his birthday too, was great, and, although manager Ian Culverhouse was super busy with interviews, he kindly still had time for a small time Non League vlogger like me. In fact, I knew the dressing room were waiting for Ian to make an appearance, and I didn’t want to hold him up, so, I actually said it’s best you go in for celebration’s and I would wait around for the interview. Unbelievably, Ian appeared within a couple of minutes, and gave me as much time as I needed, that just sums up Non League for me, no prima donna’s and everyone has time for you. One final thing, just after the full time whistle, I’m not sure how, but I found myself next to a very happy emotional and tearful man in a suit. I had a quick chat with him ( not recorded) whilst he was receiving congratulatory hugs… and it turned out he was Boston United chairman David Newton. A fantastic day all in all, congratulations to Boston United, I hope they do really well next season, and, hopefully Brackley Town will pick themselves up, dust themselves off, go again and, in 2024/25, finally get promoted. 🤞 Once again, a big thank you to Darren Ashley for sharing another one of his great Vlogs which always give a wonderful insight into non-league football and the people involved with the game at grassroots level. Don't forget to follow and subscribe to Darren's YouTube channel where you can watch all his previous content and get notifications for up coming Vlogs.

Whilst scrolling through social media we came across a new page on Facebook called 'Girls Go Groundhopping' and watched one of their short Vlogs on a recent ground hop to a non-league game, we thought it was a great concept and was wonderful to see a dad taking his two daughters to the football. We got in touch with Tony the father of Freya and Scarlett and asked him all about Girls Go Groundhopping. What inspired you to start up your Facebook page with you and your two daughters? My eldest Freya started playing football for Widnes FC and I wanted to take her to some games so she could get a sense of what football is and the community and friendship it will bring her. I wanted to share our experiences with people in the hope it would inspire other parents to take their kids. My sole aim as a parent is to introduce my girls to sport and communities around the country. Football in particular was massive for me as a child and it really helped build my social circles. This day and age we are all guilty of spending too much time on our phones or watching games on TV. We hope to inspire parents and children to get out and participate/watch sport at grassroots level. My inspiration for doing this channel/page was Darren Ashley (Dash71) who makes videos for Facebook and YouTube. Just watching him and his passion for watching football and making friends pushed me to start sharing our journey with others. How long have you been groundhopping with your girls? Our first Game was 12th of July whilst out in the USA we watched New England Revolution at the Gillette stadium in Massachusetts. The girls loved the whole experience from the fan zones to the American way of chanting. Once we returned I wanted them to experience grassroots football at our local club (Runcorn linnets). Our first Game was Runcorn Linnets vs Newcastle Town on the 22nd of August which I would say was the PROPER football start to our ground hopping journey. How many grounds have you visited so far? As on 2nd of May 2024 we have been to 42 Games at 30 Different grounds, and after the bank holiday weekend it will be 44 Games and 32 different grounds! What do your daughters most enjoy about groundhopping? Freya loves the goalkeeper shirt colours, making friends and taking her football with the hope of going onto the pitch at half time. Scarlett equally loves making friends and loud atmospheres, she always likes to stand with the ultras and learn some chants. Do you all support a particular football team? Me personally (Tony their dad) I'm a Liverpool fan but I lost the love for the game after Liverpool won the champions league in 2005 because it then became unaffordable for us to go (me and my dad). So for years I've followed football from afar with no real interest. My love for football has never dwindled but my obsession for one club did. The girls are both FC ST Helens women fans mainly because there is a player called Freya who obviously shares the same name as my daughter. The club have also gone above and beyond in making the girls feel welcome every time they go and also allowing them to walk out on the pitch with the ladies team On a weekly basis the girls ask are we going to watch Freya this week. Do you all have a favourite particular ground hop? The one that stands out for the girls is Blackpool at Bloomfield road Vs Peterborough United because the atmosphere was unreal and they had a chant that was just simply 'SEASIDE' and the girls loved it. My favourite ground hop was probably Witton Albion for a couple of reasons, first being they are a fantastic community club, they instantly noticed that they hadn't seen the girls before and made us feel really welcome, we even got DM from the chairman after the game. Lastly sitting in the stands it was the first time I probably realised just how good this was for me and the girls. Best food you've experienced at a ground hop? Well if you check out videos out you'll see  we mostly just get a cup of tea and chips. So if you are Asking for the beat chips then 1874 Northwich is number one. Home made chips by some lovely old lady. What do you think of the modern-day game and the Premier League? All being honest I've got a total disconnect to top level football now. My dad always used to say to me even though we see this great style of playing out from the back, when you break it down teams play not to lose rather than to win the game. It's only when you start going to league one games and below you see just how much winning actually means to people. Nothing beats a long kick up the park, a flick on and a dink over the keeper for me. What do you most enjoy about nonleague football? The communities and the access to players. Have you been to any grounds outside of the UK? We recently went to CF Benidorm which is now owned by David Villa the Spanish legend! And as I previously mentioned, New England Revolution. I'll also include Cliftonville, just because we jumped on a plane to Northern Ireland. What ground is on your bucket list to visit? UK I'd say Brighton, Abroad I'd love to go to Mainz ground in Germany What are your plans for next season? Currently I'd like to go to a game at every level North West Counties (or southern equivalent upwards) up to the premier league. It would be nice to complete one of the North West counties divisions and watch as many women's teams as we can. What is the best way for people to follow you and the girl's groundhopping adventures? We are on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube and Tiktok, just search GIrls Go Groundhopping! A big thank you to Tony, Freya & Scarlett for sharing their story with us and we hope this inspires others to follow suit and we look forward to seeing the future adventures of Girls Go Groundhopping!

Yesterday, my Non League vlogging took me up to the midlands, for a clash between Walsall Wood & AFC Rushden & Diamonds. Wood came into the match, having, in effect, nothing to play for… however, for the Diamonds, they were hoping to pull of one of THE greatest relegation escape acts. They were on 4 points in January, 14 off survival, yet they had since hauled themselves to, basically, having to better relegation rivals Rugby Town’s result. The ensuing 90 minutes footy I saw was dramatic, and, nerves aplenty amongst Diamonds fans, with everyone knowing exactly what was going on in the Rugby match. At the end of the match, despite winning 2-0, it was despair for the away contingent, as Rugby had ended up winning 3-0 at Boldmere St Michael. I did an interview at the end of the game with a clearly despondent Diamonds player Cairo Taylor, and as I was wrapping up my filming, shock news came through that Loughborough Dynamo had issued a statement, basically, saying they wanted voluntary relegation. Absolutely shocking news for the players, fans and staff from Dynamo, but, a possible relegation lifeline for Rushden?… who knows. If you would like to watch the vlog, which I hope you do, as always, here it is below! Once again, a big thank you to Darren Ashley for sharing another one of his great Vlogs which always give a wonderful insight into non-league football and the people involved with the game at grassroots level. Don't forget to follow and subscribe to Darren's YouTube channel where you can watch all his previous content and get notifications for up coming Vlogs.

My vlog travels took me this weekend to a very sunny Hertfordshire, where I took in Royston Town v Kettering Town... thanks to an invite from Royston media man, and board member Neil Macleod. After my days footy and filming had ended, I was so grateful of the invite, because Royston Town is such a lovely club, with very welcoming and friendly people… and the team was not too shabby either!!! I feared beforehand, that I may not get the greatest afternoons entertainment, as, both teams had reached the point in the season where neither could get promoted or relegated….but, luckily, I got a match I really enjoyed, even if it wasn’t Kettering’s finest afternoon… and I’m quoting the words of some of their supporters I spoke too. Talking of supporters, Kettering fans, as always, travelled in good numbers, and that made for one of the better match atmospheres I have heard this season, which, hopefully you may hear if you watch the vlog below. One final thing, as always, both managers, Chris Watters & Kettering’s manager Richard Lavery were very friendly when I asked (and was granted) a pre-match interview, and in Chris's case, he was extra helpful, because, the original one I did with him was spoilt by the glaring sun, so, I asked him was it possible to do it again, which he was happy to oblige with… now, can you imagine that happening in pro footy???… I can’t, and that’s why I always maintain and want to promote that Non-League really is the best!!! Here's the Vlog, hope you enjoy it! Once again, a big thank you to Darren Ashley for sharing another one of his great Vlogs which always give a wonderful insight into non-league football and the people involved with the game at grassroots level. Don't forget to follow and subscribe to Darren's YouTube channel where you can watch all his previous content and get notifications for up coming Vlogs.

Another Saturday had rolled around and it was time to decide the next venue for us to ground hop, Its always a tough choice to pick a game but today was an easy one! I'd already decided where I was going a few weeks back as the battle at the top of the Isthmian League South East Division (step 4) between Ramsgate FC and Cray Valley Paper Mill has been nip and tuck between the two standout sides in the League all season and with them both sitting on 85 points and only separated by one on goal difference this was going to be the ultimate 6 pointer with only 3 and 4 games left to play respectively till the end of the season! On the way down from London on the train I read up on the two sides but having already seen Cray Valley PM play live twice this season already in the FA Cup against Carlshalton Athletic and on the TV against Charlton Athletic I knew they were a very good well organised side, I'd also been to see Ramsgate play at AFC Wimbledon in the FA Cup but was hard to gauge how good they were against the Dons who were ruthless on the night winning 5-0. The previous meeting of the clubs at Cray earlier in the season produced a 1-1 draw showing how evenly matched the teams are but Cray Valleys 100% away record of winning 16 out 16 on the road! showed that this was not going to be an easy game for the Rams who have only lost once at home all season! After paying £10 to get in which includes a free programme from the friendly turnstile operator I then bought a book of tickets for the half time raffle as you do, and then went to find the bar for a pint! There are two bars inside the ground and they are both situated on a raised area which gives you a great vantage point of the pitch with one of the bar indoors and the other outside with a serving hatch and next to that you can find the snack bar which had a great selection of food to pick from. The atmosphere was building nicely now with the ground filling up, one thing that struck me was the amount of youngsters in attendance which was great to see! Their was a good following of fans from Cray Valley as well and the outdoor bar area was buzzing with the beers flowing as we approached kick off with fans from both teams tying their flags on the barriers and the drum from the Ramsgate end getting the singing going on the terraced stand behind the goal. The stadium has a capacity of 3500 with covered terracing at both ends and a long seated stand down one side behind the dugouts, one nice little touch that shows the club go above and beyond for the kids that come along was two circular football cages at one end of the ground where the youngsters could have a kickabout! Onto the match, it was a very tight game as was to be expected with so much at stake with nothing between them and chances were few and far between, you can watch the highlights below in what turned out to be an enthralling game of football! Summary What a great day out on the South coast! in the end it was probably a fair result but until the last 10 minutes Ramsgate just didn't look like scoring against the well drilled defensive unit of Cray Valley, but hats off to the Rams who never gave up were urged on by the brilliant crowd of 2,563! Its a shame that their is only one automatic promotion spot as both teams deserve to go up but I have no doubt the runners up will go up via the playoffs. Cray Valley are in the driving seat with a game in hand and although today probably felt like a loss being 2 up so late, a draw was actually a very good result in the scheme of things. As for Ramsgate, I've got to say what a fantastic club and set up they have with a really nice family vibe and if I lived in the area I would be going back to watch them every week! Best wishes to both sides for the rest of the season!

Yesterday, I travelled to Bedfordshire to watch a vital match at the bottom of the Southern League Division 1 Central between Kempston Rovers & Aylesbury United. Now, the home side were 5 points adrift of safety with 4 to play so it was MUST WIN for them really, whereas, the away team were 5 point clear of the drop, so, for them, it was MUST NOT LOSE. On arrival, my daughter and I were warmly met on arrival, and were treated brilliantly by all at Kempston Rovers, which I can’t thank them enough for, but, for this, I want to give my thought’s regarding the respective managers. Firstly, I sought out Kempston manager Richard Keil, as I had got in touch with him regarding filming the vlog. He was a great guy, and despite the pressure of the impending match, he gave me plenty of time. We had a joke where, I mentioned that his name was the same as the actor who played the baddie Jaws in the James Bond films, and if his team won, I already had a title of my video in mind. After a quick on camera interview, it was time to try to meet Aylesbury manager David Tuttle. Once again, he also was a great guy, we had a good laugh off camera, then we did a quick interview. After the interview’s, the managers and I were chatting, and I assumed they knew each other pretty well, as they had an easy way with each other. So, the match comes, and goes, and, for once, I will give a spoiler….it finished Kempston 0-5 Aylesbury….which, now makes it almost certain Kempston will go down and Aylesbury will survive. So…as the teams and management walk off, I noticed Richard went back to the dugout on his own to just sit, and, I guess, ponder and think about what he had witnessed. It was then I decided I wouldn’t ask for a post match interview with him. Not long after, David came out, walked across the pitch and went and sat with Richard for a few minutes. I thought that was real classy from him. They came back off the pitch together, and, now, I was certain they were mates from way back as there seemed a real decent bond, but, to my complete surprise, when I spoke to them again, they had only met once…the previous encounter between the 2 teams, which was David’s first match. It was such a decent thing to see on, what was a crappy day for the home side, and honestly, these 2 fellas really are representing the teams clubs brilliantly, and, I just wouldn’t be surprised somewhere down the line they may end up a management duo ( you heard it here first ). One final thing, Richard dropped me a line in the evening, thanking me for coming and apologising for not changing much after the match due to how he was feeling…he had no need to apologise, he was great. ….Oh, if you fancy watching the vlog (it’s a bit longer than usual), Here it is! Once again, a big thank you to Darren Ashley for sharing another one of his great Vlogs which always give a wonderful insight into non-league football and the people involved with the game at grassroots level. Don't forget to follow and subscribe to Darren's YouTube channel where you can watch all his previous content and get notifications for up coming Vlogs.

For our latest Ground Hop we decided to make the short trip on Easter Monday to Rotherhithe in South London which is situated on a peninsula of the South bank of the River Thames to watch Fisher FC take on Holmesdale FC in their Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division match which is at Step 5 of the Non-League pyramid. After a short train ride to London Bridge and then 2 stops on the tube we walked 20 minutes from Canada Water (as Rotherhithe station was closed) to the ground with a quick pit stop in one of the very nice river side pubs 🍻 en route and arrived in good time to take a look around. After going through the turnstile paying the reasonable entrance price of £8 for adults, £5 concession & £1 u16 (free if accompanied by an adult) we was greeted by the very friendly volunteers where we bought the obligatory programme (very good quality) and pin badge! Fisher FC’s origins lie in the Fisher Catholic Club for Boys, founded in 1908 by Mr Norman Potter, aided by Michael Culliton, headmaster of the Dockhead School in Bermondsey, to provide sporting and recreational facilities for underprivileged youths. It was named The Fisher Club in memory of St John Fisher. The first football match on record was also against St. Patrick’s, a 2-1 win for Fisher at Norbury, though a fascinating transcript of an earlier fixture also survives: It was the very first football team “The Fisher” put on a football field,……It was a very good team. Its defence I would describe as reliable and clever, and its forward line would never have been arrested for loitering or hanging about near the goal, as the game very early in their career against Mauzi’s (Manze) shows when the lads won 29-0. Mauzi’s were the far-famed eel merchants and meat pie manufacturers of Tower Bridge Road and Blue Anchor Lane… Sadly on 13th May 2009, Fisher Athletic were wound up due to accumulating massive debts, but on 28th May 2009, a supporters trust was formed to take control of all club matters and they become a fan owned club and renamed as Fisher FC. They continued to play at Dulwich Hamlet until they returned to a new community football facility at the St Paul’s playing fields site, just over the road from the old Surrey Docks Stadium on Salter Road and began the 2016/17 season back in their spiritual home of Rotherhithe! Once inside the ground you are immediately struck by the stunning backdrop of the Canary Wharf development with the skyscrapers rising behind one end of the pitch, at the other end of the pitch is a covered terrace called 'The Dockers End' and along one half of the side of the pitch is another seated stand. With kick off fast approaching between the two sides who both sit mid table in the league with Fisher 11 points better off than Holmesdale FC we just had enough time to grab another drink from the very nice well equipped little clubhouse which was situated right next to the pitch. Kick off! We took our place up along the side of the pitch and watched what was a very close first half between two evenly matched sides, clear cut chances were few and far between but both teams were giving their all and it was end to end in a very entertaining first 45 minutes, it was great to se quite a few young players on show and the Fisher left winger , 16 year old Sam Sene-Richardson on loan from Chatham Town immediately caught the eye with some excellent deliveries from a series of corners and a calmness on the ball which led to making the right decisions under pressure with good use of the ball. Half time It was time to soak up the beers and cider so we headed to the little burger van situated in the car park next to the ground and was treated to one of the tastiest burgers of our ground hops this season... The Sharpie! served by the two lovely ladies behind the counter. After almost slipping into a food coma we had quick pit stop in the club house to get some more beer and cider and took our place on the opposite side of the ground ready for the second 45 minutes, as always at non league football you find yourselves chatting to other fans and we met two lovely fellas who follow Fisher in the crowd of 179 who told us a bit about the club and the history. Second half The second half saw the home side on the front foot trying to get back into the game but chances were still at a premium and when fisher did look like equalising the Holmesdale keeper pulled off an excellent finger tip save to direct the ball onto the bar, their was another goal to come in the match, and what a finish it was! Full time The referee blows the whistle and brings a good game to an end! The highlights of a very enjoyable day were many, the 16 year old Fisher left winger, the wonderful Holmesdale away kit, the mammoth Sharpie Burger! an excellent volley and some good football from both sides. We can highly recommend a day out down at Fisher FC, a very welcoming club in the heart of the community and a place you are made to feel at home! We finished they day off sampling the delights of a couple of local pubs including The MayFlower and The Ship and looked back on a fantastic day out and all agreed we would definitely be paying another visit!

Six days ago Jono Farrelly & Lee Jennings set off from Weston Super-Mare on their 150 mile TAB (Tactical Advance To Battle) to London to raise funds for the League of Veterans World Cup in May 2025 with the ultimate goal of raising £500k to offer support to homeless veterans not just in this country but globally as well. Everything they raise this year goes towards the logistics of the competition which covers pitch costs, referees, players travel, accommodation and food for the six day duration of the World Cup is on. We went up to The Wellington Barracks near Buckingham Palace to see the two finish their mammoth effort where they were accompanied by some Chelsea pensioners for the last few 100 yards. We was kindly invited into the Barracks where the lads were enjoying a well earned pint and a had a chat about the last six days on the road. The lads epic journey which started from The Grand Pier in Weston Super-Mare took them through Midsomer Norton, Devises, Kintbury, Sonning, Reading and Hounslow to the final destination at The Wellington Barracks saw them endure some tough terrain, big hills, sleeping rough out in the elements and carrying injuries, but with the help and support from kind people on the way who offered food, shelter and medical assistance they managed to get over the line in one piece! As it stands, they have raised just over £2,000 towards the target of £10k to get the World Cup up and running so please donate to the cause if you can or share the link to the GoFundMe which you can find by clicking here 👉 https://gofund.me/d49c78b6 UP THE VETERANS!

Non-League Day was set up by James Doe in 2010 as a social media experiment and has grown from strength to strength ever since and this year marked the 10 year milestone of the charity, Prostrate Cancer UK working alongside the annual day to raise awareness and vital funds for the most common cancers to affect men. As always Non-League Day is scheduled to coincide with an international break to provide a platform for clubs to promote the importance of affordable volunteer-led community football while giving fans across the country who usually go to a Premier League or EFL match the chance to show support for their local non-league side. One of the hardest decisions on Non-League Day (NLD) is to pick which game to go to! so the very handy local match finder on the NLD webpage came to the rescue and we decided upon Tooting & Mitcham United, a ground we hadn't visited before, for their game against Sandhurst Town. One of the special things we have found with Non-League football in the main is how all the clubs we have visited welcome you with open arms and treat you like a fan and part of their community and this was highlighted just minutes after we posted on X (Twitter) that we was going to watch TMUFC when the club sent a message informing us if we need anything, just message us when you get to the ground, how good is that! I arrived in good time to take a look around Tooting & Mitcham's ground but as I got out of my car and walked across the road the sunny spring day transformed into what looked and felt like a tornado! after retrieving my hat and being pelted with hailstones I quickly retreated back to the safety of my motor which gave me an opportunity to read up on on the form of both teams in action today. TMUFC and Sandhurst Town (who for some reason I kept calling Sandford🤦‍♂️) both sit in mid table 1 point apart, safe from relegation and to far away from the playoffs. The monsoon finally cleared and I made my way to the ground. I met some mates in the sports bar/club house which is situated outside the ground and was pleasantly surprised by the very reasonable price of a pint, we settled down and watched the early kick off game on the big screen whilst placing our losing bets for the day 😂 and then made our way to the turnstiles where you was allowed to take your drinks in with you! After making our way into the ground and only paying £5 I realised the singing turnstile operator must have thought I was an OAP and possibly heard me call the away side a completely different name, it was then time to buy another beer from the bottle bar next to the club shop and then buy a Golden Goal ticket from the friendly fella in the aptly named hut! I've got to say TMUFC's Imperial Fields Stadium blew me away! 3 sides of the ground include large terraces at both ends and an impressive seated stand behind the dugouts which holds 612 with the total capacity of 3,500, the record attendance was against AFC Wimbledon back in 2005 when 2,637 fans packed out the ground, also hats off to the ground staff who have done a great job with the grass pitch considering all the rain of late. The sun was shinning again as we took our place up behind the goal on the terrace that the home team was attacking against, with beers and programmes placed on the barriers it was time for kick off! It was a close fought first half with both teams getting stuck in which was good to see considering their wasn't much at stake with both teams being in mid table obscurity but after reading the home managers article in the programme it was clear he was looking for a reaction with Tooting losing their last 3 games with the last 2 games against teams near the bottom who they would expect to beat, but the deadlock was broken on 36 minutes with the youthful looking away side scoring a penalty. Its half time and time to sample the food and the Jerk chicken I've heard good things about from The Shak which is situated in the ground but is open 7 days a week. We was gutted that they had ran out of boneless Jerk Chicken but that was soon overcome when we served up with Brown stew Jerk Chicken with rice which tasted amazing! With the Jerk chicken demolished and washed down with a cider from the bottle bar to cool my mouth down we had to rapidly take cover under the roof of one of the terrace stands as another tornado hit Tooting! It was their I found myself chatting to another groundhopper who was also taking shelter from the sideways hailstones, he was a Redhill fan and a lovely fella called Darren who was visiting a new ground like myself, that's one of the great things about non-league football, you can go on your own but you can bet you end up chatting away to someone for ages! With the second half looming and the monsoon having gone I just had enough time for a trip to the toilet where Its always great to see the stickers from the away sides fans plastered all over the toilet cistern, its not normal practice to start taking photos in the men's lavatory but the coast was clear 😂 so here's a few pics including the Peckham Town one which was my favourite. Into the second half and its still nip and tuck with both teams still going for it and some last ditch defending by the home side with some goal line clearances clearly with the managers programme notes fresh in the players minds and then Tooting equalise on the hour mark to make it all square and in traditional fashion I didn't get it on camera! As always at non-league football the fans swap ends at half time so the Tooting faithful moved round to the opposite end but we stayed where we was and when their was a break in play we had the added bonus of watching another game on the pitch behind! The game is getting into the later stages now and anyone can win it but in the 74th minute Sandhurst win a corner and they retake the lead! Fair play to Tooting as they are doing all they can to get the equaliser and with a few minutes left the pressure pays off and they win a penalty to potentially make it all square! Meanwhile I'm getting abuse from my mates for using my phone! 😂 That's it, the referee blows the full time whistle and it finishes 2-1 to Sandhurst Town who in reflection deserved the 3 points, fair play to Tooting who definitely put in the effort but they come up short against a youthful energetic side who were deserved winners. Summary of the day... So glad I chose to come to Tooting & Mitcham United for Non-League Day, the experience from start to finish epitomises what non league football is all about, from the message on X from the club to the singing turnstile operator encompasses all that's great about football at this level! One thing I said to my mate on the day is that all the volunteers who worked on the turnstiles, club shop and at the bottle bar and else were all clearly passionate supporters of the team BUT they end up missing parts of the game through their shear dedication to the club! We know Non-league Day is over for another year but that shouldn't stop you from getting down to your local club and experiencing all that's great about non league football!

Non League Day 2024… as, soon as they said they would love to have my mate Thunder & myself back, I just HAD to return to Stratford Town FC, to vlog their home match v Long Eaton United. We had previously been there in mid January, where we were treated brilliantly, and had seen a thriller v Barwell FC. It was almost a Deja vu day, again, we were treated brilliantly, and, again, we saw a thriller… this time though, against different opponents. I was keen to arrive at the ground nice and early, for 2 reasons in particular… 1, I always always struggle with the opening on the vlogs, and need to record it quickly to get it over with, and 2, we would be probably be chatting for quite a bit to people we had met before. So, we arrive at, as Thunder moaned, the ridiculously early time of 12.45! First person we bumped into, was chairman Jed McCrory and we chatted for quite a while about everything from personal life stuff, plans for the football club and, his opinion on this new regulator coming into football. I have to say, after hearing his thoughts on that, I would be quite keen to do an in depth interview on that subject, as I was taken aback on his thoughts on how it affects step 2 and lower clubs. After catching up with many more familiar faces, it was time to do some more filming before taking our seats for kick off. Now, when I decide where best to sit, I tend to take in factors such as the position of the sun and, the end where I think there would be more action. I got this right in the first half, but let me tell you, it was sooo bloody cold with a really strong wind, I was struggling a bit with the recording. At half time we went inside to warm up a bit… but, early into the second half, I was soon cold again and my fingers started to numb... so, that is my excuse for missing recording a vital goal in the 2nd half. 95 mins then, and the game comes to an end, and, like I said above, we witnessed a thriller. As you know in these mini reports, I won’t mention the outcome of the match as I would like you to watch the vlog, which is found below! Back inside then to wrap up the filming, with more links and an interview. Once that was done, Thunder and I hung around for a while longer, talking to players, staff and fans about the club and match. Honestly, there is such a feel good factor about the place that it’s really hard not to be drawn into having a connection with “The Bards”… in fact, I for one will now always be a bit of a fan from afar. Time to leave the Arden Garages Stadium, where, once again, Thunder and I were reflecting on the journey home at what a brilliant place we have just visited again, and, if Stratford make the play offs, manager Gavin Hurren (pictured) has invited us back… and we have video evidence of that offer!!!!! Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy the Vlog! Big thank you to Darren Ashley once again for sharing another one of his excellent Vlogs and make to sure to follow his YouTube Channel and don't forget to subscribe!

As the third part of my rambling pilgrimage around Lincolnshire football clubs I visited Spalding United FC on the 23rd March 2024 to see them play Harborough Town FC, from neighbouring Leicestershire, a top of the table clash between Harborough in first place and Spalding in third. Spalding, a small town of around 31,000 inhabitants is situated in the south of Lincolnshire, the football team was formed in 1905 and has been playing in regional leagues ever since that date. You might think that their nickname ‘The Tulips’ lacks a little aggression (it is hardly a Tiger or a Wolf!) but really it shows great pride in the town and the area as it was the centre for English tulip growing and it still has an annual Tulip festival. Spalding United play at the Sir Halley Stewart Field which is a small ground close to the centre of town, so close that a wayward shot at goal may end up in B&Q! There is a small grandstand and a covered terrace behind the ‘home’ goal and a small shed that may be for the away supporters. The rest of the ground has no seats but the boundary of the pitch has handy advertising boards and a rail which makes standing and leaning almost comfortable! It cost me £10 to enter the ground but with concessions at £5 it is certainly a cheap way to spend an afternoon watching football. You can get chips and burgers and tea from a friendly food stall but for fans of EFL and Premiership clubs there is the unusual sight of beer being available in the ground and to be drunk pitchside, or indeed anywhere in the ground you fancy! The atmosphere was good, even though there were only 605 supporters they were obviously proud of their team and plenty of cheering and applause at appropriate time with just the occasional groan at a mistake. Opposition supporters mingle with home supporters and there seems to be no ill feeling which again might come as a surprise to those used to the ‘robust’ attitudes found in the top tiers of football. The great thing about grounds like this is that you are very close to the players and the coaches and managers, you can easily hear what is being shouted and a hard tackle has added impact on the spectators when you can hear the contact and see the marks left on legs! And so on to the match, as usual, I live texted to my family and here is how it went: Kick off A nice sunny afternoon but a tricky wind, I’m leaning on the barrier close to the coaching team An end to end match so far, plenty of commitment, the ball is getting plenty of air time Early pressure from Harborough, the Tulips are being forced back 1st corner for the Tulips comes to nothing A bit of long high ball tennis, both sides a bit wary of being caught in possession Ref is doing well, looks young Good football now from Spalding, created an excellent chance Harborough relying on balls over the top. The pressure is all from Spalding now, playing good football Harborough’s number 6 is huge and looks villainous Another shot on target for Spalding but not enough power to trouble the goalie Harborough defence make a mistake and Riley (everyone here knows his name!) nips in steals the ball and scores , 1 nil to Spalding they deserve it Half-time report: On a good flat pitch with a smooth carpet of grass, the team that is playing the most football is leading. Harborough are very physical and are relying on that but Spalding are brave and keeping the ball increasingly well. 1-0 is a deserved score but in a game of swift counter attacks we are only a mistake away from more goals from either team. I'm enjoying it, a great feeling and it is nice when the players apologise to the spectators personally for hitting them with a cleared ball! Second Half Still all action, it is a good watch. It can be confusing for me as a deaf person, come on Spalding sounds like come on baldy to me! I thought they were shouting at the goalie Harborough free kick just outside the area Into the wall Change of tactics from Harborough, they are keeping it on the grass and playing passing football, it has opened the match up. Defenders still hoofing it though, as is right and proper Pretty even now, both teams still highly committed, some robust challenges going in! The players are touching distance away at throw ins Spalding's manager is looking tense, shouting at the team to move up the pitch, they are being pressed back. Spalding defender injured, subbed Lots of late pressure from Harborough They're committing everyone forward Corner Harborough, straight out Corner Harborough, cleared In to added time Another Harborough corner, the keepers up!!! And they score.... 1 - 1 It's all over, final score 1 - 1 a good match of football, very enjoyable So what did I think about my afternoon watching football in Spalding? Well firstly and most importantly it was a good football match between two evenly matched teams. These are players who are playing because they love football, they play with pride and commitment and that is worth everything. Compared to EFL or National League there are a few more mistakes and the tactics seem to be more straightforward but that doesn’t take anything away from the spectacle. It is true community football as well, the two teams really do seem to represent their respective towns and you have a sense that the spectators are all the more devoted because of that. I think the Tulips can be proud of their club and I would certainly recommend it as a club to visit if you are ever in the area. Big thank you to Steve Boatright for another excellent blog on his Lincolnshire adventures and we look forward to the next one! 

Yesterdays filming of my weekly Non League vlog took me to Hayden Road, to watch AFC Rushden and Diamonds, for their home match v Lye Town F.C. Now, I could spend ages writing about how fantastically Diamonds, and everyone connected with them, treated me yesterday... Put it this way, I was chatting to so many people, at time’s, I completely forgot the purpose of the visit was to film and give R&D, and Lye Town some exposure! To say they were friendly and welcoming is an understatement, but, for this post, I want to tell you about a Frenchman at the Diamonds and how it came about… Rob Usher, the R&D chairman (pictured left) told me the below… R&D recently received an order for a home shirt from a small town in France on the Swiss border. Intrigued by this unusual request destination, Rob had to find out more, so he contacted the buyer as to why they were ordering a shirt from a Non League team from England ??? Manu, the buyer replied that, for no particular reason, he started playing the computer game, Championship manager as R&D, and started to do quite well… so well in fact that he started to follow the real teams results from far away! When Rob heard this, he invited Manu and a couple of his mates over for a game…and yesterday was the day. Manu even presented Rob with a shirt from his team, Annancy. As I was chatting to them after the match, Rob was tongue in cheek exploring the possibility of a friendly in the mountains! 😂 Manu told me that he and his mates had a brilliant time at the match, meeting players, and basically, feeling like VIP’s… I actually felt the same too! So, yet another story about why I love Non League, and the way they treat people. It’s also encouraging that the reach out there is bigger than I thought. Absolutely brilliant. So… if you are still reading and want to see how the match turned out, as always, here is the Vlog below. Big thank you to Darren Ashley yet again for sharing his latest Non-League adventure with us and another great Vlog that gives an insight into football at the lower levels. Please make sure to subscribe and follow Darren's YouTube Channel as well!