There’s no shame in being a ‘shamateur

IN regards to Ian Ridley’s column (NLP, October 14), I was very happy to become a ‘shamateur’ when I got into the Wycombe team in 1964 with Don Welsh as manager.

It is engraved on my memory because after pocketing my first £5 in a match againt Hendon and looking forward to the untold riches to come, The FA suddenly examined the ‘books’ of Clapton, and that was the end of the ‘little brown envelope’. Cash later started to dribble back in ‘travelling expenses’ and ‘overseas tours’.

I can see Martin Allen’s point that the epithet ‘Non-League’ could actually imply ‘not professional’ and yet The NLP does speak for and to the roots of the game and many letters appear in your paper about the enjoyment provided by the very nature of attending Non-League football.

Where else would you find the record of York Minster Engineering League Premier Division where I scored my last ever goal for Dunnington in 1974? So I would hang on the

The NLP banner. BRIAN FRENCH Chesterfield

I’VE just read the main piece regarding league restructures in Ian Ridley’s excellent column last week and it strikes me that The FA has failed to think through the promotion and relegation issues (or is it that the National League wouldn’t play ball?).

Surely it would have made sense for two clubs to be relegated from each of National League North and South and then for two clubs to be promoted from each of the four feeder leagues?

That would increase the regional National League divisions to 24 clubs each, while obviating the need for play-offs. There would then be four down from each division in future.

Although the season has started, it’s not too late to implement this this season, as I cannot think that any of the clubs would object.

The two teams finishing 20th would be reprieved and all the rest at Step 2 would have four more matches in which to make money for next season.

It would also get rid of the extra play-offs one level down at least for the first year. GRAHAM BEEVOR via email

JUST a comment on Ian Ridley’s column, why doesn’t the National League become Division 3 in name as it is a National League and is mostly contested these days by clubs with professional standards? That seems logical to me.

When all is said and done, teams falling on hard times get relegated to the division and those on their way up get promoted to the league. RAY WEBSTER Nottingham