Island hoppers have discovered the ‘real’ game

AS a season ticket holder for many years at West Ham, Non-League football is not something I’d taken much notice of until recently.

After spending two years at the London Stadium, I chose not to renew my season tickets for my 10-year-old son and I as the money-obsessed Premier League football is just not the game I fell in love with anymore. Finally I’d had enough. My son plays for a youth team at Canvey Island so we started going there on a Saturday instead and we love it.

At a recent away game to Maldon & Tiptree the (then) manager Danny Heale spotted my son Frankie in the stand still wearing his Canvey training kit from that morning, Danny asked him if he’d like to come on the pitch during the warm-up and meet the players. He was also then invited into the changing room for the team talk and got to lead the Canvey team onto the

pitch and line-up with both squads and the officials! It made his day.

Thank you to Danny and everyone at Canvey Island for helping me and Frankie to enjoy ‘Real’ football again. MARK STANLEY via email