5 REASONS WHY I LOVE NON-LEAGUE
Following a great Non-League Day, I felt compelled to offer a few reasons why, despite the glitz and glamour of the Premier League, the lower leagues can be much more fun to follow. After all, who needs Manchester United when Maldon and Tiptree are at home?
1. THE ATMOSPHERE
Whilst you can’t compare the attendances, there is something brilliantly strange and unique about the atmosphere at a Non-League fixture compared to a Premier League game. The spontaneous witty chants, terrace standing and the fact everybody seems to know each other is a million miles away from the impersonal feel of some of the games at the very top level, and 100 people crammed into a rickety old stand tend to make a hell of a lot more noise than 60,000 spread out across a gleaming but soulless Premier League ground.
2. COMEDY MOMENTS
With so much at stake in every game in the Premier League, sometimes you get the sense it has all got too serious at the top. At a Non-League match anything could happen, from a ridiculous own goal to dogs running on the pitch to a good old-fashioned goalmouth scramble. Unpredictability is king in Non-League football.
3. THE SENSE OF COMMUNITY
When you fork out £50 to go to a Premier League match you know the money is going straight into the pockets of a billionaire owner. At a NonLeague fixture the few pounds you spend on a ticket and a burger is helping local, hard-working people, and there is satisfaction in knowing you have contributed in a small way.
4. THE CONNECTION BETWEEN PLAYERS AND FANS
The Premier League’s pampered, spoilt players are about as likely to come over after the game for a chat with the fans as they are to get through a post-match interview without using a tired old cliché. The players in the lower leagues are much more down-toearth and genuine, and are often good friends with many of the watching crowd.
5. YOU COULD SAY YOU WERE THERE TO SEE A FUTURE STAR
The likes of Jamie Vardy, Troy Deeney, Chris Smalling and many other stars all began their careers by playing Non-League football. It is a great place to do some scouting and later boast to your mates about how you were there to see a player before they landed their big move.