2023 IS ONE TO SAVOUR!
TNT Sport pundit
MOMENT OF 2023
Wrexham lifting the National League title. I know people will look at the quick-fix of the new owners and the amount of money they’ve spent. However that doesn’t guarantee success.
It’s the overall scenario. Once upon a time the club was going out of business, the fans took over and saved it – an accumulation of things led to that moment.
TEAM OF 2023
Southend United. When you look at what that club has been through, it’s remarkable where they are. If they didn’t have the ten point deduction they would be in the play-offs. This season they’ve had one or two subs to choose from at times and are still competitive. Kevin Maher, his staff and squad are doing a remarkable job.
MANAGER OF 2023
Again, Kevin Maher. Southend haven’t been able to sign players because of the transfer embargo and you don’t know from one day to the next if you’re going out of business. To motivate players when they’re not being paid, having one sub to choose from, it’s almost been an impossible job. But he’s done it with dignity and never used the off-field problems as an excuse.
PLAYER OF 2023
Macaulay Langstaff for breaking the National League goalscoring record and Paul Mullin for his performances in leading Wrexham to the title. Without him Wrexham probably don’t win it.
BEST GAME YOU SAW LIVE
It’s a toss-up between the National League Promotion Final and, of course, Wrexham 3-2 Notts County on Easter Monday.
That’s the one I’ll have to go for. At TNT Sports we built it up as the biggest game in Non-League and it didn’t disappoint. The next morning it was national news and social media was going crazy. I even had people coming up to me on holiday in Cornwall talking about it! Ben Foster’s penalty save in stoppage-time was incredible at the end of an amazing game.
ONES TO WATCH IN 2024
I’m going for three here. Aldershot’s Josh Stokes – people talk about finding the next Jamie Vardy! He’s stepped up with ease into the National League. He’s only 19 and is arguably the best teenager I’ve seen in ten years of covering the National League.
Bromley’s Ben Krauhaus is another I am really excited to see where his career could take him. He’s at one of the best clubs in the National League for producing young players.
And Altrincham’s Chris Conn-Clarke. He’s so important for them and it was a great decision to stay at the club after his loan spell last season.
ANDY MITCHELL
NLP Reporter
MOMENT OF 2023
It has to be Archie Mair’s introduction at Wembley. ‘Blimey, he’s actually changing the keeper…’ came the call as Notts County boss Luke Williams took the ultimate risk ahead of the penalty shootout that decided the 2023 National League Promotion Final.
What came after was magical and chaotic enough, but having been through a breathless two hours of football, the move itself drew gasps from every corner of Wembley and made for unforgettable drama.
TEAM OF 2023
Known as one of those clubs that always ticked along at Step 5, Lye Town never truly at risk of going down but with no chance of going up, little Lye have become the talk of the Black Country.
Up-and-coming boss Grant Joshua has pulled together what others may have considered waifs and strays alongside a batch of unknown youngsters, moulding a team that not only reached Step 4 against the odds but has now established itself as a contender in the NPL Midlands division.
MANAGER OF 2023
When Andy Peaks took on a Step 3 relegation battle with Tamworth in February 2022, even he would not have dared to believe the Lambs would end 2023 in a Step 2 title tussle with Scunthorpe United.
The progress has been mind blowing but this year in particular has been a dream – a last-day title success on goal difference in front of nearly 2,000 fans followed by taking National North by storm.
PLAYER OF 2023
Nicke Kabamba at Barnet – that consistent presence on the scoresheet, so much so that it becomes expected without being celebrated.
Barnet’s renaissance under Dean Brennan has been a team effort but Kabamba’s goals and the way he offers a focal point in attack makes such a difference to what they do.
BEST GAME YOU SAW LIVE
Denbigh Town 3 Mold Alexandra 2 in Cymru North on Friday, November 3 – I caught this one while on a break in North Wales. A ding-dong derby, frenetic tempo and fiercely competitive throughout, the hosts led twice but got pegged, then had a cast iron penalty waved away in added time.
There was still time for a second booking to reduce Mold to ten men with Dan Parry-Jones popping up at the back post to win it for Denbigh five minutes past the 90.
ONES TO WATCH IN 2024
Congleton Town and AFC Telford United – I’ve gone with a couple of teams for this one. Both are geared up for bigger things with huge fanbases and savvy managers in Richard Duffy (Congleton) and Kevin Wilkin (Telford).
Solid with strong identities and styles that opponents find so hard to shackle, casting your eye over them is a must for any neutral in the months ahead.
JON COUCH
NLP Executive Editor
MOMENT OF 2023
As always, plenty spring to mind but it’s got to be Ben Foster’s last-second penalty save from Cedwyn Scott to earn Wrexham victory in the big clash of last season’s National League top two against Notts County has to be the one.
A deathly silent Racecourse Ground saw Foster show his Premier League to push away his spot-kick and earn the victory which gave Wrexham a huge title edge.
The play-offs were equally as thriling with Notts County scoring twice late on to beat Boreham Wood in the semis before edging past Chesterfield on penalties in the final.
TEAM OF 2023
Paul Cook’s Chesterfield played third fiddle to record-breaking Wrexham and Notts County last season – but now they are the ones making the headlines.
Summer acquisitions Will Grigg, Tom Naylor and Michael Jacobs have taken the Spireites to a whole new level and now it’s Wrexham looking over their shoulders with their 111-point National League record in serious doubt.
They’ve been made to wait for a Football League return at the SMH Group Stadium, but it will take a huge turnaround of fortunes to deny them success this time round.
MANAGER OF 2023
Many eyebrows were raised when Tommy Widdrington left National North high-fliers King’s Lynn Town for top-flight strugglers Aldershot Town just a handful of games before the end of last season.
Controversy followed but Widdrington proved to be a priceless acquisition for the success-starved Shots as he set about turning around fortunes at the EBB Stadium.
With impressive summer recruitment, Widdrington has now turned relegation candidates into play-off contenders, much to the delight of his new army of fans.
PLAYER OF 2023
NGA winner Macaulay Langstaff will of course earn many people’s votes for his record 42 National League goals last season, but Aldershot Town’s teen sensation Josh Stokes also deserves to be in the equation.
Lured from Step 4 AFC Sudbury in the summer, the 18-year-old playmaker has taken to the top-flight like a duck to water, scoring 15 goals from midfield to take the Shots to all new heights.
The question is, how long can boss Tommy Widdrington hold onto him?
BEST GAME YOU SAW LIVE
Dubbed as Non-League’s biggest ever game, the battle between the National League’s dominant top two, Wrexham and Notts County, at the Racecourse Ground on April 10 certainly didn’t disappoint.
John Bostock’s magnificent opener for Notts, Wrexham’s comeback, Kyle Cameron’s equaliser and Elliot Lee’s late intervention – it was a game which had the lot even before Ben Foster’s dramatic penalty save from Cedwyn Scott.
“I don’t think I have a heart anymore”, said Wrexham’s Hollywood owner Ryan Reynolds. The 10,000 crowd felt it too.
ONES TO WATCH IN 2024
Bromley boss Andy Woodman compared teenage winger Ben Krauhaus to Arsenal’s Emile Smith Rowe in pre-season – and it’s easy to see why.
The 19-year-old is one of the hottest prospects in NonLeague football and Woodman looks set to face another battle to keep his young guns at Hayes Lane after losing Kellen Fisher to Norwich City in the summer. There’s sure to be plenty of suitors.
MATT BADCOCK
NLP Editor-at-large
MOMENT OF 2023
Notts County winning promotion at Wembley. After serving up some of the best football we’ve seen in the National League and amassing so many points, it seemed only right Luke Willams’ side got over
the line. But it was also fitting in the memory of late CEO Jason Turner, whose picture looked down on the hallowed turf.
Also Bury FC returning to their Gigg Lane home.
TEAM OF 2023
Bromley have had a brilliant year and are a great example of how to build and grow a Non-League football club.
Who had Aveley down to win promotion to the National League South and then compete as well as they have.
Tamworth have really stepped up in the National League North too.
I’ll also mention FC Halifax Town for their Isuzu FA Trophy triumph and play-off push this season.
MANAGER OF 2023
Andy Woodman is not only getting results at Bromley but he is helping produce young and exciting players. Look at Kellen Fisher, who he entrusted last season and is now in the Championship with Norwich City. But it’s also their play-off run last season and their current position in the National League table.
Danny Scopes for the reasons outlined above at Aveley, and a mention for Dean Brennan at Barnet for the year they’ve had.
PLAYER OF 2023
Josh Stokes. I watched him loads at AFC Sudbury last season and he always stood out as a pivotal player in their promotion from Isthmian North. It’s great to see him take the National League by storm this season at Aldershot. If I was Tommy Widdrington I’d be tempted to turn my phone off this January!
Nicke Kabamba deserves praise too. Scored loads of last season and people asked if he could do it again – he has.
BEST GAME YOU SAW LIVE
The National League Promotion Final between Notts County and Chesterfield was laced with tension and drama including late goals, great strikes and nerve-wracking penalties.
The Isthmian North semi-final between AFC Sudbury and Grays Athletic was an enjoyable game too.
ONES TO WATCH IN 2024
I’m intrigued to see how Josh Stokes keeps progressing and, another popular choice, Ben Krauhaus at Bromley. He looks a real talent too.
I’m also keeping an eye on Gosport Borough managers Pat Suraci and Joe Lea. Aged 25 and 26, they are only in their second season as managers but they had success at Petersfield Town last season and are impressing with Boro this term.
MARK CARRUTHERS
NLP Reporter
MOMENT OF 2023
Despite their defeat in the FA Trophy Final, seeing Gateshead’s directors and supporters enjoying their Wembley weekend will live with me for a long time.
These are the same people that rescued the club from going out of business four years ago and that weekend, result aside, felt like a massive reward for their ongoing efforts.
TEAM OF 2023
There are the obvious ones in here with title winners at the top end of the Non-League pyramid taking the limelight but from a north-east point of view seeing Newton Aycliffe win the Northern League and overcome difficulties to end the year in the top half of the Northern Premier League East was a remarkable achievement.
With all due respect to Brian Atkinson and his squad, I don’t think too many saw them as realistic title contenders but they have gone above and beyond in some style
MANAGER OF 2023
I think it has to be Luke Williams. The style of play he coaxed out of Notts County was a joy to watch and I can’t have been the only onlooker that was overjoyed when his impressive work was rewarded with promotion after that dramatic play-off final.
PLAYER OF 2023
Macaulay Langstaff takes it for me. I was fortunate to see his development at Gateshead and his potential was finally realised during their National League North title win in 2022.
He was doubted when he made the step into the National League and he was doubted again after promotion with Notts County – but, as expected, he keeps proving those doubters wrong with his four goals for the Magpies on Friday taking his tally for the season in League 2 to 19.
BEST GAME YOU SAW LIVE
Gateshead v Barnet in the FA Trophy semi-final was as dramatic a game as I think I have seen.
It was just remarkable from the first whistle as a depleted Heed side races into a threegoal lead and looked to be already on their way to get their suits measured for Wembley.
But Barnet are made of stern stuff, as we knew, and they roared back into the game to force it to a shoot-out.
Alas, their efforts were in vein as former FA Vase winning captain Louis Storey scored the decisive penalty to secure Gateshead’s first ever cup final visit to Wembley.
ONES TO WATCH IN 2024
Kevin Hayes at Stockton Town. I’ve always rated the talented winger very highly and he has had a sniff at a higher level during a short stint with Spennymoor Town.
However, I firmly believe he is showing the sort of form that could earn him a second crack at proving himself above Northern Premier League level.
That said, the way the Anchors are going, there is no reason why he couldn’t do it with his current club.