As I made my way towards the entrance gate at Ilford FC in the driving rain, I thought to myself, “why aren’t I back at home, watching the Champions League, like every other normal human being”, but I knew why I was there, to take in a level of football that is lightyears away from England’s top table, the ninth tier to be exact.
As about 50 people gathered to watch this Essex Senior League clash between Ilford and Takeley, I caught up with Ilford chairman, Michael Foley to discuss what effect he feels Non-League has on the community, and how different it is to the riches and bright lights of the Premier League:
“For those who care about their local club it becomes an association bordering on obsession.”
Similarities With The Top
Some people do truly prefer pouring all their time into a non-league side, they are at one with the players, management and even in some cases, their respective club’s committee members at this level.
You can reach out to your star striker for a pint after the game, you can chat for hours upon hours to the chairman or the manager about the action on the pitch and they will truly take on board your views, everyone and everything feels so much more connected!
Put it this way, you couldn’t imagine Ed Woodward going for two or three drinks with the fans after the game would you, you get that at non-league, that special feeling of togetherness. The community.
Bringing People Together
There are of course some similarities with the game at the top level, escapism being the main one. People could really be going through a tough time within their personal or working lives and for everyone who has an interest in 22 men kicking a ball about for 90 minutes, for that period, nothing else matters – just what goes on between those white lines on a Saturday afternoon.
That’s what’s so universal about football, the fact it can bring complete strangers together when their team is playing, and all their other worries get drained away.
The money aspect is the main reason people swap to the lower levels, I spoke to the programme editor at my local side, Cheshunt and he simply said, “I gave up with the top level when they started earning more in a week than I do in a year”, and that just sums it all up, clubs from the 7th tier of England’s football pyramid and below would kill to earn some of the funds that teams in the top level obtain, “At this level you’re constantly teetering on the edge of disaster.
Most clubs live from hand to mouth and even the fortunate ones [with some investment] are in direct competition with other clubs -for fans/volunteers/recognition as well as for players”.
Most clubs at Ilford’s level (ninth tier of English football) do not have any regular investment, so for example when people say, “Oh the FA Cup? Yeah, it’s not what it used to be”, think again!
Give It A Go
A run to the second qualifying round of the competition can fund for half of a 9th tier sides season, it still is such a big deal to teams in the lower reaches of the pyramid.
Most of these clubs are solely run by volunteers too, good, honest people who give up their time to a club at the heart of their community, who tie it all together and provide people with an escape route or a hobby at 3pm on a Saturday afternoon.
So all in all, next time somebody brushes off the idea of attending a Non-League game, think again, its real people, real communities, real football, for a fraction of the price off a premier league ticket, give it a try, you wont regret it.
Picture courtesy of Local Bus Driver (flickr)
