[Football] The Non-League Football Thread- 2021/22 Edition

[MattBackHome]

does anyone know if Littlehampton's ground would meet the requirements if they were to get promoted?

I'm no expert but I doubt it

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

Odd little set up at Met Police, Cash only and they charge £11, so didn't really understand why they were complaining so much about not having any change, its their own fault. Club house is outside the ground which was also slightly odd, but if you like floodlights this ground had absolute floodlight porn, a fantastic set of four floodlights on each corner. A nice stand on one side and a covered terrace behind one goal was also pretty decent. The game was a competitive affair between 1st (Farnborough) and 2nd (Met Police), with a couple of ex Whitehawk players in the Farnborough XI in Jordan Rose and Sam Deering, and Farnborough managed to edge it out by scoring 2 in the first half, before the Met got one back in the 93rd minute. The burger operation was very odd, with myself being told that there was no food halfway through the first half, to see a man walk around the ground with a burger, to go back at half time and they had a big sign with no food, to only queue up and find out there was food, very confusing. Not a ground that I will rush back to, just a tick I think and then onto the next one, which is the Ladywell Arena tonight to watch Forest Hill Park v Hilltop, in one of London's very exciting Athletic Track Stadiums, before heading to Margate and FC Romania at the weekend.

With your penchant for visiting many different, (and if l may so, often quite obscure), non league grounds around the county, you remind me of a chap l came across a few years ago at a game between my local side Cowfold and Southwater. He was a ground hopper who came all the way from Kings Lynn to take in the game.

Realising he was in a wheelchair and half blind l ended up trying to provide him with a running commentary as to what was happening on the pitch! Unable to get a taxi after the match, my wife gave him, (and his wheelchair), a lift back to Horsham station to start his long journey home.

Whilst being full of admiration for him for being prepared to devote all this time, money, and effort, l can't help wondering why he bothers!

 

[Change at Barnham]

I must again recommend the Football Web Pages for up to the minute non-league stuff.

It is a requirement that all clubs update matches to the minute. They get fined if they don't. Up to date news and analysis of each club in steps 1-4.

A non-league Ceefax and more..

https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/

As Brighton Lines has mentioned, this is the electronic pocket bible for any non-league fans. Steps 3&4 clubs are contracted in by their leagues to provide up to the minute updates but currently the National League clubs aren't obliged to. So the likes of Dorking, Havant and Eastbourne aren't as fast off the mark. There is talk of the National Leagues having to do it next season.

For the anoraks who want to see a game at the last minute the following website is also useful which shows the next 250 games that are on in the UK. It also has helpful links to the various leagues at the top of the page:

https://www.nonleaguematters.co.uk/global/fixtures/

I'm off to Cray Wanderers v Bognor Regis Town tonight which will be my 70th game of the season. But it only makes me a lightweight compared to many.

p.s. Football Web Pages is a brilliant App to have on your mobile (as well as the website), which you can easily customise to your local teams and leagues.

 

[jackalbion]

With your penchant for visiting many different, (and if l may so, often quite obscure), non league grounds around the county, you remind me of a chap l came across a few years ago at a game between my local side Cowfold and Southwater. He was a ground hopper who came all the way from Kings Lynn to take in the game.

Realising he was in a wheelchair and half blind l ended up trying to provide him with a running commentary as to what was happening on the pitch! Unable to get a taxi after the match, my wife gave him, (and his wheelchair), a lift back to Horsham station to start his long journey home.

Whilst being full of admiration for him for being prepared to devote all this time, money, and effort, l can't help wondering why he bothers!

I do wonder myself sometimes, I have never dropped below the tenth division (SCFL Div 1) outside of Sussex to be fair, and then I only have Ringmer's new ground as it was the venue for a friends Sunday League Final. Midweeks I can never really get further than London, so it rules most of the country out then. I also get Free Train and heavily discounted rail travel, so that is a massive advantage. But I think the main reason is generally a social thing, for example last night I met a friend from Oxfordshire who drove to the game, and on Saturday I'm travelling to Margate with someone who supports Hornchurch (as well as Chelsea). I'm also a little bit of a train spotter, train weirdo, so travelling along all these different routes to games usually satisfies that hobby. I don't think I'll do a hundred games in a season again though, that is a one off.

 

[Roadrunner]

does anyone know if Littlehampton's ground would meet the requirements if they were to get promoted?

LIttlehampton have declined promotion in the past, but it’s never been clear to me whether this is because of the facilities or out of choice. I always thought that the shared pitch (with the cricket club) was an issue.

However, I’ve heard from multiple sources, including a current player, that they will be looking to move up a level next season if they earn the right. There certainly seems to be a bit of momentum behind the club at the moment, hopefully that’s reflected by financial backing.


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[Cowfold Seagull]

LIttlehampton have declined promotion in the past, but it’s never been clear to me whether this is because of the facilities or out of choice. I always thought that the shared pitch (with the cricket club) was an issue.

However, I’ve heard from multiple sources, including a current player, that they will be looking to move up a level next season if they earn the right. There certainly seems to be a bit of momentum behind the club at the moment, hopefully that’s reflected by financial backing.


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I've always thought it very sad, bordering on wrong, for clubs in the SCFL, (and other leagues too), who have earned the right, to turn down promotion.

Presumably individual clubs sometimes have good reason, but at the end of the day what point is there playing or supporting a football club, if you have no ambition?

 

[stewart12]

LIttlehampton have declined promotion in the past, but it’s never been clear to me whether this is because of the facilities or out of choice. I always thought that the shared pitch (with the cricket club) was an issue.

However, I’ve heard from multiple sources, including a current player, that they will be looking to move up a level next season if they earn the right. There certainly seems to be a bit of momentum behind the club at the moment, hopefully that’s reflected by financial backing.


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Littlehampton is a decent sized town (plus you've got Rustington next door) so the potential is there

 

[milliepops]

From what I understand clubs who get promoted do get access to grants in order to make ground improvements.
In some ways the Sportsfield isn't that dissimilar to Culver Road - some cover down one side, albeit the one at Lancing is more modern - but apart from that no other real 'furniture.'

Think the main issues will be that lack of hard standing all round the entire pitch, no covered, enclosed tunnel and toilet facilities. No idea what the dressing room areas are like.

The hardstanding will be problematic owing to sharing with cricket but maybe a temporary path could be laid to overcome this.

Wait and see I suppose.

 

[jackalbion]

From what I understand clubs who get promoted do get access to grants in order to make ground improvements.
In some ways the Sportsfield isn't that dissimilar to Culver Road - some cover down one side, albeit the one at Lancing is more modern - but apart from that no other real 'furniture.'

Think the main issues will be that lack of hard standing all round the entire pitch, no covered, enclosed tunnel and toilet facilities. No idea what the dressing room areas are like.

The hardstanding will be problematic owing to sharing with cricket but maybe a temporary path could be laid to overcome this.

Wait and see I suppose.

Is hard standing all around the pitch required? I can think of a few without it the whole way round, Whitehawk being one.

 

[milliepops]

Is hard standing all around the pitch required? I can think of a few without it the whole way round, Whitehawk being one.

It appears not according to the information on here : http://www.thepyramid.info/misc/ground.htm

 

[Arkwright]

AFC Whyteleafe v Oxted (The Tandridge Derby) for me on Saturday. First visit since the Phoenix club started up. Credit to the Leafe fans they get about 150 attending what is technically park football. A long way back to the Ryman league for them but they sound quite ambitious.
They still have a big junior set up and a Ladies team, the bar has been decorated and open match days.

 

[Whitechapel]

Looks like I’m going to my first Worthing away game in March, I’ll be making the short trip to Lewes with a few mates for my birthday. What’s the best pub in Lewes for a couple of drinks pre and potentially post-match? Much more in to lager than ales if that helps.

 

[BN9 BHA]

Looks like I’m going to my first Worthing away game in March, I’ll be making the short trip to Lewes with a few mates for my birthday. What’s the best pub in Lewes for a couple of drinks pre and potentially post-match? Much more in to lager than ales if that helps.

Landsdown Arms, come out of the station door turn right and it’s about 1 minute walk away. Lewes football ground is approximately 2 minutes walk from this pub the other side of the station.
If you don’t like the Landsdown just walk up the hill to the Royal Oak.

 

[jackalbion]

Went to Guildford City in the end last night, with Forest Park Hill called off. The spectrum is like a Withdean Stadium lite, a pretty friendly set up though with a make shift bar and a decent cheeseburger, and they did serve Bovril. There were some decent vantage points with a raised section of seats and a giant mound behind the goal. Ground 150 ticked off now.

 

[South west gull]

Went to Guildford City in the end last night, with Forest Park Hill called off. The spectrum is like a Withdean Stadium lite, a pretty friendly set up though with a make shift bar and a decent cheeseburger, and they did serve Bovril. There were some decent vantage points with a raised section of seats and a giant mound behind the goal. Ground 150 ticked off now.

I am of to Sussex hq later to watch 2nd bottom (who lost 02 last Monday to bottom team)lancing against 14th whitehawk.bring it on

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[Eeyore]

About 100 Hawks fans at Lancing today.

 

[Surf's Up]

Went to the Dripping Pan today to see the Lewes v Merstham game. Finished with a reasonably comfortable 3-0 win for the Rooks in front of 800 + fans. Takes them up to second in the table, 7 points behind Worthing and having played an extra game - warming up nicely in the Isthmian with Worthing and Lewes in the Premier League top spots and Hastings top of the SE Division

 

[Eeyore]

[Tweet]1482426047824121856[/Tweet]

The Late Equaliser

Lancing 1 Hawks 1

 

[Roadrunner]

Disastrous afternoon for Littlehampton in the FA Vase at Athletic Newham. With around 200 noisy away fans in tow (there were barely any home fans present), they looked completely overawed by the occassion and couldn't cope with the horrible, bobbly pitch and a confident, physical opposition. Newham were already 2 (or maybe even 3) ahead when top scorer Joe Benn went down injured. There was a 20-30min pause in play whilst an ambulance was called; I'm told it is a shoulder injury - hopefully nothing worse than a dislocation. That knocked any remaining stuffing out of Littlehampton, who went on to conceed a further three goals and lose 5-0. Very disappointing, gutted for the players.

 

[milliepops]

Comfortable win at Woodside for Worthing this afternoon against bottom of the table Leatherhead.
Took 25 minutes for the opening goal, fine ball from Pearce and a tidy finish from Meekums. Pearce made it 2.0 a minute later after great work down the right by Beresford and Pearce then scored again in the 40th minute, heading home a corner from close range.
2nd half was less eventful. Leatherhead committed more men forward and had a few opportunities but Worthing still dominated possession and added a 4th on 63 minutes when Barker slotted home after more good work down the right from Beresford.
3 points, clean sheet and a decent crowd of 1294.