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

[Arkwright]

Phoenix club AFC Whyteleafe, cobbled together a month before the season started playing in Surrey South Eastern Combination (posh park football) had over 400 in attendance a long way from the previous season's Ryman League but definitely rising from the ashes.
Yesterday beat a stubborn Frenches 2 nil and sit top of the league, however second placed Wimbledon Casuals can go top of the league.
They are certainly getting some fantastic support from the community.

 

[atfc village]

I thought of you. Disappointed at the result. Look safe from relegation, but clearly benefiting from the 'three worse teams' situation. Actually, I think it's usually four and one has a points deduction.

10 games to go Kings Lynn 7 behind . We can't score a goal let alone buy a point ,we're going down .

 

[robinsonsgrin]

Littlehampton remain top after a 1-0 victory over Uckfield. More comfortable than the score suggests. Saltdean won but Newhaven drew, so realistically a two horse race.

Now a week to prepare for the Vase semi and hopefully a sell out crowd of 3,200!

Looking forward to the semi.... and being able to walk there!

 

[Eeyore]

10 games to go Kings Lynn 7 behind . We can't score a goal let alone buy a point ,we're going down .

Kings Lynn have got to get those 7 points first (Shots have a game in hand). Kings Lynn fixtures aren't that great either.

I think Shots will survive when they win at Maidenhead.

I saw Shots at home to Maidenhead in, I think, 1995. 2,500.

 

[MattBackHome]

Put the champagne on ice, you are as good as there l reckon.

Yep, absolutely nailed on.

Excellent 3 points for the Rooks at Folkestone which keeps the playoff push alive. Bognor away on Easter Monday is going to be amazing.

 

[Berty23]

Brackley conceded a late but very deserved equaliser away at spennymoor but Gateshead held 0-0 home to Bradford park avenue. So the big match next week is set to be a belter. Three points between the sides but Brackley have a game in hand. Saturday is huge. I just hope Matt Lowe is fit. He is too good for national league north so if we don’t go up this season then he will surely be off. Went off injured on Saturday.

 

[jackalbion]

Wealdstone 1-1 Bromley for me, liked the set up at Grosvenor Vale. Restricted capacity due to the stand collapse against Wrexham (stand collapse is a bit dramatic) so really felt packed in to see a last minute equaliser from the home side. Heading down to withdean tomorrow to watch Varndeanians, could be a huge game in their fight for survival against a pitiful East Preston, who lost 11-2 at the weekend.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

Yep, absolutely nailed on.

Excellent 3 points for the Rooks at Folkestone which keeps the playoff push alive. Bognor away on Easter Monday is going to be amazing.

A real West versus East battle royal on Easter Monday!

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

Wealdstone 1-1 Bromley for me, liked the set up at Grosvenor Vale. Restricted capacity due to the stand collapse against Wrexham (stand collapse is a bit dramatic) so really felt packed in to see a last minute equaliser from the home side. Heading down to withdean tomorrow to watch Varndeanians, could be a huge game in their fight for survival against a pitiful East Preston, who lost 11-2 at the weekend.

With only one confirmed for the drop from SCFL Premier this season Varndeanians will be absolutely fine l'm sure. Good to see them survive after such a dramatic season.

The official attendance for Horsham YMCA's match at Withdean earlier in the season, 17!

 

[loz]

Went to the OHOB Community Stadium , the home of East Grinstead Town where the home side lost 4 nil to Hastings United who are now 14 points clear at the top of the Isthmian SE division league and could be promoted as champions , depending on results next Saturday . Attendance 451 .

You can see me in one of those photos.

Hastings far to good for EG, but lovely for Grinny to get a crowd of that size when I started going 4 years ago they were lucky to get 70. Hopefully they can stay up as there is a good vibe going on and loads of local teenagers have started to come and watch.

 

[Ali_rrr]

5 wins in a row now for Eastbourne Borough and comfortably in the playoffs. Looking like a great season after the mid-season wobble and picking up from their strong form from last season.

 

[Surf's Up]

Went to the OHOB Community Stadium , the home of East Grinstead Town where the home side lost 4 nil to Hastings United who are now 14 points clear at the top of the Isthmian SE division league and could be promoted as champions , depending on results next Saturday . Attendance 451 .

Thanks for these great pictures, they nearly compensated me for completely missing the game having spent two and a half hours in an M23 traffic jam trying to get there!!

 

[patchamalbion]

5 wins in a row now for Eastbourne Borough and comfortably in the playoffs. Looking like a great season after the mid-season wobble and picking up from their strong form from last season.

If they win the South play offs are they promoted or do they have a final v the north play off winner?

 

[Ali_rrr]

If they win the South play offs are they promoted or do they have a final v the north play off winner?

Nope, the North/South playoff was scrapped quite a while ago (last time Borough were promoted they went up via the Conference South playoffs). However, 2nd to 7th are all in the playoffs now. Borough need to try and get in the top 3 for the best chance/least amount of games.


4 go down from the National League and 2 go up from the South and 2 from the North.

 

[amexer]

Nope, the North/South playoff was scrapped quite a while ago (last time Borough were promoted they went up via the Conference South playoffs). However, 2nd to 7th are all in the playoffs now. Borough need to try and get in the top 3 for the best chance/least amount of games.


4 go down from the National League and 2 go up from the South and 2 from the North.

Thats tough 4 down

 

[patchamalbion]

Nope, the North/South playoff was scrapped quite a while ago (last time Borough were promoted they went up via the Conference South playoffs). However, 2nd to 7th are all in the playoffs now. Borough need to try and get in the top 3 for the best chance/least amount of games.


4 go down from the National League and 2 go up from the South and 2 from the North.

Ah, thought that was the case, confused myself by looking at Flashscores as there are only 3 relegation places in the National League highlighted but that’s because someone (can’t remember who?) was expelled start of season I think….

Tough task for Eastbourne but would be great seeing them back up in the National,

 

[Simster]

Talking of attendances, there are some insane numbers in the national league these days. Notts County got nearly 11,000 this week for their draw with Chesterfield, Wrexham have averaged 8,000+ most of the season and Stockport not far behind that. Obviously it stands to reason that the National League looks more and more just like a "league three" with every passing year, it's just that with six clubs averaging over 5,500 and all but six averaging over 1,500 there is clearly an appetite for that level of football in this country.

 

[Ali_rrr]

Ah, thought that was the case, confused myself by looking at Flashscores as there are only 3 relegation places in the National League highlighted but that’s because someone (can’t remember who?) was expelled start of season I think….

Tough task for Eastbourne but would be great seeing them back up in the National,

Macclesfield and Bury's expulsions have had a knock-on effect throughout the non-league system hence the 23 places. As such, 3 go down this year and next year will be 4.


It is a tough task but the club has shown on their day they can beat anyone in that league. They were 3rd last season before COVID finished the league and have beaten many of the top teams.

 

[Monkey Man]

Macclesfield and Bury's expulsions have had a knock-on effect throughout the non-league system hence the 23 places. As such, 3 go down this year and next year will be 4.


It is a tough task but the club has shown on their day they can beat anyone in that league. They were 3rd last season before COVID finished the league and have beaten many of the top teams.

It was fun watching Eastbourne Borough in the Conference a decade or so ago but it required a lot of gravity-defying to compete in that league. Some of the resources of those sides have are hundreds of times what Borough can muster.

A town the size of Eastbourne really ought to be able to sustain a Conference or League-level club, but affiliations are split, and the ground in Langney is a fair distance away from the town centre. So I suspect National South is the "natural" level the club can aspire to, unless the elusive benefactor comes in and allows the club to go professional. Even then I suspect crowds would rarely top 1,500-2,000, especially with so many Eastbourners being Brighton fans.

 

[South west gull]

Talking of attendances, there are some insane numbers in the national league these days. Notts County got nearly 11,000 this week for their draw with Chesterfield, Wrexham have averaged 8,000+ most of the season and Stockport not far behind that. Obviously it stands to reason that the National League looks more and more just like a "league three" with every passing year, it's just that with six clubs averaging over 5,500 and all but six averaging over 1,500 there is clearly an appetite for that level of football in this country.

Agreed very impressive crowd numbers but in my mind not really non league in the sense of the word.

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