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

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jackalbion

Well-known member
Aug 30, 2011
4,913
Have had an enjoyable week non leaguing this weekend after our heroics at Wolves. Went to Chertsey v Hanwell on Sunday. This game had everything, handbags, last minute equalisers, limbs, red cards, stand collapses, as the London Geordies ran out 3-2 winners after extra time. Then Monday I finally ticked off my mate Joe’s side Oxford City’s ground. Nice secluded ground on the outskirts of Oxford, decent atmosphere for what was really a bit of a dead rubber, as they beat St Albans City 3-1. 181 games down so just the 19 to go before June 30th to reach 200, I should just about do it (if Littlehampton could keep on going into June that would be great). Another trip to the orchard tomorrow before some 12th Tier football on Saturday at Leeds Uni as they close their season off (this is the lowest league I’ve watched all season, so could be interesting).
 




Eeyore

Colonel Hee-Haw of Queen's Park
NSC Patron
Apr 5, 2014
25,887
Have had an enjoyable week non leaguing this weekend after our heroics at Wolves. Went to Chertsey v Hanwell on Sunday. This game had everything, handbags, last minute equalisers, limbs, red cards, stand collapses, as the London Geordies ran out 3-2 winners after extra time. Then Monday I finally ticked off my mate Joe’s side Oxford City’s ground. Nice secluded ground on the outskirts of Oxford, decent atmosphere for what was really a bit of a dead rubber, as they beat St Albans City 3-1. 181 games down so just the 19 to go before June 30th to reach 200, I should just about do it (if Littlehampton could keep on going into June that would be great). Another trip to the orchard tomorrow before some 12th Tier football on Saturday at Leeds Uni as they close their season off (this is the lowest league I’ve watched all season, so could be interesting).

Do you have a list of all the grounds you've been to you can share ? That's some season.
 


attila

1997 Club
Jul 17, 2003
2,261
South Central Southwick
Surely when you started this journey you had agreement from Russell Martin . Is this a change of heart from him.
Who was original leaseholder and what did he gain by letting ground go to pot. ?

No we didn't. The players and management of the old Southwick FC kept the old club going after the ground was closed in 2019, firstly on Southwick Rec last season, winning the Mid Sussex Championship with a 100% record, then at Whitehawk whose chairman agreed a very fair ground share deal with us for this season which was overruled by the people who control the club. We very much hoped that RMF would sign an agreement to make us the flagship club when the ground was ready, which would have enabled us to raise the sponsorship to continue as the direct descendants of the old Southwick FC, but they were not prepared to do that so we stopped.

I don't blame RMF. They have a different agenda, they're an all ages football academy. I wish them all the best in turning the waste ground of the old Southwick FC into a (3D) pitch again and giving the community a quality sports facility. But that ground should still be the home of Southwick Football Club, and that is down to the council and successive lease holders, starting many years ago. Sadly, Southwick FC hasn't been run by football people for years: we did our best to change that, but now it's over. I'll concentrate on the Albion (which I never stopped doing, since much of my involvement was during lockdown when park football was all that was available and we rarely play games on Saturdays at 3pm) and await developments with interest.
 


Lenny Rider

Well-known member
Sep 15, 2010
6,010
No we didn't. The players and management of the old Southwick FC kept the old club going after the ground was closed in 2019, firstly on Southwick Rec last season, winning the Mid Sussex Championship with a 100% record, then at Whitehawk whose chairman agreed a very fair ground share deal with us for this season which was overruled by the people who control the club. We very much hoped that RMF would sign an agreement to make us the flagship club when the ground was ready, which would have enabled us to raise the sponsorship to continue as the direct descendants of the old Southwick FC, but they were not prepared to do that so we stopped.

I don't blame RMF. They have a different agenda, they're an all ages football academy. I wish them all the best in turning the waste ground of the old Southwick FC into a (3D) pitch again and giving the community a quality sports facility. But that ground should still be the home of Southwick Football Club, and that is down to the council and successive lease holders, starting many years ago. Sadly, Southwick FC hasn't been run by football people for years: we did our best to change that, but now it's over. I'll concentrate on the Albion (which I never stopped doing, since much of my involvement was during lockdown when park football was all that was available and we rarely play games on Saturdays at 3pm) and await developments with interest.


Take the act back on the road John on a UK tour, I can act as support, opening the show with my 40 min set in tribute to Bernard Manning 😂
 






BN9 BHA

DOCKERS
NSC Patron
Jul 14, 2013
22,660
Newhaven
4E736089-7D26-4B1F-BF6B-0A64FF2B1503.jpeg

Newhaven are getting a 3G pitch, work has started today.
 


Change at Barnham

Well-known member
Aug 6, 2011
5,466
Bognor Regis
Newhaven are getting a 3G pitch, work has started today.

Bognor are looking to get a 3G pitch in 12 months time. It seems to be a must-have in order to stay competitive.

The three nearest step 2&3 clubs to Bognor are Havant, Horsham and Worthing and they are all great adverts for utilising your facilities to the max.
 


BN9 BHA

DOCKERS
NSC Patron
Jul 14, 2013
22,660
Newhaven
Bognor are looking to get a 3G pitch in 12 months time. It seems to be a must-have in order to stay competitive.

The three nearest step 2&3 clubs to Bognor are Havant, Horsham and Worthing and they are all great adverts for utilising your facilities to the max.

The grass pitch was never good in the winter or after heavy rain, far too many games are called off because of the weather. Also the pitch is used by the mens first team, under 23s, under 18s and Ladies team.
The teams had to pay to train on the 3G pitch at the leisure centre in Seaford during the winter.
 








Change at Barnham

Well-known member
Aug 6, 2011
5,466
Bognor Regis
Are 3G pitches allowed in National League

Harrogate and Sutton United were both promoted from the National League into the Football League with 3G pitches and then had to rip them up to conform with Football League rules.
Today's modern 3G pitches have a better and truer bounce than many grass pitches.
 




jackalbion

Well-known member
Aug 30, 2011
4,913
Took a trip up to the Middlesex stadium last night to watch the Combined Counties Division One Playoffs between Hilltop and Eversley & California, Hilltop are team who are mostly from the Somalian community and they absolutely wiped the floor with Eversley winning 5-1, an absolutely dominating performance on a sunny May evening. Keeper was a good laugh for Hilltop as he was periodically asked what the City score was, and almost got chipped from the halfway line.

[tweet]1521980502420475905[/tweet]

Heading off to Hailsham to watch the Under 23 MIND cup final with all the proceeds going to charity.
 


Arthur

Well-known member
Jul 8, 2003
8,760
Buxted Harbour
Harrogate and Sutton United were both promoted from the National League into the Football League with 3G pitches and then had to rip them up to conform with Football League rules.
Today's modern 3G pitches have a better and truer bounce than many grass pitches.

Isn't that rule changing as of next season though?

Sure I recall seeing somewhere that teams in the bottom two divisions would be allowed plastic pitches from next season.
 


jackalbion

Well-known member
Aug 30, 2011
4,913
Sussex RUR Cup final now 25th May at Culver Road Lancing, will hopefully be my 199th game of the season.
 




Berty23

Well-known member
Jun 26, 2012
3,640
Gateshead just too strong for Brackley in the end so play offs it is. We need to win two home games in a row and we are up. Unfortunately after being unbeatable at home we have lost two on the bounce. We really need our captain and best centre back in the league back next week or we are doomed.

Sensational season for the part time team to finish above kiddie, fylde and others but if we don’t go up it will still hurt.

After playing Darlington last week before hereford on Monday we now have a third Brighton opponent from the 90s in Chester city before a potential 4th next weekend in the play offs in York City. Meanwhile the Albion prepare for a game with Man U and dream of a European tour. It is nuts.
 


Superphil

Dismember
Jul 7, 2003
25,679
In a pile of football shirts
Isn't that rule changing as of next season though?

Sure I recall seeing somewhere that teams in the bottom two divisions would be allowed plastic pitches from next season.

I don’t think it is changing yet, EFL still firm on matches not being played on artificial pitches. It’s the National League that changed its rules a little while ago to allow them.
 




NEASTGULL

Well-known member
Sep 30, 2006
1,156
Gateshead
Gateshead just too strong for Brackley in the end so play offs it is. We need to win two home games in a row and we are up. Unfortunately after being unbeatable at home we have lost two on the bounce. We really need our captain and best centre back in the league back next week or we are doomed.

Sensational season for the part time team to finish above kiddie, fylde and others but if we don’t go up it will still hurt.

After playing Darlington last week before hereford on Monday we now have a third Brighton opponent from the 90s in Chester city before a potential 4th next weekend in the play offs in York City. Meanwhile the Albion prepare for a game with Man U and dream of a European tour. It is nuts.

I live about 5-10 minutes walk from the Gateshead International Stadium, and went to the game v Southport last week. To be honest it was a strange game, Gateshead were 2 up in the first 10 minutes or so, and by 15 mins Southport could have had a player sent off and their manager had made a double tactical substitution, which worked to the extent that it was then a closer contest.

I'm off to the Gateshead v Hereford match this afternoon, having been at Hereford in 1997, it will be a bit surreal to say the least.

Best of luck to Brackley Town in the play offs, from what I've seen they deserve to get promoted alongside the heed.
 




jackalbion

Well-known member
Aug 30, 2011
4,913
Off to Dartford tonight for game number 189, in the national league playoffs, Chippenham snuck in on the final day, but Dartford have been there and there abouts all season, a chance to maybe see Jake Robinson though.
 




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