Friday Freebie: Can non-league football restore the faith of the many?

Time to entice those priced out of the game

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Money makes the world go round, or so they say. For some it’s very important and for others it’s not the ‘be all and end all’. In football it can have massive ramifications with the sport now more of a business than belonging within the community.

Over the last few weeks and up to today we’ve seen some eye watering sums of money bid for players along with the Saudi League starting to snap up any kind of talent with mouth watering wages on offer, not that these players need any more when earning handsomely enough already.

It’s not the fault of the players for the fee hanging around their neck nor the wages given to them every week, no word of a lie we would all take what we’re offered when changing jobs, but at the heart of all football clubs are us, the supporters.

There through thick and thin, the highs and the lows so why does it feel clubs and TV companies are really taking the mick these days? Well, because they are. There is no other way to describe it quite frankly.

I grew up a Tottenham Hotspur fan, but taken to a lot of non-league games by my late father. In my early 20’s I could afford to go to both Spurs and Barnet until it got to the point where the cost of one Spurs game related to two Barnet games, the latter won and has done ever since along with the rest of non-league football.

I’ve become detached from top level football more each year, simply because of the way fans are treated as nearly an inconvenience and with it the lavish throwing around of money as if it’s confetti at a wedding.

We’ll start with us as fans. Only three years ago the cries for wanting people back inside grounds when we were banned from watching were silenced within a year, games moved at short notice for TV purposes once again, silly away trips for silly kick-off times and rip off ticket prices.

Newcastle to Bournemouth for a Saturday lunchtime TV spot, who on earth thinks that’s the right game to move? Only the TV companies for their armchair fans pleasure and no one else, they’ve clearly forgotten that those who actually provide an atmosphere inside the stadiums are the ones they should be thinking about.

Not everyone has access to a car to make their own time, public transport often doesn’t fit for early or late times in the evening, it’s about time it stopped and remembered that empty stadiums don’t make for good viewing whoever is playing.

The ticket pricing is horrific, it’s clear as day that for Premier League clubs gate receipts are now just pocket change, incidental in the grand scheme of things so why aren’t tickets priced for all to attend should they wish? I’ll tell you why, greed.

Nothing more. They can afford to let all and sundry watch a Premier League game at a reasonable price but choose to grab even more wealth. I follow a lot of Spurs fans on Twitter especially, I’ve never seen so many as I have this summer who are being priced out going either themselves or with friends and family, to be honest it’s shocked me a bit.

But I guess it shouldn’t nor should it surprise me in this day and age to be fair, but what does this have to do with non-league if you’ve read this far? Well, every year that top level is getting further and further out of reach of many, not just the pricing but the experience too.

Non-league football remains honest, fresh and approachable. Pricing is pretty much on the mark across all levels, there are one or two areas where some are pushing the boundaries a little for where they are at, but that’s their prerogative to do.

The facilities are on the whole better and improving year on year, the food is really I feel starting to move up a notch and I see clubs moving back to printed programmes, keepsakes for those who attend. Kick off times don’t move, or in very rare cases, even National League TV games we know will be around 5.30 every Saturday evening they show a game.

It's fast becoming the game we grew up with, mix with the managers and players, be appreciated for your support and any pound notes you spend, it’s not an exclusive situation, you feel welcome.

Tomorrow, the final set of leagues kick off their season and there’s never been a better time to get on the internet and find out where your local club is and take a trip down. If that’s not the one for you, there will be another at a different level just as close no doubt.

While you can’t expect the same technical level, you will see honest endeavour, the odd wild challenge but a will to win and likely to make new friends, but don’t take my word for it, get out and see for yourself!