The joys of non-league football
24 September 2011, by Andy Agar
A passion for a Premiership team can be wasted on the young, but there are brilliant alternatives up and down the country at lower league or non-league games, says Andy Agar
Marlow FC vs Spurs is not a fixture you expect to see on Match of the Day. But it is a choice for me.
I love my football. I watch, I play and now I’m trying my best to coach my son, Alfie. He loves it too. Thank God.
And speaking of God, I have a confession. I’m a Spurs fan, a season ticket holder no less. Just the one ticket. Me, myself and I escape to The Lane every other Saturday.
Six hours of solace. Far from the chaos of the kids. Or is it? Do I really want to make football a solitary experience as I sit alone among 36,000 other fans ?
Time was when I had two season tickets to see my beloved Spurs. The second, ostensibly bought waiting for the day I could take Alfie every other week. He did come with me a couple of weeks before his second birthday, a two-nil win over Man City. He loved it. Until half-time. The second half was spent looking at the fabulous collection of sports cars that adorn the THFC car park.
Since then, we’ve not been to a game in north London together. And now two has become one, as the price of a season ticket has risen in line with the rising stock of the team, or so the marketing men say in their defence of increased ticket prices. So, Mr Levy and the board have robbed me of the chance to share those fabulous footballing moments on which Alfie and I could look back so fondly. Unless, of course, I want to stump up a bigger chunk of cash.
Or have they ?
I live near Marlow. A lovely Thames-side town. Lots of rowing (that’s boats not arguments). Hardly N17. Which is mostly rowing (that’s arguments not boats).
But it does have a football team.
They play in the Evo-Stik League Southern Division One Central. Not quite the giddy heights of AC Milan at the San Siro or Inter at The Lane. But it’s still football. And to a four-year-old that’s all that counts.
It’s a ten-minute drive to the ground, not a three-hour round trip. It’s a tenner to get in, not a hundred and ten. And you (along with the 120 or so other fans in the ground) can get so close to the action that you can smell the Ralgex. So to speak.
Alfie loves it. And so do I. He gets to watch live football, the way it should be watched. Sky keeps telling me about the amazing innovation that is football in 3D. Someone needs to point out that football has been available in 3D for quite some time. Its called “a live game”. And it can’t be beaten.
So, Alfie, future Spurs winger that he is, and I head to Marlow FC whenever we can. He is learning by watching. And so am I. And there’s not much of a queue for a half-time pie either.
The truth is, there are tens, no, hundreds of thousands of tickets unsold at football matches every weekend, be they Championship, League One or League Two games. Not to mention the non-league stuff.
And it’s still pretty cheap (even The Sun is flogging cheap tickets, I see). So, if you want to develop that bond that comes through shared experience, get ready for the start of the new season and take your boy, or girl, or both to watch some lower league football.
So, Marlow FC vs Spurs ? For now it’s the former. Trips to The Lane can wait until I’m going there to watch Alfie flying down the line and scoring goals for fun against that other team from north London. One can but dream.
A little footnote for those anoraks out there: Marlow did actually play at White Hart Lane, against Spurs, in the third round of the FA Cup in January 1993. A 5-1 defeat. But it was on Match of the Day.
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Comments
Posted by trickytree74 on 11 August 2011 at 20:57
There is something romantic and warm about Dad taking his lad to football. Watching him develop his love for the beautiful game, seeing him get excited when a goal goes in, keeping him warm during the cold winters watching from the stands. It’s a great chance to bond over a common love that will stick with them their whole lives – after all they are the next generation of football supporter.
I was lucky (or unlucky you might say) growing up in Nottingham in the 80′s watching football every week. Forest one week, Notts County the next week after week with my Dad and I loved every minute of it. Both teams were in the old first division so I saw all the top players of the age – Hoddle, Robson, Dalglish, Lineker, Rush, play at the City Ground and Meadow Lane – magic times.
Times are changing and with the money in the game it is making it harder and harder for most Dad’s to take their boy or girl down to games on a regular basis. The modern game at the top flight level is expensive and tickets are hard to get hold. What better way to introduce your little one to football that to support your local team. The smaller non- league clubs need your support, it’s affordable, small distance to travel, personable and a great way to introduce the game to the next generation.
Posted by Emma Cogswell on 11 August 2011 at 21:32
If you go to Maidenhead United every week the man who sells the pies remembers your name!
Posted by jessica culleton on 12 August 2011 at 08:53
I am glad there is ‘or girl’ in there as this is a childhood memory of mine with my Dad (he always wanted a boy so I had no choice being the final daughter)
Posted by lauraadams on 12 August 2011 at 12:36
I have very fond childhood memories of going to watch Wimbledon FC play with my Dad every Saturday and was even a member of the Crazy Gang Juniors! I too like Jessica Cullueton (above) was taken to football matches with my Dad, as being the youngest of two daughters.
Posted by hailysimms on 12 August 2011 at 13:03
I echo Jessica, I loved going to matches with my Dad – although in my teens I think I probably spent more time scouring the crowd for boys from my school than watching the game. Enjoyable nontheless!
Posted by G-Middy on 12 August 2011 at 14:12
Hmm, good point…as I watch my 4 year old daughter perfect her drop-kick skills at Little Kickers every Saturday, it’s occurred to me that I still haven’t taken her to a proper football match. Well, she’s watched her Daddy play for Bristol City Supporters Club on a Sunday afternoon but that clearly doesn’t count, so I fear it’s time for her to make the long trip to Ashton Gate…and if last Saturday’s performance is anything to go by, the even longer trip home.
Posted by markdpet on 12 August 2011 at 14:22
Villa Park 29.11.1980 is where my love affair with Arsenal took hold after being taken to my first ever football game with my dad. We also used to watch our local team Banbury Town, when I was growing up. I remember standing there on the sidelines with the wind swirling around the ground, cheering the team on, looking forward to my half time cup of bovril to keep the chill out
Posted by Iain on 12 August 2011 at 14:29
Although the ball was egg shaped – I too have very fond memories of dad and the (elder) brother throwing a ball about in the garden. Dad took me to local club every Sunday and starting me with the under 7s; I was 5.
Since I started playing matches at with them at 7 years old, I’ve played at least once with them every season including 2011!
Posted by andya on 13 August 2011 at 17:00
As a footnote to this tale, Alfie and I have just left the home of Marlow Town FC, there being no game at White Hart Lane today thanks to the would-be rioters. Sadly, Marlow threw away a two goal lead against a ten-man Uxbridge. A real shame but a good game. Ticket prices just £8 and £4 for juniors and OAPs. So take grandad too.
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