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The Lowestoft and Bury threads have inspired me to ask, do you follow a non-league side, and who/why?
I am from Saffron Walden, so support Saffron Walden non-league. I have watched them since I was a kid when I wasn't watching Town. Not too many Town connections, Stuart Vant (Dave Vant's dad) was the Chairman and is a big Ipswich supporter. Ipswich used to play a friendly here fairly regularly into the early 2000s but dropped off, we did have quite a few supporters in Saffron Walden and villages back in the day.
Tommy Parkin played for both Ipswich and Saffron Walden.
An East Anglian Town overtaken by Londoners
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Everyone's "non-league" team on 11:29 - Feb 24 with 1958 views
Horsham, grew up there and I had a season ticket for a bit. Travelled from Newcastle for an FA Cup game as student.
Mark Chaplin, dad of Conor, played over 500 games for them as a left back.
Mark Dunk (dad of Lewis) also played for them and become one of my footballing idols, not least for his frequent red cards and offers to "meet" the entire opposition outside" after the game.
Being from Saffron Walden, ( one of Haverhills bigger satellite towns) you have the mighty Haverhill Rovers on yer doorstep. You could have a season ticket for the New Croft..
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Everyone's "non-league" team on 12:03 - Feb 24 with 1883 views
I go to see Dartford with a couple of chums once a season (full English breakfast, beer, game, beer) more or less, so as the closest non-league I suppose them. Charlie Sheringham was playing for them (sub) a couple of years ago in a playoff game. God, he was terrible. Sorry Charlie, bit harsh.
I quite enjoy non league games - the standard is so much better than it used to be.
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Everyone's "non-league" team on 12:13 - Feb 24 with 1832 views
Always try and keep tabs on the Clarets, and have had a flow of Town youth players which is nice to see; H.Gray, Finley and Harry Barbrook, N.Valentine & O.Foyo.
Also seem to have the odd player of yesteryear come in in recent times; Anthony Wordsworth, Liam Trotter & Simeone Jackson.
It's a good club, great catchment area, and would love to see them become a National League side soon.
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Everyone's "non-league" team on 12:15 - Feb 24 with 1821 views
I used to watch a lot of SIL football back in the day. Not tied to one team but teams like Cranes, Achilles, Westerfield, Whitton. I spent a season or two playing at that standard (albeit division 6 type level)
Eastern Counties league at Stowmarket as well.
I don't know if it's just me, but I find it hard to define exactly what 'non league football' is, especially these days. The national league and north and south seem to be much more linked to the professional game now. I now think of the national league as pro to be honest. Am I right?
The first non league club to progress to round 3 of the FA Cup in two consecutive seasons
My home town club, who I joined at 15 (to 18) Best it got for me was an unused sub (keeper) in Herts senior cup final v Watford 'reserves' in 1988, even with Elton John in attendance
Watford were top flight, but their pitch was all sand, there was grass only in the corners (our pitch was better) & when our manager joined us on the pitch before we went back in to get changed, he uttered: "f*!* me, the tide's gone out!"
To avoid any embarrassment, Watford fielded a not insignificant number of regular 1st teamers, incl Luther Blissett
Still, got to see my (real) name up in lights on their scoreboard!
One Town connection, Danny Haynes, that scorer of many for us in E Anglia derbies
Started following Felixstowe this season as I have a couple of mates playing for them, one hopefully not for much longer as he has been linked with a couple of Football League moves recently
Massively surprised at how good the standard is, while still having all of the bits which makes non league football so endearing - standing between the 2 dugouts has given me some funny stories even just from the last 6 months
To be honest, now I have had my first taste of Town in the Prem and found out that it's not all I'd cracked it up to be in my head, I have seriously considered doing fewer Town games in order to spend more time watching Felixstowe
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Everyone's "non-league" team on 13:02 - Feb 24 with 1654 views
I got involved a few years back when two stepsons were playing for teams there, and KJ got involved on the committee. Wasn't long before I found myself also on the committee and volunteering as well - I look after most of the graphics, signage, posters around the ground as well as designing the 42 page match programme for the last 3 seasons.
On a matchday, I spend pretty much the whole first half walking round with a bucket and tickets selling 50/50 - half of what is taken goes to the winning ticket, and the other half to the club, so the more sold can be an important additional bit of income for the club just from putting the effort in and the steps!! I generally get to watch the majority of the second half.
It's a shame the position the club finds itself at the moment at the bottom of the league (Isthmian North) probably means we're going down at the end of the second ever season at that level (following 2 back to back promotions) but with the hope of getting straight back up.
AFC Sudbury, although they were Sudbury Town prior to the highly controversial amalgamation(some people round here still refuse to go and refer to it as a 'takeover') with Wanderers.
I'm one of the people who was blamed for getting Paul Cook sacked. PM for the full post.
Everyone's "non-league" team on 12:01 - Feb 24 by leitrimblue
Being from Saffron Walden, ( one of Haverhills bigger satellite towns) you have the mighty Haverhill Rovers on yer doorstep. You could have a season ticket for the New Croft..
My old man played for both Walden and Rovers at various points in the 80s.
Having said that, more Waldeners live in Haverhill these days than the other way around. Most of Saffron Walden is populated now by very wealthy commuters who have sold up in London and Cambridge, which has altered the characteristics of the Town, and of course driven out anyone born here due to house prices, except us brave few social housing locals still hanging on!
An East Anglian Town overtaken by Londoners
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Everyone's "non-league" team on 16:06 - Feb 24 with 1427 views
My old man played for both Walden and Rovers at various points in the 80s.
Having said that, more Waldeners live in Haverhill these days than the other way around. Most of Saffron Walden is populated now by very wealthy commuters who have sold up in London and Cambridge, which has altered the characteristics of the Town, and of course driven out anyone born here due to house prices, except us brave few social housing locals still hanging on!
Cool, your father woulda played alongside some friends and family of mine in the 80,s.
That's interesting enough to hear how Saffron Walden is turning into a up class commuter town. Guess that was always a risk as was always quite a nice looking town within commutable distance to both Cambridge and London.
Good luck hanging on in there.
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Everyone's "non-league" team on 16:21 - Feb 24 with 1381 views
Made the decision around ten years to start following Leiston more closely when I noticed they played away games near me in London. They did really well to get to the play offs before losing to Dulwich Hamlet away in Tooting - 1-0 loss to a free kick despite holding their own against a side with far more resource.
They then moved to the Southern Central Premier and I follow their results and news every week but struggle to attend more than a couple of games a season as rarely back in Suffolk these days and so target the away games nearer to London such as Berkhamsted, Kings Langley etc.
Looking to get up to Biggleswade in a few weeks as we're flying recently and have shot from relegation fodder to the play-offs following a few months of ridiculous form. Brought back down to earth on Saturday with a loss at the well developed AFC Telford but still looking like we'll finish strong and have every chance of play-offs again, where we have been in and around in recent seasons.
All that being said, Needham have proved how tricky it is to go up to Conf North and Lowestoft have struggled up there too before, I believe.
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Everyone's "non-league" team on 16:55 - Feb 24 with 1342 views
Everyone's "non-league" team on 16:19 - Feb 24 by leitrimblue
Cool, your father woulda played alongside some friends and family of mine in the 80,s.
That's interesting enough to hear how Saffron Walden is turning into a up class commuter town. Guess that was always a risk as was always quite a nice looking town within commutable distance to both Cambridge and London.
Good luck hanging on in there.
Audley End station being the killer, to be fair most of Essex is now being eaten up by London. Most of our countryside around Walden has been concreted over to make way for the Londoners! Even our MP lives in Wimbledon!
An East Anglian Town overtaken by Londoners
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Everyone's "non-league" team on 16:58 - Feb 24 with 1323 views
Everyone's "non-league" team on 16:21 - Feb 24 by hatch
Made the decision around ten years to start following Leiston more closely when I noticed they played away games near me in London. They did really well to get to the play offs before losing to Dulwich Hamlet away in Tooting - 1-0 loss to a free kick despite holding their own against a side with far more resource.
They then moved to the Southern Central Premier and I follow their results and news every week but struggle to attend more than a couple of games a season as rarely back in Suffolk these days and so target the away games nearer to London such as Berkhamsted, Kings Langley etc.
Looking to get up to Biggleswade in a few weeks as we're flying recently and have shot from relegation fodder to the play-offs following a few months of ridiculous form. Brought back down to earth on Saturday with a loss at the well developed AFC Telford but still looking like we'll finish strong and have every chance of play-offs again, where we have been in and around in recent seasons.
All that being said, Needham have proved how tricky it is to go up to Conf North and Lowestoft have struggled up there too before, I believe.
Not sure there’s a better way to do it but feels unfair that the East Anglian teams always get put in the National League North when their total miles would be significantly higher in that league than a club slightly further south but more central
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Everyone's "non-league" team on 17:01 - Feb 24 with 1312 views
For a couple of seasons when they were in the Conference, I went to quite a few Cambridge games as my bro-in-law played for them.
Now, it’s Wadebridge Town in Cornwall. Used to drive past there all the time as a youngster and then as an adult on the way to the coast from my aunty’s. Finally got to see a game there in September - they won 6-1!
Everyone's "non-league" team on 12:01 - Feb 24 by leitrimblue
Being from Saffron Walden, ( one of Haverhills bigger satellite towns) you have the mighty Haverhill Rovers on yer doorstep. You could have a season ticket for the New Croft..
I played for rovers for 3 seasons :) the muddiest pitch ever -(barring Hundon )
[Post edited 24 Feb 17:58]
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Everyone's "non-league" team on 18:23 - Feb 24 with 1149 views
Arniston Rangers who play in Gorebridge, Midlothian.
When we're not following Town we watch 'The Arni' who play in the 7th tier of Scottish Football, the East of Scotland 1st Division. My son, Morgan, plays for their 2013 age group, albeit he misses a lot of games when we are travelling. Their games can be anywhere from Perth to the north and Berwick to the south.
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Everyone's "non-league" team on 18:27 - Feb 24 with 1133 views
Lowestoft Town is mine but as I live over Newmarket way now, I attend more of their matches or Mildenhall Town. Used to frequent Bury Town a lot but no longer per the contents of the recent thread.
My local team is Gosport Borough.10 minute walk from my house.
First saw them play Southampton reserves in a pre-season game back in 1984. They lost 1-0 to an Ivan Golac goal.
Highlights I’ve seen since …
Reached the FA Trophy final in 2014 - lost to Cambridge Utd. Reached the 1st round proper of the FA cup the season after - lost to Colchester. Got covered on MotD.
Currently in the Southern league (1 rung below where they normally are)
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