A Match Report from Non-League Day

This is a guest post from Ian Carroll, a first-time contributor to The Offside.

The last two competitive games I’ve been to were Newcastle v Villa (season ticket holder at SJP cautiously optimistic of survival y’see) and England v Algeria, so I figured this should be fun! A hell of a lot more fun than the game in Cape Town anyway …

Saturday was West Allotment Celtic v Newton Aycliffe in the first round of the FA Vase. We decided to go as part of Non-League Day, a chance for people to support their local side and see “real,” “grass-roots” football. It started well- £5, then walking in to the club house for a bit of banter with fans from either side and a beer. The pitch looked great, for this level, the sun was out and it looked like a good day was in store, as the two sides lined up.

Aycliffe started well, and took the lead, but Celtic soon got back into it, through an ex-NUFC youth player – Marc Walton – who scored two and looked a class above. It ended 5-1 to Celtic.

So, that leaves me with another six goal game, much like my first trip to SJP this season. That’s where the similarities begin and end! It was, though, great to be back at a game where you feel really connected to the game, players get a reaction from the crowd, and vice-versa. It was, in fact, so refreshing to see players close up and hear them talking to (ok swearing at!) each other. It’s not like that in the Premier League or the Championship.

Some things don’t change though. Ah, the joys of the English game. People in the crowd still wanted to crucify the referee (he was awful mind). I did feel sorry for the lads playing in central midfield, as both sides were very much strict 4-4-2 (think England in the World Cup, all straight lines) and I did wonder what a game at the same level in Spain may be like. I assume the ball and the grass would be a lot more friendly with each other! Basically the two central midfield lads on either side spent the whole day staring at the sky and running around, whilst in my head the Spanish non-league/park game is full of wannabe Xavi and Iniesta types. Maybe.

Having said all that, it was a cracking day out, a real antidote to the over-hyped, bloated Premier League. They tell us it’s the “Best League in the World!” It’s not. It’s a league, in Europe, with lots of money, lots of fans and some good footballers. It features matches with two teams, eleven men on each, much like first round of the FA Vase. And that’s why it’s brilliant.

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Category: World Football