Soundoff: Who’s Your Local Non-League Team?

By: Daryl | September 2nd, 2010

non-league-02 Due to the international break and Euro 2012 qualifiers on Friday, there’ll be no Premier League or Championship football in England this weekend. Football fan James Doe saw an opportunity, and declared Saturday, September 4th Non-League Day. So all football fans who usually support big teams are encouraged to go and see their local non-league team in action.

For those unfamiliar, non-league football in England refers to anything outside of the top four professional divisions. It’s a different world, with small stadiums, cheap admission prices, and attendances in the hundreds or low thousands. Most of the players are either part-time or semi-professional. It’s everything the Premier League is not, and in some ways better for it.

Though “non-league” is an English term, and he Non-League day campaign is an English phenomenon, semi-professional football exists in every country. It’s basically your local team that’s small enough for you to support without feeling like you’re cheating on your big team. If you’re in the US for exaample, then maybe it’s your local USL-2 team or PDL team. I thought this was a good opportunity for everyone to show your local team some love.

I’ll gladly go first. I actually have two: Halesowen Town FC of the Southern League Premier Division in England, and the mighty Richmond Kickers of USL-2 in the USA (who just missed out on winning the USL-2 Championship last weekend, losing 2-1 to Charleston Battery). Who’s your local team?

Some Related Stories:

Category: World Football

« Daily Dose: September 1st, 2010. | Home | The Physics Of Roberto Carlos »

The Offside RSS Feeds

Matt

Would have to be the side I turn out for weekly, the U. of Cape Town!
Vic90

São Bernardo FC - my city club, just got promoted to the first tier of the são paulo state championship, to take on giants such as Santos, Corinthians (my 'first' team), etc.
Martin

Growing up the local team was AFC Hornchurch (The Urchins). I think the ground has been improved since I was a kid, I think they now have a portacabin for a staff shop. Still signing Southend and Orient cast-offs. One day they may reach the dizzy heights of the Conference South....one day.
Rob

I have a big affinity for Hyde (formally Hyde United) from my time spent in Manchester. They are very much my Second Team if you like, and a refreshing alternative from the other teams I could chose to support in (Greater) Manchester.
Ian

The only Euro non-league team I support (weakly, as in I'm happy when I can find a score) is Nairn County in the Highland Football League. Up the Wee County! Don't think I'll make it to Station Park this weekend though - hell of a commute from Portland.

As far as local teams go, I should watch more of the University of Portland women's team. They kick ass, and fill their admittedly small stadium, which is admirable for womens college soccer.
Johonna

Does the MLS count? Because when Inter is away, I have the Sounders to watch.
Daryl

Tough to say. In one way MLS teams are top tier in their country, but in another way they're a definite step below the big Euro teams. So if you support a big Euro team like say Inter, then it's natural and fair to see your local team like the Sounders as a "second team". So I suppose yeah, anything that's not your "main team" counts.
Chris Bradshaw

Droylsden. The Mighty Bloods are on for a big promotion push this year.