Watching non league Football?

[ZR1cliff]

Since the start of the season ive been following the fortunes of Basingstoke Town FC in the "Southern Conference" league,so far ive followed them home and away and taken in the 6 games of the season,3 home and 3 away,at Newport County south wales,Sutton and Bishops stortford and although the team have been playing quite well they nestle fourth from bottom with 3 points.

Average home gates are around 400 and the largest gate on my travels has been at Newport County of just under a thousand,atmosphere is good,the scene is freindly and you feel like part of the club.

The best bit is admission is nine quid for a reasonable standard of football,i can stand where i want and mix with opposition fans,there are no police and mixing with the teams in the social clubs after is a relaxed affair,on the whole its a very refreshing experience.

Whos your non league team?

[Wacky Racer]

Used to spend my childhood years watching Stalybridge Celtic, when the Cheshire league was dominated by Altrincham in the mid sixties......

I can smell the half time Bovril and hot pies now......

[lightningghost]

I'm a fairweather supporter (ie. when they're winning) of Cambridge United. Venom is also a fan, although he's a more of a true fan than me.


I do go to see them sometimes, especially if they're playing Oxford.

[ZR1cliff]

Yes love the bovril,Newport County do the best food ive found so far,their social club and the club seem all geared for the conference,
Sutton do lovely mince beef pies,Stortford nice chips although their food bar doesnt open untill only an hour or less before kick off
Ime looking forward to doing a whole season home and away in non league and also enjoy listening to the banter with the opposition goalkeepers.

Edited by ZR1cliff on Tuesday 29th August 22:40

[unrepentant]

Believe it or not I spent my early teenage years following Basingstoke Town FC when I couldnt get to Reading. I spent many saturday afternoons and midweek evenings at the Camrose ground and also went away with them on quite a few occasions.

I have been chased through the streets of Kingston (by Kingston Chelsea fans) after 'Stoke beat Kingstonian 5-1 in the FA Trophy. I once travelled to Waterloovile on Boxing day on the players coach (they couldnt warrant a separate one for the supporters). The goalkeeper, Kelvin Hopkins, didn't turn up so the player manager, Cliff Huxford went in goal. We lost 5-0 .

Happy days.

[antony moxey]

Exeter City.

[mark r skinner]

I`m a lapsed Kettering town fan. UP THE POPPIES! A village idiot once said "Yu dunt still goo up thayer tu wutch them lot, du yur?"

[fozzi]

antony moxey said:

Exeter City.

Good shout!

I used to go and watch Dartford Town a few years back when Peter Taylor was player-manager and Andy Hessenthaler was trying to make up for lost time, having apparently missed the boat in the professional ranks. Subsequently Hessie became a professional player of some distinction in the lower leagues, playing for Gillingham, Watford, Hull City (my first love) and Barnet... coaching and managing along the way too. Always nice to be able to say that you saw the talent before he was discovered.

My most memorable match was when Dartford played Exeter in the first round proper of the FA Cup, my local side playing my club by birth. It finished 1-1, Rowbotham for Exeter against the run of play on the stroke of half-time, then a stunning equaliser by Hessenthaler midway through the second half just as Dartford where running out of steam, which set things up for a grandstand finish. Exeter hung on and won the replay with ease, then returned to Watling Street for a second round tie with Maidstone who were ground sharing with Dartford, same result, once again winning the replay back at St.James's Park.

It was nice seeing a 39 year old Hessie run out for the Tigers at the last home game of Hull's 2004-05 promotion season... it joined the circle.

Edited by fozzi on Wednesday 30th August 00:25

[Nic Jones]

antony moxey said:

Exeter City.

Me too, going to Cambridge on Friday, perhaps I'll see Venom and lightning ghost.

Edited by Nic Jones on Wednesday 30th August 00:17

[fozzi]

Nic Jones said:

antony moxey said:

Exeter City.

Me too, going to Cambridge on Friday, perhaps I'll see Venom and lightning ghost.

Edited by Nic Jones on Wednesday 30th August 00:17

So when are the matches at Crawley, Gravesend, Grays and Woking?.... all very accessible from Sevenoaks!!

[ZR1cliff]

unrepentant said:

Believe it or not I spent my early teenage years following Basingstoke Town FC when I couldnt get to Reading. I spent many saturday afternoons and midweek evenings at the Camrose ground and also went away with them on quite a few occasions.

I have been chased through the streets of Kingston (by Kingston Chelsea fans) after 'Stoke beat Kingstonian 5-1 in the FA Trophy. I once travelled to Waterloovile on Boxing day on the players coach (they couldnt warrant a separate one for the supporters). The goalkeeper, Kelvin Hopkins, didn't turn up so the player manager, Cliff Huxford went in goal. We lost 5-0 .

Happy days.

Ha ha,Since Franny Vines took over from Ernie Howe at the end of last season they've stopped all the traveling with the players on the team coach,infact we filled our own coach to the first away game at Newport county and that was on the night England played Poland.

Our fans have a mixture of locals and are made up of Chelsea,Arsenal,Reading fans etc etc,even a Man city and Sunderland fan and believe me they are very passionate about the side.

I only went along to a couple of pre-season freindlies and got hooked,surprisingly i thought non league football would be full off a bunch of hasbeens but there are a lot of good youngsters involved and Vines with the experience of getting Crawley Town into the conference has made mass changes since taking over at BTFC,so far hes saved them from relegation at the end of last year and is now trying to build a side worthy of staying in the Conference South.

I love it its like going back to the grass roots of the game,weve even got our own website.www.btfc.org.uk/liveupdate/home.html

Edited by ZR1cliff on Wednesday 30th August 01:15

[antony moxey]

fozzi said:

antony moxey said:

Exeter City.

My most memorable match was when Dartford played Exeter in the first round proper of the FA Cup,

1989/90: the greatest season in ECFC history. Won the old 4th division title by ten points, unbeaten at home all season in league and cup (league finished up as P23, W21, D2, L0), and cup games included games against teams from all four divisions. We ended the season with a 5-1 win away at Lincoln when they themselves needed a win to secure a play-off spot.

Been downhill ever since...

[lazyitus]

I used to watch Hereford United with my Dad, who is an avid fan.

Now they have got back into the league (about time) they are obviously no longer a conference side.

As a Man Utd season ticket holder, it was a world apart watching games with only a couple of thousand spectators. But, just as enjoyable.

This is proper football, hard tackling, no nonsense kickabouts. A brilliant, earthy feel to the games.

If you like football, get yourself down to a non-league game. A great Saturday afternoon out.

[unrepentant]

antony moxey said:

fozzi said:

antony moxey said:

Exeter City.

My most memorable match was when Dartford played Exeter in the first round proper of the FA Cup,

1989/90: the greatest season in ECFC history. Won the old 4th division title by ten points, unbeaten at home all season in league and cup (league finished up as P23, W21, D2, L0), and cup games included games against teams from all four divisions. We ended the season with a 5-1 win away at Lincoln when they themselves needed a win to secure a play-off spot.

Been downhill ever since...

Greater than the Fred Binney era?

[Tyre Smoke]

antony moxey said:

Exeter City.

ETA Willand Rovers (I'm club secretary) in the Toolstation Premiership!

Edited by Tyre Smoke on Wednesday 30th August 09:53

[oxford drinker]

Should really be Oxford United after last season's debacle but always look out for Solihull Borough (my home town team who I watched when I lived there) and Barrow, who I watched several times for a season when I lived in the lakes

[antony moxey]

unrepentant said:

antony moxey said:

1989/90: the greatest season in ECFC history.

Greater than the Fred Binney era?

Yes - that one season was. Look at the home record for the league that season - played 23, won 21, drew 2 lost none. I doubt I'll ever see a City team better that (or much any other team for that matter).

[ZR1cliff]

I love the politeness,you stand behind the goal your team is attacking and at halftime the fans politely swap ends
At a recent evening game versus Weston-Super-Mare they had just 1 ONE fan behind the goal with 3 THREE flags
I was going to buy him a drink after but he shot off early,i heard he had to rush to catch his train home,fair play to him

Edited by ZR1cliff on Wednesday 30th August 12:40

[venom]

Nic Jones said:

antony moxey said:

Exeter City.

Me too, going to Cambridge on Friday, perhaps I'll see Venom and lightning ghost.

Edited by Nic Jones on Wednesday 30th August 00:17

Sadly I won't be there this week - the missus is changing jobs anmd that means drinks in town. Enjoy the game, I'm fairly sure you'll probably take the three points - god we're sh*t for the minute!.

[Tyre Smoke]

venom said:

Nic Jones said:

antony moxey said:

Exeter City.

Me too, going to Cambridge on Friday, perhaps I'll see Venom and lightning ghost.

Edited by Nic Jones on Wednesday 30th August 00:17

Sadly I won't be there this week - the missus is changing jobs anmd that means drinks in town. Enjoy the game, I'm fairly sure you'll probably take the three points - god we're sh*t for the minute!.

Don't put yourself down, Exeter City aren't exactly on fire. Could go either way.