Thousands of football fans have pledged their support to a Five Pound Football Club aiming to pool their expertise, passion and resources to help establish Britain’s next loved club.

Now I’m as optimistic as anyone when it comes to this twat of a football club, but after this afternoon’s latest capitulation it’s time to wake up and smell the coffee – we’re f***ked. Down. Goners. Non-league. To be honest I didn’t know how it would affect me, it’s not like it hasn’t been coming, but tonight I just feel absolutely deflated. Absolutely f**king devastated.

We’ve all dished out and even been on the end of a good hiding, but spare a thought for AFC Aldermaston, Britain’s worst football team, who finally ended their 40 game losing streak with a 1-1 draw against Warminster Town on Saturday.

Chester City Football Club were wound up this week, with their 125-year existence ending for the sake of a tax bill. Portsmouth might have gained headlines for becoming the first Premier League club to enter administration but they somehow stagger on with debts of £60m, while the club four divisions below Pompey are now defunct – thanks in part to the Blue Square Premier outfit owing HM Revenue & Customs a, by comparison, paltry £26,125.

I remember when I used to answer the phones for Danny Kelly (now talkSPORT) and we’d sit in the studio wondering what would take off that week. How could we get the phones buzzing? And the one that caused meltdown more than most? The best ways of getting into the ground for free.

These boots were made for walking

One area where non-league football often shines over its professional counterparts is in its fans and players’ devotion to do something daft for charity.
The latest craze appears to be in wearing bright pink shirts to raise awareness of Breast Cancer. Oldham Athletic (all right, they’re not non-league but they’re hardly Chelsea) recently donned neon pink shirts in aid of the worthy cause and even managed to hold rivals Leeds United to a one-all draw.

Grass roots and beyond

Last Saturday the Rebels faithful, otherwise known as the fans of Southern league strugglers Slough Town FC, witnessed an unusual event.

On 14th March, Steve Daly celebrated his tenth anniversary of being a STFC centre half. While his appearances have been seldom in the 2008/09 season due to the previous administration believing he was “surplus to requirement”, the Rebels appointed a new manager a fortnight ago and Daly may yet get to pull on an amber and blue shirt before hanging up his boots for the last time.

There was a sickening moment last year when a well known celebrity died and the 24-hour rolling news networks couldn’t make up their minds if he’d actually left this mortal coil or not. Reason being, they reported rumour before checking out the facts.



“If I tell you I’ll have to kill you.” Not the words of a secret agent but rather a Non League Football manager I was trying to get some information from this week.

Now, as much as I’d rather not be acquainted with the old concrete boots, the world of football behind closed doors is becoming somewhat of an unhealthy fascination for me.

10 years of enjoyment

Last week we saw the so-called professionals of the footballing world sack Tony Adams and Big Phil (I appreciate why he hates the nickname that can be now used in the headlines “not so Big Phil”) there has been a little celebration down Non League way.