The topic in this extra bonus piece is something I’ve tried to find time to put together since it first came to light for me and it’s one that’s seemingly caused a little confusion along the way.
A couple of weekend’s ago I planned to head to Horsham’s Camping World Stadium as they hosted National League Woking. Nothing much to see here until a couple of days before the game when Horsham’s Twitter/X account announced there would be no pitch side drinking.
Now the reason for the ban was due to Woking’s National League status, common knowledge that above Step 2, which are the North and South Divisions, there is no alcohol permitted pitch side but those from Step 3 downwards where Horsham currently reside is normal procedure.
Pitch side drinking is a huge revenue driver for clubs underneath the National League. Indeed having spoken to George Dowell the owner of National League South Worthing FC earlier this year, he conceded had the club won promotion to non-league’s top table then the loss for them as a club would be absolutely massive.
Horsham themselves for league matches averaged almost 1000 last season, 550 odd were actually in attendance for this Woking friendly. Now the reason I saw this as strange was my own club Barnet played away to Step 3 Hitchin Town a few days earlier and pitch side drinking was allowed.
I spotted a picture on Twitter/X via a Wealdstone fan that evening, playing away that same afternoon as Horsham vs Woking and clear as night follows day, pitch side drinking.
Who was in the right here? Did some clubs merely sidestep and hope they didn’t get caught on the off chance of a visiting FA official? To be honest I really don’t know!
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I’ve done my research over the last couple of weeks, and I can’t find an FA rule or legislation. Now we know finding things out from the FA isn’t an easy task, I’ve poured over PDF after PDF and still can’t find the answer, not for a pre-season friendly anyway.
We’re clear on the FA competitions which now allow it to happen until the 4th Qualifying Round but a friendly? It’s foggier than some misted up glasses. All I’ve been able to find is from the Sports Grounds Safety Authority.
They state ‘The Sporting Events (Control of Alcohol etc) Act of 1985’ does indeed prohibit from Association Football matches involving a National League side pitch side drinking.
The ‘Sports Grounds and Sporting Events (Designation) Order 2005 confirms exactly the same so it appears Horsham were right to enforce it and other clubs have either ignored or flouted this act in the hope they weren’t caught out.
But I can’t find a single thing to say that pre-season friendlies are either exempt or they’re not, quite typical though not to be able to find what you need either way from the game’s governing body.
So, in conclusion if you follow the rule then realistically it’s a toss up against having the team take a good test on the pitch versus a potential sizeable loss in finances from no beer besides the hoardings.
The way you read the rule, it seems a pint of beer is clever enough to tell it’s being supped by a National League club supporter compared to same said supporter but of a Step 2 and below club, reminds me of the time in the pandemic where Covid was able to tell the difference between a home and away supporter, remarkable times we live in……
