With every league now underway the choice of where and who to watch is vast. Not only that the Emirates FA Cup is in full swing, the Vase and Trophy get underway this weekend as well so it’s a full house before we’ve reached the end of August.
This season I plan to be more selective in where I go to watch. Quite rightly at the back end of last season most was spent watching Barnet claim their fourth National League title, memories that won’t be replaced.
There was a lot of Sussex football watched to launch the SNLF (www.thesnlf.co.uk) and while those games are easier on say a Tuesday evening after work, less reliance on that now to be able to work that one over.
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However, there are a lot of clubs or places I didn’t get around to last year but plan to this time around, finances depending. One thing I have noticed over the course of the opening weeks is prices have gone up at some clubs and they’ve not gone up a level division wise.
In a way that suggests some are under charging for their level or some are being pretty cheeky and over doing it. In my opinion you are paying for what you see on the pitch.
So for example if a Step 4 and Step 5 club are both charging you £10 to get in, you clearly aren’t getting Step 4 football at the lower level but expected to pay the price for it, doesn’t quite sit right with me.
I know leagues have a minimum I think they allow clubs to charge but there is no maximum, I don’t actually recall seeing sides putting out amongst their social media summer posts admission prices. Would it put me off going to a game? Most likely not, would it put me off going more than once in a season? Potentially yes, that entertainment value better be good for the prices charged!
With more choice of where to go, I could easily split myself in four and go those separate ways such is what I’d love to watch and where I’m also welcome to go.
I could manage a game almost every night as well at this time of the season but sometimes that moves into overkill territory. In the past seven days I’ve managed consecutive games twice over, back to twice a week in the next seven!
Having a week off with the kids did mean not venturing outside of Sussex plus along with the added expense of that (which I’m sure many of you can nod your head at) it was a bit of a sensible move.
Steyning Town was first port of call on Tuesday evening, Mike Haam’s side expected to be challenging for an immediate return to Step 4. Their opponents Pagham on the night were excellent I thought and will take a few points off sides who won’t be expecting it, Town lucky to grab a 95th minute equaliser and the points shared.
Wednesday was a local derby, Littlehampton Town hosting Bognor Regis Town. Both sides laterally switching to the Isthmian South Central Division and something of the unknown for that league.
Both won their opening game the weekend previous so something had to give. Two goals from dual-signed Zion McLeod gave the Golds victory but had the Rocks effort that hit the post gone in then the scoreline might have been something different.
A great crowd, 979 in attendance and some interest to see how both sides fair this season, Bognor on the back of relegation, Littlehampton having struggled towards the bottom of the South East Division.
The weekend I left Sussex! Well on Saturday anyway. Headed up the levels and the Isthmian Premier Division at Cray Wanderers hosting a Wingate & Finchley side. They’re another side I look out for a variety of reasons, I’ve know the chairman there Gary Hillman for a few years, Tim O’Shea who Neil Smith brought in is now the manager in his own right and Ally Maloney one of the best physio’s in non-league football who does so much for not just for herself and the Wands but plenty of others around the game.
The game was one of those you want as a neutral, Cray with a 2-0 half time lead but easily should have been four or five such were the chances they missed. A penalty puts Wingate back in it just three minutes into the second half and you could sense some nerves and tension around Flamingo Park Wingate duly equalise as Cray struggled to fashion anything.
And just when you think it might be the comeback of all comebacks Cray grab the winner through George Brooke and Wingate finish with nine men, football eh!
Goalkeeping coach at Cray Alfie George is someone I’ve gotten to know in that time too, speaking with him and Tosh after the game you pick up insights, thoughts and ideas from plenty you speak to across the levels. You can’t get away from not catching up with Chris Dickson either, I just see him turning out and scoring goals wherever he goes, even at the age of 40.
Again, you learn a lot and understand more by stopping for a chat and these guys appreciate it as well. Next time though, the meet up is down my way! Oh, and I really should have taken a picture of it, but that big screen outside is a winner for the club, especially come the World Cup next summer, get down and check it out for yourself.
And onto Sunday, a bonus day for football mainly down to cup games versus groundshare’s and cricket. I might only have been at Littlehampton a few days previous but the opportunity for an extra game on the doorstep sometimes you have to take it.
A beautiful sunny day, the previous day full of cloud and some wind, most welcome and a topping up of the tan. A comfortable win for the hosts against North Greenford Utd one step below, although like the midweek match could’ve turned on one shot.
An excellent penalty save from Billy Collings when Littlehampton were leading 1-0 early in the second half was extremely crucial, their step 5 visitors wearing down and 3-0 the end result, a place in the next round of the FA Cup. Bright start from the Golds, four wins from four and three clean sheets in a row, things heading in the right direction early.
Long way to go yet in this fledgling season, we’re not even clear of the opening month and I’m seeing lots losing their minds already, plenty of time yet to move up the table and pick up a few points, the old adage of ‘it’s a marathon not a sprint’…….
