As mentioned, 13 non league clubs have been listed by PlanetFootball writer Michael Lee as the ‘perfect’ grounds to visit…
DROYLSDEN
Droylsden are back for 2023/24, playing at the Butcher’s Arms Ground inn Greater Manchester. They are currently members of the North West Counties League Division One South.
On the 6th of August 2020, Droylsden withdrew from the Northern Premier League, citing the impact of the Cvis pandemic on the club.
In May 2021, Droylsden announced they would not field a team in any competition for the 2021–22 season, due to the financial impact of the pandemic.
This situation continued for the 2022-23 season, but for 2023/24, they’re back at the crowds are returning as the club hope to slowly but surely make their way back up the leagues, carefully, while just glad to still give local fans someone to support.
PENZANCE
Penzance, who established in 1888 and were founding members of the South Western League in 1951, maintained membership of that league until 2007 when they joined the newly formed South West Peninsula League Division One West.
They are currently members of the South West Peninsula League Premier Division West and play their home matches at Penlee Park, which was opened in 1952. To mark the official opening of the new ground, Penzance welcomed Luton Town, who were at the time playing in Division Two. 1954, they also hosted a match between West Ham United and Swansea Town of the Football League, attracting over 7,000 supporters.
HAMPTON & RICHMOND
Hampton & Richmond Borough, founded in 1921, compete in the National League South, at the sixth tier of English football.
Their Beveree Stadium has a total capacity of 3,500, with around 640 of that seated and 900 in covered terracing.
It isn’t just a football ground, their home is also used for social events and long used as a polling station for all local, general and European elections.
In 2023, a state-of-the-art redevelopment of ground, with new LED floodlights and an artificial 3G pitch, was approved by Richmond Council.
The club’s owner, Rafaele Petruzzo, told SWLondoner: “The new pitch and floodlights will allow us to achieve our vision of integrating our youth and academy teams with the first team.
“It will also allow the local community schools to have access to state-of-the-art facilities just a stone’s throw away from their grounds.”
GREAT YARMOUTH TOWN
Great Yarmouth Town, currently members of the Eastern Counties League Division One North, play at the Wellesley Recreation Ground.
It has a grandstand believed to be the world’s oldest football stand still in regular use, having been opened in June 1892 and recently got a lick of paint.
The stand was also given Grade II listed building status in 2000.Definitely a ground you’ll want to visit in person…
MATLOCK TOWN
Matlock Town are based in Derbyshire, and currently members of the Northern Premier League Premier Division and play at Causeway Lane.
Their 2,400 capacity ground has views of Riber Castle, the 19th-century stately home, on a hill overlooking the town.
It has been described as one of the most picturesque grounds in non league sitting on the edge of the Peak District. Get yourself there if you haven’t already.
BUXTON
Buxton also from Derbyshire, are currently members of the National League North and play their home matches at the Silverlands.
It is the home of bottled Peak District water and Silverlands – allegedly the highest football ground above sea level in England at 1,000 feet, and one of the oldest.
The ground is one of the best in the league, holding up to 5,200 spectators with an impressive 500 seater main stand on the half way line with some standing either side.
STONEHOUSE TOWN
Stonehouse Town are probably. club you are more unfamiliar with compared to others in this list.
The Gloucestershire club are currently members of the Hellenic League Division One and play at the Magpies Stadium.
Tony Incenzo also said this was one of his favourite grounds, saying: “I went to Oldends Lane on May 6, 2014 and it resembled a museum showing what football grounds were like 100 years ago!
“Two extremely rickety old stands along with a dressing room block that housed seemingly pre-historic communal showers.
“The match finished Stonehouse Town 3 Lydbrook Athletic 2 in the Gloucestershire Northern Senior League.
“Stonehouse have since spruced up their facilities enormously to help win promotion to the Hellenic League.”
Non league is
The non league some would argue
is more exciting then the football league.
And there’s a reason to this argument
Firstly the club….
What is there to say about a non league club?
How about that half the time they fight a battle on two fronts
One on the pitch scoring goals
The other off the pitch to survive.
Managment doing paperwork in the backs of cars
Players training in the local park
Watched by a few hundred on a Saturday afternoon at three.
Secondly the fans….
What is there to say about fans of a non league club?
In a word: loyalty
But why leave it there?
The non league fans support their team
through thick and thin to the very end.
They can be found on a freezing Tuesday night
directly behind the goal watching the pre-match.
Shouting at the other fans to look out
as another stray shot misses its target.
But sometimes it can’t be helped
someone’s been hit on the head,
they’ve fallen down and hit their head on the barrier
The other fans crowd around to help
while others shout for the stewards to help .
The physio is called over the match is delayed
as an ambulance is called.
The strikers start shooting again after the fan is moved
but you daren’t move even though you know it could be you next..
you daren’t move because you love it there behind the goal.
That’s why you stand there week in week out.
You go again to the next game and see the fan there as right as rain
ready to cheer on his team with a bandage on his head.
Then there’s the team itself….
What is there to say about a non league team?
The Premier League they ask for a twenty five man squad,
we should be so lucky.
For you see to a non league team eighteen is an optimal number
With playing budgets low and the squad small
the team needs to take each match as it comes.
Playing players out of position is not that rare of an occurrence.
Strikers playing in defence,
defending by getting the ball as far away from the ground as possible.
Midfielders in defence and defenders in midfield.
Sometimes its worth wondering what is shuffled more
a deck of cards or a team of non league players?
And the grounds they play on may not be the best
as the ball bobbles all over the place and refuses to stay on the ground.
Players run up and down the slope
that makes their ground so unique for ninety minutes
And finally there’s the non league itself…
What is there to be said about the non league?
From the National League to Sunday League
There’s so much.
Who’s going up, or down?
Or will all the teams survive to see the end of the season?
For you see the non league system works differently
to that of the football league.
A relegated team may get a reprieve if another most be relegated
And the whole blimming system is messed up
if a team drops down not one but two leagues,
lessening the chance of promotion of any other team.
So the non league isn’t perfect.. whoever said it was?
What the non league is truly about is……
The love of the beautiful game.
Poem written by Emily Williams
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