It’s just under 2 months until this years’ instalment of Non-League Day. A date in the calendar to bring supporters together and back one of their local non-league clubs. But what actually is non-league day?
Non-League Day was birthed in 2010 by James Doe, a Harrow Borough fan, who coined the idea before then setting up the ever-popular London football guide as well.
The idea was a simple one, a fixed date during an international break to showcase non-league football and give supporters more incentive to change up their usual upper echelon football habits and go for something a little more rustic.
We don’t need to tell you how much we champion non-league, you’re reading this on non-league daily after all, but the idea was a roaring success.
Widespread backing ensued from the premier league, football association, the EFL and even MPs. The idea has even spread across the continent with Athletic Bilbao, one of Spain’s biggest clubs, endorsing the idea.
Non-league teams yearn for a home game on the day, which is now, the international break at the end of March. A home game can see a drastically improved attendance and some clubs come up with different initiatives to entice EFL supporters to try non-league, such as entrance for a fiver with an EFL season ticket.
This year, non-league day falls on 28th March, a Saturday the weekend before Easter. This gives clubs with home advantage a fantastic opportunity to boost revenue and showcase what they have to offer to attendees who may never have been to their club before.
It’s a chance for repeat custom too, the hope is that some of the people attending enjoy themselves to the point where they come again… and again… and again!
This can only help non-league football clubs at any level, but particularly the majority who thrive on volunteers. If just one new fan can volunteer an hour a week, it can make a colossal difference to a clubs operation.
If you’re stuck on picking a game, or not sure where to look or go this year, then you can head to the Non-League Day’s website, where simply by typing in your postcode, you can see all the local games in your area!
It would be a wasted opportunity if you didn’t go down to a game and take a chance on the game at a more grassroots level. Make your way through a creaky turnstile, stick a quid in the 50/50 draw, grab a boiling hot cuppa or a pint whilst being able to watch the game. A game not interrupted by VAR, a game where you can hear every kick, every shout and every tackle. It might not be its most glamorous product, but it’s football in its purest form.
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