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As a fan of a Non-League side it's very rare that I have anyone to talk to about the team I support. I completely understand why some people will have little or nothing to say about the Non-League but what really gets on my nerves is when I hear people writing it off as being a poor level of football.

Photo, Shoot: Non-League Day in 11 Instagram Pictures is a post from: Just Football

First established in 2010 as a social media experiment amongst friends, Non-League Day continues to grow from strength to strength, helping provide much-needed focus on the vast, rich tapestry that is non-league football in the UK.

Deloitte report assessing the financial impact of The FA Cup reveals: £650m earned by clubs in the past 10 years Crawley Town receive £1m pay day from single FA Cup tie

 As excitement builds ahead of The FA Cup with Budweiser Fourth Round Proper, the financial impact of the competition has been revealed in a new report by the Sports Business Group at Deloitte.

The season has not yet begun, and four football clubs with proud histories have had to either resign from their leagues or have been consigned to the history books altogether.

Not many people will bat an eyelid as another five clubs are added to the ever growing number of clubs who've faced financial trouble in recent times (Merthyr Town, Chester FC, FC Halifax Town and Ilkeston to name but a few teams), but to the fans of these clubs these problems matter.

Non league sides are always a force to be reckoned with in the FA cup, some call it the ‘spirit of the cup', some say that these teams have nothing to lose, but maybe, just maybe, some of these teams can PLAY football. I find it a brilliant prospect to see non-league opposition against a league opponent.

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.

Football fans can become football club owners for a fiver, helping to transform the fortunes of an unfashionable, lower league club in Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Scotland or Wales.

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.

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.

The part timers abysmal run of 40 consecutive defeats earned them the crown of Britain's worst football team.

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.

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.

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.

Living in a Non League world and I am just a material girl. How much would you pay to watch your team in action? A fiver, a tenner? Twelve pounds fifty? Why do I ask? Well one wag suggested this week that you should pay however much you think its worth to get into a game.

During the current cold spell, it is a good time to remind referees of their responsibilities regarding pitch inspections. There is, it has to be said, a fair old deal of information on the FA website: Referees should visit the ground in good time before a match to see that everything is in order.

952 matches called off and 700 games postponed. So, just your average Non League week in January. Chances are if you were off to a lower league football game this week, it would have been called off, yet chances also are unless you were at Histon v Swansea, you won't have heard the referee explain the reasons why.

There are some big issues in the world of Non League Football at the moment; unpaid players wages, not enough people through the gate, taxes, floodlights, respect.

On the surface the game we all love would seem to be in its most precarious position but after a year like 2008, in truth it's never had a brighter future.

Here's a little something that made me chuckle: He's making a list, he's checking it twice he's going to find out who's naughty or nice 'cause SANTA CRUZ is coming to BLYTH.

Football is the best part of Christmas! Ive got a blank weekend. Great, that means a day free to do absolutely anything. I can do Christmas shopping, catch up with friends and enjoy an all too infrequent trip to see the Clarets, if they were still in the Cup, or the trophy, or any other fixture you come to mention.

I heard a rumour Should you know whos putting money into your club? Should you know whos left out of the team and why? Should you know whos pulling the strings and whos taking up the slack? Just how much is it acceptable to tell the fans of a football club, and how much would you want to know?

Indesit Football Talents: four great teams, 64 players,

and a final at Emirates Stadium.

 64 winners will be selected by the online community and a jury including Arsenal, AC Milan, Paris Saint Germain and Shakhtar. On 15 May 2012, four 16-man squads will compete at Emirates Stadium.

I'll always remember the first game of football I ever went to: I was aged six; the location was Aggborough in Kidderminster as the Harriers took on Aston Villa in Graham Allner's testimonial. It was a few years before I was ever introduced to top flight football at Villa Park or First Division football at Molineux.

Already this season there have been two sackings, two resignations and two departures by mutual consent in the Football League alone, including two ex-England managers; Steve McClaren and most recently Sven Goran-Eriksson.

Following numerous reports of the costs of sacking a manager in the press recently you would have thought club owners would think twice about sending their current choice on their way.

Jamie Lawrence Academy 4 UKFF 3

An extremely proud and historic day for UK Football Finder occurred on Saturday 3rd September 2011. At one of the oldest senior clubs in the country, Colliers Wood FC, a new era began as members from UK Football Finder came together to form a side to compete against the Jamie Lawrence Football Academy – the academy of an ex Premier and International footballer.

It's clear the best bid on paper will never win. And nor should it.

But why did England do so badly and how can they guarantee they host the World Cup in 2026?

England's one additional vote is the embarrassing equivalent of 'Nil Point' at Eurovision. Yes, our bid was reduced to the level of Jemini.

Simon Taylor, a professional footballer, give insight into his life inside the game. Every week, exclusively for In The Stands...  Introduction to me, and my Diary Hi. My name is Simon Taylor and I am a professional-footballer. Now, before I go into more detail, I am by no means famous. In fact if you Google my [.