As we're unlikely to see terraces again at football, this is the virtual equivalent where you can chat to your hearts content about all football matters and, obviously, Arsenal in particular. This forum encourages all Gooners to visit and contribute so please keep it respectful, clean and topical.
Not sure if there was an old thread on this subject. If so, would a mod kindly merge?
I'm feeling well happy for my local club Burgess Hill Town FC. They are having a brilliant season. At one stage they won fifteen games on the bounce. They recently beat a team fifty something places above them in the rankings in the FA Trophy. Away from home. And they are the only team in the top eight league levels to remain unbeaten in league games. If it carries on like this, they may become the non-league "Invincibles".
So. Who are your local non-league club? Do you ever go to watch them? Are they any good? And have you ever bumped into anyone a bit like the Wealdstone Raider?
Enfield, we had a better team and club than Barnet years ago, until we got sold down the river.
We had some fantastic FA cup runs, should of got promoted but ground wasn't up to scratch.
We played at the shit hole one year in the FA cup, i think against Barnsley and there was a sell out crowd.
They're now rebuilding, and playing at donkey lane.
Staines. pretty poor - tend to have some very quick black lads up front who stay for half a season then jump up to the conference, backed up by some bad tempered bloke in midfield 'who had a trial' once. one of their centrebacks is always called Nigel or Derek. not exactly fear inspiring...
btw -i didn't realize until the other day that the 'wealdstone raider' was now a thing....
most of the non-league fans i met tend be of three types - :
1) nerdy type ex or current students who revel in the hipster/cultish status of the non league game, who will sing for 90 minutes even when there's just six of them. on FA cup preliminary round days they will wear a jesters hat in the clubs colours, which they think is cool in an ironic way
2) old women in hats, gloves and jumpers they knitted themselves. probably work in the tea bar or sell programmes.
3) massive great big fat bastards - the type that sit on forklifts all day in the warehouses over the airport, we are talking seriously poundage here, 350lbs plus, packed in last years shirt or a Champion hoodie (also Ironic). will jump up and down and sing for 30 seconds before turning beetroot and spending the other 89 1/2 minutes sweating.
everyone else seemed to be more there for the cheap beer in the clubhouse at half time - where the stands would empty in to so everyone can see the united,liverpool, chelsea, arsenal scores etc.
clockender1 wrote:Staines. pretty poor - tend to have some very quick black lads up front who stay for half a season then jump up to the conference, backed up by some bad tempered bloke in midfield 'who had a trial' once. one of their centrebacks is always called Nigel or Derek. not exactly fear inspiring...
btw -i didn't realize until the other day that the 'wealdstone raider' was now a thing....
most of the non-league fans i met tend be of three types - :
1) nerdy type ex or current students who revel in the hipster/cultish status of the non league game, who will sing for 90 minutes even when there's just six of them. on FA cup preliminary round days they will wear a jesters hat in the clubs colours, which they think is cool in an ironic way
2) old women in hats, gloves and jumpers they knitted themselves. probably work in the tea bar or sell programmes.
3) massive great big fat bastards - the type that sit on forklifts all day in the warehouses over the airport, we are talking seriously poundage here, 350lbs plus, packed in last years shirt or a Champion hoodie (also Ironic). will jump up and down and sing for 30 seconds before turning beetroot and spending the other 89 1/2 minutes sweating.
everyone else seemed to be more there for the cheap beer in the clubhouse at half time - where the stands would empty in to so everyone can see the united,liverpool, chelsea, arsenal scores etc.
its an odd world.
you forgot to mention the supermarket carrier bag carriers,you always get them at non league,why is that??
When I was a kid we used to watch Finchley a lot. A ggood team that got to a semi final of the amateur cup at Highbury (got thrashed by Hendon). These days they are still at Summers Lane but are merged with Wingate. A couple of promotions sees them currently top half of the Ryman premier although still with very small crowds.
clockender1 wrote:Staines. pretty poor - tend to have some very quick black lads up front who stay for half a season then jump up to the conference, backed up by some bad tempered bloke in midfield 'who had a trial' once. one of their centrebacks is always called Nigel or Derek. not exactly fear inspiring...
btw -i didn't realize until the other day that the 'wealdstone raider' was now a thing....
most of the non-league fans i met tend be of three types - :
1) nerdy type ex or current students who revel in the hipster/cultish status of the non league game, who will sing for 90 minutes even when there's just six of them. on FA cup preliminary round days they will wear a jesters hat in the clubs colours, which they think is cool in an ironic way
2) old women in hats, gloves and jumpers they knitted themselves. probably work in the tea bar or sell programmes.
3) massive great big fat bastards - the type that sit on forklifts all day in the warehouses over the airport, we are talking seriously poundage here, 350lbs plus, packed in last years shirt or a Champion hoodie (also Ironic). will jump up and down and sing for 30 seconds before turning beetroot and spending the other 89 1/2 minutes sweating.
everyone else seemed to be more there for the cheap beer in the clubhouse at half time - where the stands would empty in to so everyone can see the united,liverpool, chelsea, arsenal scores etc.
its an odd world.
the non league fans remind me of county cricket championship fans
chelmsford city, but hate them, probably as i've followed colchester since non league days, beating witton albion in the fa trophy with the mighty scott barrett in goal as a little kid.
been to layer road a fair bit as a kid, classic lower league/non league ground, shame its gone, and with severalls mental hospital next door the crowd was an interesting mix with the regulars being very much wealdstone raider types and me in my Lua Lua shirt.
markyp wrote:
you forgot to mention the supermarket carrier bag carriers,you always get them at non league,why is that??
we used to get one at highbury - on the clockend. he would always have a carrier bag full of pennies. he stood, sat behind me for about 10 years, he never spoke to anyone else either.
i know the type - carrier bag, longish hair, greasy, sometimes a sad face tache, tatty old jacket and baggy jeans falling down. you do NOT want to know what he has in his pockets. ever.
and FWIW anyone who takes a drum to a non league game should be made to eat it.
