Back to grass roots

After reading this some of you will probably think I'm a bit of a sad case. Maybe I am. But I am simply a football fan and like to see football at all levels. To be a referee, I think you need to be a bit mad and a football fan really!

So, on Tuesday night, I drove across Nottingham city centre to Carlton Town FC. The game I went to see was between Arnold Town (currently unable to play at their own ground, hence the different location) and Hallam FC. The game was in the Kool Sports Northern Counties East Premier Division. To put that into context, it is the 9th tier of English football. Get to the Conference, go down through Conference North, the Unibond Northern Premier League, Division One, and you might find yourself in the Northern Counties East League. So this is football really back at its roots.

The contrast is stark. I was in a crowd of 88 at Carlton's rather odd ground, which has a stand behind one goal and very little other shelter (save for the clubhouse!). Yes, it was quiet. I could hear the players, I could hear the referee (who I thought communicated well and had a good match), I could hear what was shouted from the benches, and I could hear all the comments the fans made. It is a totally different experience to anything you'll find even as high as the Conference.

In terms of the match, it was nothing special. Arnold won 1-0 thanks to a 14th minute goal from their forward Chris Freestone who rounded the keeper and slotted it home. Hallam persevered, but couldn't find an equaliser, and Arnold could have added to their lead too. The win takes them up to fourth in the Premier division. But what matters is that I felt part of the action, and that is what made it all enjoyable. I wasn't some distant figure in a crowd, I was by the edge of the pitch following all the action.

Top level football is often thought expensive. Not so here. I paid £5 to get in, £1.50 for an informative matchday programme, and got myself a half-time tray of chips for £1. I could have had them with a pie and gravy for just £2.50. That's ridiculously cheap really! I would barely get a cup of tea for that price at the New Wembley.

In my opinion, you don't need to go to high level football to enjoy watching it. Going down the non-league pyramid may not be everyone's cup of tea, but its a welcome break for me from the hugely commercial world of top flight football. This is the players' hobby, which they put everything into, something which I am not convinced some of the overpaid prima donnas at the top do.

As far as I can see, every level of football has its advantages. For skill, excitement and quality you can't beat the Premier League. For professional football of a good standard and a good atmosphere you can't beat the Football League. But for value for money and being part of the action, you can't beat a trip down to one of those little local football clubs who survive on a shoestring. None of them should be dismissed as having nothing to offer.

I'm going to try to get round some more of the local clubs in Nottingham over the remainder of the academic year, as I believe this is where you can find the true spirit of football. I'd encourage you to do the same - don't be afraid to take a trip to your local non-league clubs. It won't cost you much, and it will give you a different perspective of what football is like.

So, am I a sad case? Possibly. Or maybe I'm just trying to get a different perspective on the world of football. I'll leave you to judge that one!