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Non-League Day: A timely reminder of why community sport matters

MATT TRINDER meets Clapton CFC, just one club opening its doors to football's annual grassroots celebration on Saturday

IN THE week when Jeremy Corbyn announced that a Labour government would make the Premier League reinvest 5 per cent of its television rights income into grassroots football, Non-League Day — the annual fiesta of community football — takes centre stage on Saturday.

The event’s website describes how Non-League Day was set up by football fan James Doe as a social media experiment in 2010, but has now grown to be a key part of the football calendar — “backed by Premier League and Football League clubs, MPs, celebrities, media organisations, charities and of course the non-league clubs and their fans themselves.”

Non-league clubs are often exclusively volunteer-run. Tickets are always affordable and sometimes free, with any donations received invested into “thriving youth set-ups, projects and facilities which are of benefit to the whole community.”

This special day, timed to coincide with the international break when no top-flight domestic fixtures take place, is a golden opportunity to promote the importance of “affordable, volunteer-led community football while giving fans across the country the chance to show support for their local non-league side.”

Matches are taking place all over the country this Saturday, with fan-owned teams such as FC United of Manchester, AFC Rushden & Diamonds, Scarborough Athletic, Newark Town, Peacehaven and Hinckley all enjoying home fixtures.

Many teams offer a discounted rate to reward season ticket holders of bigger clubs and across the country proceeds are being donated to Prostate Cancer UK.

But the clash in north London between Clapton Community FC men’s team and Stonewall FC, Britain’s top-ranking LGBT team, is a perfect example of how grassroots football does not shy away from issues that might be seen by the corporate owners of the bigger richer clubs as controversial. 

Non-League Day founder James Doe told the Star: “We were really pleased when we found out Clapton CFC were at home on Non-League Day as they always really embrace the occasion.

“The amount of activities they have planned is really impressive and the fans always create a great atmosphere.

“The fact they're playing Stonewall is even better as they fought so hard for promotion alongside the Tons last season. It should be a great afternoon.”

The match is one of five being promoted by the anti-discrimination Kick It Out campaign and according to Joe, a volunteer at the club who spoke exclusively to the Star, Clapton is “delighted” to be playing its part.

He describes how Clapton is honoured to be helping to recognise the amazing work of Stonewall FC who “fought their way up” the Sunday leagues when it was at times unsafe to be an openly LGBT team. 

Joe also sees a set of “shared values” at both clubs based on building genuinely inclusive communities. 

Clapton FC’s friends from Hackney-based migrants group Akwaaba will be special guests at Saturday’s game, helping young fans to design and stencil their own shirts.

And donations of food and toiletries will be sought to support the Magpie Project, which provides practical support and advice to mothers and children under five in temporary or insecure accommodation in the local area.

This will build on the success of the two teams’ last meeting in February 2019, described as a “massive triumph” by Clapton even before the kick-off, which had a record-breaking attendance of 618. 

On the pitch, Clapton got revenge for a previous 4-0 thrashing at Stonewall to beat their opponents 5-1. But off it, 100 fans signed up for the DKMS stem cell register and £400 was raised for LGBT homelessness charity Outside Project.

Manchester United have an average Premier League attendance of nearly 75,000. Imagine if clubs like that could promote similar causes so explicitly, as well as encouraging each attendee to donate over 50p on average to a worthy cause at every home game?

Joe admits that Premier League teams have recognised they “need to do more” to maintain community connections, promote equality and make their clubs and match day experiences more inclusive.

But high ticket prices in the top flight will always keep certain people out, with the richest in our society able to buy up the best views or the corporate boxes. 

Joe claims that community football, on the other hand, has an “inbuilt equality” — with everyone welcome at very low cost and with no tiered seating or VIP areas. 

He welcomes Corbyn’s pledge to reinvest 5 per cent of the Premier League’s profits into grassroots football as a “fantastic idea.” His club is “blessed” with numerous volunteers like himself, but many other clubs need much greater financial stability.

When making his policy announcement Corbyn argued that a football club “is more than just a club, it is an institution at the heart of our communities. Clubs are part of the social fabric that binds us together.”

The super-rich mega clubs of the football world would do well to remember that. A potential Labour government stands ready to remind them of their responsibilities, as it already has in opposition.

Community clubs are the physical embodiment of the principles Jeremy Corbyn has outlined. It is vital that Non-League Day this Saturday should be celebrated and supported. Find out if a match is happening near you. Take your family and friends. And remind those at the top of the game what football should be all about. 

Clapton CFC Men’s team vs Stonewall FC kicks off at the Wadham Lodge Sports Ground, Kitchener Rd, London on Saturday October 12 at 2.30pm.  Entry is free to all, with a suggested £3 donation for waged adults. 

And find matches across Britain here

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