Why Is Non-League Football In England So Good?

What's so great about football in England is no matter how small a town is, it'll most likely have it's own football team that you can go and support on a Saturday afternoon.

My favourite little non-league fun fact is that since 2 promotion spots were awarded from the National League to League 2, no team has come straight back down. This season will mark the 20 year anniversary of this happening and with both Grimsby and Stockport looking clear of the drop, that makes the number of teams to have this happen set to reach 40/40

I remember when I was a teenager and i used to think I could have possibly played at conference level, because one of my team mates ended up doing so. But you go and watch those teams today and the standard is absolutely superb. It's a humbling experience to go and watch the local lower leagues now, they're all serious players.

It’s impossible to understand why non league football is so popular without understanding the central role football clubs play in peoples identity and sense of belonging. Football clubs do not just glue people together: they are something everyone can feel part of

I would actually really want to see 2 teams + playoff winners promoting from the non-league to league two, it is sad to see so many good teams unable to promote due to strict 2 promotion places right now

So proud of the strength and depth of the leagues in England. Football didn't need to come home it never left from the moment we created it.

I’m a forest fan but went to the notts county game this week with a mate who supports them and the atmosphere was really good. A guy banged a drum the entire 90 mins. It was a bit awkward when they were singing “forest get battered everywhere they go” and I sat there awkwardly in silence 😅

Back in India we had live telecast of lower division English football. Quality of games was ofcourse different than PL but the atmosphere was phenomenal, small stadium and full attendance was best thing to watch like most of the stadium were like Fulham's stadium or Highbury.

I know from my experience in America that my best baseball enjoyments have been in the Minor League game. The stadiums are cozier, more intimate, with terrific sightlines just about anywhere in the place, and with lots of open space above and around the diamond. The crowds are smaller, friendlier, the whole atmosphere is more relaxed and yet the baseball thrill is every bit as satisfying as with the Majors if not more so. And it's far cheaper: a ticket is from $3-$7 and parking is just $3 and although the concessions are a bit pricey they're not anywhere nearly as outrageously overpriced as in an MLB park. The level of baseball is also fairly high-standard so it makes an outing worthwhile. Minor league, lower division and non-league football, which I've been watching a lot of lately, seems also to be saner all around. The leagues are less predictable, the stadiums are more comfortable and far less claustrophobic, the fan experience is pretty positive overall, the level of play has been pretty damn good in the English non-league game and the German lower divisions, as well as the WSL, and I can catch a lot of action right off YouTube instead of having to pay through the nose for a premium channel subscription. The Big Leagues are plastic, corporate theme-park spectacle. The small leagues are brick and concrete, grass, competitive, and wholly real at the community level.

As a Bradford Park Avenue fan and volunteer, I am really happy you made this video and totally agree that non-league in England is brilliant! The price of a season ticket at our club is at most £150, which is probably the same as 2 or 3 Premier League or even EFL Championship matchday tickets. You still see 90 minutes, and the quality is still at a respectable level :)

While on the topic of non-league. A video on the rise of Dorking Wanderers could be interesting. From tier 16 to the National League within 23 years is incredible

Oldham fan here: we were discussing this topic yesterday. Why after relegation to Non League are we getting twice as many home fans as when we were two divisions in L1? Some good points made - agree with PL disillusionment however it’s not cheaper in Non League. Ticket prices are still around £20 same as in L1 (£5 too much IMO) and with it being a very Southern based league it is v expensive being a Northern club to follow away. Two additional points I’d make. Levels of fitness of players is surprising long gone are the days of big CH/CF lumps. Secondly - Perhaps over the next two months with the World Cup we could see a continued resurgence as PL fans seek out live Saturday football action and realise they like it due to the points you raise.

I follow Haringey Borough in the Isthmian League. The support is mainly made up of disenchanted Arsenal & Tottenham fans wanting something different from the crass commercialism of the Premier League. To encourage a growth in support season tickets are free. The atmosphere is superb and they have a great clubhouse too. If you live in North London I highly recommend it.

Recently I traveled to the UK from the US and decided to visit various Non-League grounds! I can honestly say the quality in stadiums, pitches and infrastructure was incredible! Chesterfield FC ground was one of the nicest I'd ever visited in person. I'd highly recommend to anyone who visits the UK to go watch Non-League matches! Had more fun doing so than some of the Prem matches I've been to

I live in Australia, but I take great interest in the non-league game. If I was to ever move to England, one of the first things I would do is check out my local non-league side

As someone who briefly played for Congleton Town in the old Cheshire League, this brought back memories of a training regime that often ended up at the fish and chip shop! I have been a supporter of non-league from the late 1970s - Nantwich Town, Barnstaple Town, Goldenhill Wanders, Congleton Town and Alsager Town are amongst the clubs I would follow over the years.

It kind of reminds me a bit to the situation between the Bundesligue 1 and 2 over the last few years, due to the absolute dominance of Bayern Munchen (besides of this current season) Bundesligue 2 has become more fun to watch and engage because of how tight the competition is to achieve promotion compared to the first league. That could be a nice topic for a next video, how the absolute dominance of one club can damage the overall performance of the league.

As a Dane I grew up watching football from the top leagues in Britain, and as a schoolboy we all had our different favourite English football teams. Most of those were typically Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham, Liverpool and Manchester United, however most of us did not know the whole team, its history or about rivalries between them. Danish teams rarely had any international succes, I believe that is why our national team has such a great support, because they are "our boys." Nowadays top teams buy themselves out of troubles if they can afford it, so most people with an average income prefer to supoort their local club , because at least that team is "our boys!" But maybe I am wrong?

We (York) have been getting higher attendances in the National League North and now National League than we got in L2 less than 10years ago

I love going to see my local team, Skegness Town. A couple hundred people, sometimes, all cheering on a team very few people know exist. Better than any premier league match day in my opinion.