My passion with James Hamilton: Getting a big kick out of supporting semi-professional football

Tadcaster play eight leagues below the Premier League, in the Northern Counties East League.

With average crowds of around 100 people, it’s hardly glamorous but it’s good fun, and can be extremely rewarding – at least when we are winning.

I originally joined as treasurer, but at this level you have to do whatever needs to be done, so my involvement has spread from dealing with the FA and giving radio interviews, to deep-frying chips and pulling pints.

I’ve lived in Tadcaster since 2006, but the club weren’t really on my radar until 2009, when I saw an article in the local paper.

The chairman was appealing for new people to get involved and volunteer time.

The club had been through a very difficult period with floods and fires and internal disputes. Results were poor and the financial position was poor.

I was lucky that my joining coincided with the arrival of a new sponsor, Rob Northfield, who subsequently became club chairman.

With financial support from his business, 2 Inspire, and other sponsors, and a lot of hard work, we’ve had a fantastic two years.

Last year we won the league and were promoted to level nine of the football pyramid for the first time in our 100-year history. This season, we have adapted very well to that step up, finishing fourth and winning a NCEL league cup competition, also for the first time.

Apart from seeing the team do so well, what is particularly satisfying is being able to use my professional skills and contacts for the benefit of the club.

As well as monitoring the finances, I tend to get involved with anything that needs interaction with the banks or lawyers or the football authorities.

We managed to successfully incorporate the club with the consent of the FA to give us a more efficient control structure.

Unfortunately, work to refinance the existing debt is on-going (banks don’t seem to like football clubs at the moment).

We are also trying to support other community groups in Tadcaster and improve our profile in the vale of York and north Leeds.

If people haven’t sampled semi-professional football, I’d urge them to try it.

There is a great connection with the players, and an absence of histrionics, that, regrettably, seems to be long gone from the higher levels of the professional game.

I can’t wait to find out what next season will bring.