Non-league provides the foundations for the footballing pyramid

In joint managers Les Nelson and Lutel James and assistants Simon Portrey, Sean Burton and Steve Gilmore, Alan Wilson thinks they have men who can provide them, but will the pandemic allow it?

“Our new management team have got connections in the professional game so we’re looking to get a few good friendly games,” says Wilson, chairman of the North Counties East League Premier Division club. “They were talking about trying to organise a friendly against a Leeds United XI who just by their name would attract a different crowd and putting that money into the coffers would help us.

“We played Halifax in the West Riding Cup and it was mostly Under-18s and 19s with a few first-teamers but it generated a good gate and they very generously told us to keep it rather than split it with them.”

On top of all the other bills they are having to deal with without any income, Northern Premier League South East club Stocksbridge now have to pay for a new set of goalposts after vandals damaged those at Bracken Moor.

Chairman Graham Furness has been reluctant to ask for charity but with the loss of the club’s three main sponsors compounded by vandalism at their home ground, he has had little choice.

“The club’s income streams, sponsorship, advertising revenue and our monthly 500 draw have all stopped completely,” he says. “Our planned golf day fund-raising event is looking very doubtful and a sportsman’s dinner will not now go ahead.

“Our three main sponsors have all decided not to renew for next season due to the economic downturn, and many of our advertisers are not working at the moment. It’s frustrating because our commercial manager had increased advertising revenue by 60 per cent since we took over.

“Being tenants at our ground, we do not qualify for any Government grants and FA money doesn’t flow down to our level of the football pyramid. It’s unlikely the Northern Premier League will be able to offer their clubs any help because they’ve lost their major sponsors, too, so as you can imagine these are very worrying times.

“On top of all this we have had to spend £4,000 on tractor repairs, and then had vandals on our training pitches who damaged the goalposts.”

However they do it, Wilson thinks it is imperative clubs at the top of the footballing pyramid help those at the bottom to survive.

“I think it’s beholden on the Premier League given the amount of money that goes through their hands to help the non-league clubs out,” he argues. “The bottom of the pyramid provides the foundations and if you take them away, what have you got left?

“For what it takes for a big club to send an ‘XI’ over to play us, it’s not a big deal. They pay more than that on their car insurance!”