Crows can make you whole again...

[townsendaround]

Last week I went to watch Crowborough Athletic take on Chessington & Hook United in the FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round, and was moved to write a few (!) words. Here they are, and I hope you like them.

Also featuring Kerry Katona- and Andy Parsons from Mock The Week.

http://www.townsendaround.co.uk/football/little-league-love-affair/crows-can-make-you-whole-again-12/

[Various Artist]

Crows can make you whole again...

Really enjoyed it townsend: a great in-depth match report, a couple of good jokes and a considered paean to this way of non-league life as well as sounding a cautionary note. What more could a reader want? Well, maybe a few extra apostrophes here and there, but let's not get pedantic at this stage.

[SouthdownRebel]

Crows can make you whole again...

Agreed, this is excellent, thanks for posting. There's a lot of good happening around the non league scene in the South East and a lot of good clubs in need of greater support.

It's well known that average attendances have fallen in recent years - mostly a combination of the Premier League's appeal and clubs lacking the means or nous to compete with the glitz and glamour. On the other hand there is plenty of anecdotal evidence to suggest that people are "going non league" having tired of the top level or being priced out.

[DCI Harry Batt]

Crows can make you whole again...

Are C&G still 'orrible?

[Ray de Galles]

Crows can make you whole again...

C&H?

[My Name Is Ian]

Crows can make you whole again...

Are crowds really that much down? I say this having barely gone to a single match last year, but the impression I'd taken was that they were holding up reasonably well, considering everything.

I was thinking of hauling my sorry ass up Worthing on Saturday afternoon. Can 3G pitches get waterlogged? Because it's done nothing but rain here all week, but I see that the Rebels are at home.

[SouthdownRebel]

Crows can make you whole again...

Hmm, it seems the trend has changed a little now that you mention it - this page suggests an overall increase last season.

Perhaps some of my source material is outdated :winky thing: It's certainly possible the initiatives you mention in that post have had some positive effect.

I think as long as the drainage is up to the job the pitch should be fine. Worthing are an interesting club this season - some positive things are happening off the pitch after years of debt and doldrums. I've been to a couple of games there this season and the old place looks a bit brighter at least. Not sure if I'll be there this weekend but if I am I'll wear a pink carnation or something.

[My Name Is Ian]

Crows can make you whole again...

I think there has been a definite upsurge in the way that non-league clubs market themselves over the last couple of years. On the one hand, I see far more posters about for non-league matches (Worthing, to give a local example, have a big one at the railway station - I think a lot of clubs learned a lesson from the Lewes posters thing,) whilst on the other, social media engagement is considerably higher than it ever has been.

But I also think that there's something in people being priced out and/or disillusioned with the game at a higher level. For the record, I don't hold with this "non-league football as 'real' football" thing - I think it can market itself perfectly well as being affordable (even though the Conference isn't inexpensive any more,) allowing people to stand and/or have a drink, and having closer ties to the players, or whatever.

[slackster]

Crows can make you whole again...

A nice little club, Crowborough. Are they still muttering about being moved from the rebranded Sussex (SCFL ) to the rebranded Kent (SCEFL) League?

Already had their "cup final", when they drew 350 for the High Weald derby v Tun Wells in the opening day 1-1 draw.

[townsendaround]

Crows can make you whole again...

Thanks all for the feedback.

Slackster, I heard no muttering, actually they seemed genuinely grateful to be part of the SCEFL as they felt it was testing them far more than the SCFL had previously. As one who watches the SCFL very regularly and the SCEFL less often, I think they are right to be grateful- the standard is higher in their current league.