The 10 most interesting non-league clubs you need to know more about

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It’s the international break, but that does not mean domestic football has ceased.

Teams from League One and below are still underway, including the full non-league system up and down the country – on what is called Non-League Day.

Non-League Day is an occasion scheduled to coincide with an international break, giving clubs a platform to promote the importance of affordable volunteer-led community football while also giving fans the chance to support their local teams.

Due to the international break, fans of clubs in the Premier League and Championship – not following England abroad – will have a free weekend which, Non-League Day promotes, they should use to visit their local club and experience non-league football – along with the fans who go week in, week out.

But, up and down the country, which non-league clubs are the most striking? Below, we’ve ranked the 10 non-league clubs we find most interesting.

1. Dulwich Hamlet

Founded: 1893

From: London

Nickname: The Hamlet

Stadium: Imperial Fields (3,500 capacity)

League: National League South

Key trivia: Dulwich Hamlet cult hero, Edgar Kail, was the last non-league player to play for the full England team, in 1929.

Probably one of the most well-known non-league teams, Dulwich Hamlet have gained a positive reputation for their activism surrounding anti-discrimination and anti-homophobia initiatives among others.

However, the South London club have been in the news recently for the wrong reasons as part of a dispute with the owners of their home ground, Champion Hill, which ultimately led to their being forced out of the stadium and into a temporary groundshare with Tooting & Mitcham.

Hamlet have since been the recipient of support from the wider footballing public including Rio Ferdinand and Crystal Palace, who played their fellow South Londoners in a friendly last week, in which the Dulwich goalkeeper, Preston Edwards, was alerted that his car had blocked someone in.

Edwards had to make a sprint to the car park at half-time to move it. The ultimate non-league blunder.

Sheffield FC

Founded: 1857

From: Sheffield

Nickname: The Club

Stadium: Coach & Horses Stadium (2,089 capacity)

League: Northern Premier League Division One East

Key trivia: Sheffield FC are the oldest existing association football club in the world.

What more is there to say about Sheffield FC? Over 150 years old, the club precedes the Football Association in England and initially played under Sheffield Rules, which were the first official set of rules and laws for football.

The club’s 150th-anniversary celebration in 2007 saw Sheffield play Ajax and Inter Milan, with guests of honour including then-FIFA president Sepp Blatter and Pele.

Sheffield FC are also one of just two clubs to have been given the FIFA Order of Merit, the highest honour awarded by the association for those who are considered to have made a significant contribution to football. The other team: 13-time European champions Real Madrid.

Hashtag United

Founded: 2016

From: London

Nickname: Hashtag

Stadium: Coles Park Stadium (2,500 capacity)

League: Eastern Counties League Division One South

Key trivia: Hashtag United started out as a club playing their football for YouTube, set up by a YouTuber known as Spencer FC.

From the oldest club in football to one of the youngest, Hashtag United only joined the English football league system in 2018 having started off playing arranged friendlies for their YouTube channel of the same name.

Due to the popularity of its founder Spencer Owen, Hashtag took off and were able to travel around the world to face teams such as an SD Eibar XI, and are currently sponsored by Football Manager.

Despite the entrance into the football ladder, Hashtag United do still post highlights of their own matches of their YouTube channel and have an eSports team.

Kettering Town

Founded: 1872

From: Kettering

Nickname: The Poppies

Stadium: Latimer Park

League: Southern League Premier Division Central

Key trivia: Kettering Town are the only club ever managed by Paul Gascoigne.

Where to start with Kettering Town? The Poppies have the honour of being the only team managed by former England midfielder Paul Gasgoine, who took charge between October and December 2005, due to poor results among other reasons.

But that’s not it. Kettering Town were also the first UK football club to ever wear shirt sponsors, sporting Kettering Tyres branding across their chests in January 1976 – for which they were fined. However, their deal led to the FA eventually granting permission for shirt sponsors in June 1977.

And if that wasn’t enough, the Poppies hold the record for the most goals scored in FA Cup history, managing 844 in total.

Salford City

Founded: 1940

From: Salford

Nickname: The Ammies

Stadium: Moor Lane (5,106 capacity)

League: National League

Key trivia: Salford City are part-owned by former Manchester United stars Phil Neville, Gary Neville, Nicky Butt, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs.

Salford City may have existed since 1940, but the Ammies came into the wider limelight in March 2014 when they were taken over by five former Manchester United players, with Valencia owner Peter Lim joining shortly after.

Following the takeover, Salford City has gone under significant changes including a new badge and updated stadium, while also experiencing positive results on the pitch.

As a result, the team have now transitioned to full-time and are playing in the National League for the first time in their history, just one step away from the English Football League.

Newcastle Town

Founded: 1964

From: Newcastle-under-Lyme

Nickname: The Castle

Stadium: Lyme Valley Stadium (4,000 capacity)

League: Northern Premier League Division One West

Key trivia: Newcastle Town’s home ground, Lyme Valley Stadium, doubles as a velodrome.

Not to be confused with Newcastle United, the Castle hail from Newcastle-under-Lyme in Staffordshire and actually started as a Sunday league team when they formed in 1964.

Their home ground, Lyme Valley Stadium, actually doubles as a velodrome with a cycling track around the pitch – something some fans will not like the idea of given the reaction to running tracks in stadiums.

Newcastle Town currently play their football in the eighth level of the English football Pyramid, playing in the west section of the Northern Premier League.

Billericay Town

Founded: 1880

From: Billericay

Nickname: The Blues

Stadium: New Lodge (5,000 capacity)

League: National League South

Key trivia: Billericay Town are the second most successful club in FA Vase history, with three wins.

Another big name on the list, Billericay Town rose to prominence in December 2016 when the club was taken over by Glenn Tamplin. What followed was a number of high-profile signings including former Premier League stars Paul Konchesky, Jermaine Pennant and Jamie O’Hara – with the latter still at the club.

As a result of their rising popularity, Ricay were the subject of a documentary by BT Sport and other pieces of news which brought attention to the team singing R Kelly’s World’s Greatest song before a cup final.

Also under the spotlight has been Tamplin’s erratic ownership of the club, which included sacking a manager just hours after introducing him to the team, according to the Telegraph.

If that wasn’t enough, there’s that dressing room…

Clapton FC

Founded: 1877

From: London

Nickname: The Tons

Stadium: The Old Spotted Dog Ground (2,000 capacity)

League: Essex Senior Football League

Key trivia: In 1890, Clapton FC became the first team from Great Britain to play in continental Europe.

Sheffield FC may be able to boast being the oldest football club in the world, but Clapton have something else to shout about.

In defeating a Belgian XI 7-0 in Antwerp in 1890, the Tons became the first team from Great Britain to play in continental Europe and were one of the founding members of the Isthmian League.

Supporters also formed a breakaway fan-owned club in 2018, named Clapton Community Football Club, due to frustrations with the way Clapton FC was being run.

FC United of Manchester

Founded: 2005

From: Manchester

Nickname: The Reds

Stadium: Broadhurst Park (4,400 capacity)

League: National League North

Key trivia: FC United of Manchester are the largest supporter-owned football club in the United Kingdom, by number of members (5,000).

Speaking of breakaway teams, arguably the most well-known are FC United of Manchester, who were founded in 2005 by Manchester United fans dissatisfied by Malcolm Glazer’s takeover of the club.

Since then, FC United have pushed their way up the English league system and currently sit in the National League North and have their own stadium which opened in May 2015 having ground-shared at Bury’s Gigg Lane.

FC United of Manchester also have it written into the club’s constitution that no shirt sponsor shall be worn.

Solihull Moors

Founded: 2007

From: Solihull

Nickname: The Moors

Stadium: Damson Park (4,313 capacity)

League: National League

Key trivia: Former Premier League midfielder Darren Carter is currently club captain of Solihull Moors.

Founded as a merge of Moor Green and Solihull Borough in 2007, Solihull Moors are already just one step away from the English Football League, having started in the then-named Conference North.

After spending nine years in that division, Solihull Moors were promoted to the National League and having to initially find their feet, they are now genuinely fighting for promotion to League Two this season.

The Club have also recently been taken over by former Oxford United chairman Darryl Eales and an automotive trade businessman to help them take the next step.

The post The 10 most interesting non-league clubs you need to know more about appeared first on Squawka News.



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