Non-League Day 2018

Just seven days now until Non-League Day 2018 which this year takes place on Saturday 13 October at grounds up and down the country, in Scotland and further afield as well with the idea catching on in the Netherlands and Germany too.

James Doe, of the superb London Football Guide, is the originator of NLD and has seen it grow year-on-year, a huge success but one that also means an increasing amount of work which needs to be balanced against his growing family and ‘real’ job.

Although it gains a higher profile every season the day would not exist without James’s efforts and financial contribution so donations his coffee-drinking fund are always welcome!

Clubs at all levels of the Non-League game are embracing the opportunity to make inroads into their local communities next weekend, starting with National League high-fliers Leyton Orient where it is football for a fiver against Hartlepool United.

I've already seen Pay What You Want fixtures advertised at Chesham United (Under 18's also free), Margate (where 50% of the money received will go to blood cancer charity Anthony Nolan) and Felixstowe & Walton United (with funds being raised for Prostate Cancer UK).

There’s free gingerbread at Grantham Town, free chips at AFC Rushden & Diamonds and a warm welcome awaiting you at the turnstiles wherever you go, which is likely to be Hallam FC against Charnock Richard in the FA Vase in my case (always football for a fiver at Sandygate) although that may change late on if there’s a ground within reach that I haven’t been to before.