Chairman's Blog
Wed 11th November 2015 | Chairmans Blog | By Paul Lawler
Non League didn’t start with the “Class of ‘92”
Wasn't it great to see another former NWCFL club causing a giant-killing act in this week’s FA Cup 1st Round, following on from Warrington Town’s similar feat last season.
It was fantastic to see Salford City being covered by the excellent television coverage by the BBC, which really brings the magic of the FA Cup to life (I know I should give Emirates a brand mention, but it is still the FA Cup to me – end of).
However, I would like to inform the popular media that football outside of the Premier League didn’t start with the “Class of 92” turning up as saviours of the non-league game.
Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing but respect for Messrs Giggs, Neville, Neville, Scholes and Butt going to a local club and trying to give something back to the game after magnificently serving club and country for many years.
They could have easily stayed behind their electric gates in Alderley Edge (or wherever footballers live these days), counting their money, and carried on driving around in their inconspicuous Range Rovers. It just bugs me though, that the focus on non-league only really generates interest when there is a potential giant killing act in cup competiton or when five well-known former Premiership footballers take an interest.
I work in the media, so know full well how it works. However, I only have to walk around our grounds on a match day to see the amazing characters and love of the game at this level to see there are lots of stories to tell, but they just don’t get told. From Puma filming at one of our grounds last week, with a number of Premier League starlets, to some real community interest stories.
What is great to see from the BBC documentary “Class of 92” about Salford City is the sheer delight from the likes of Gary Neville and Paul Scholes standing on a grass bank on a match day, getting overly excited and frustrated in equal measures by the match action. Gary even has his favourite concrete post to stand on at Moor Lane.
Only hardened non-league fans can really appreciate this, and it is something you cannot really experience higher up the football pyramid.
I hope their involvement with Salford City will help generate interest among the wider footballing community. With money washing around the top levels of the game, mostly benefiting the players bank accounts, it would be great to see more players taking an interest in the non-league game by giving something back to the benefit of football at lower levels of the game.
Just 1 per cent of Wayne Rooney’s reported annual salary of £15million would comfortably run several of our clubs for a whole season – food for thought.
Paul Lawler, Chairman, The North West Counties Football League
Chairman's Blog
Wed 11th November 2015 | Chairmans Blog
By Paul Lawler
Non League didn’t start with the “Class of ‘92”
Wasn't it great to see another former NWCFL club causing a giant-killing act in this week’s FA Cup 1st Round, following on from Warrington Town’s similar feat last season.
It was fantastic to see Salford City being covered by the excellent television coverage by the BBC, which really brings the magic of the FA Cup to life (I know I should give Emirates a brand mention, but it is still the FA Cup to me – end of).
However, I would like to inform the popular media that football outside of the Premier League didn’t start with the “Class of 92” turning up as saviours of the non-league game.
Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing but respect for Messrs Giggs, Neville, Neville, Scholes and Butt going to a local club and trying to give something back to the game after magnificently serving club and country for many years.
They could have easily stayed behind their electric gates in Alderley Edge (or wherever footballers live these days), counting their money, and carried on driving around in their inconspicuous Range Rovers. It just bugs me though, that the focus on non-league only really generates interest when there is a potential giant killing act in cup competiton or when five well-known former Premiership footballers take an interest.
I work in the media, so know full well how it works. However, I only have to walk around our grounds on a match day to see the amazing characters and love of the game at this level to see there are lots of stories to tell, but they just don’t get told. From Puma filming at one of our grounds last week, with a number of Premier League starlets, to some real community interest stories.
What is great to see from the BBC documentary “Class of 92” about Salford City is the sheer delight from the likes of Gary Neville and Paul Scholes standing on a grass bank on a match day, getting overly excited and frustrated in equal measures by the match action. Gary even has his favourite concrete post to stand on at Moor Lane.
Only hardened non-league fans can really appreciate this, and it is something you cannot really experience higher up the football pyramid.
I hope their involvement with Salford City will help generate interest among the wider footballing community. With money washing around the top levels of the game, mostly benefiting the players bank accounts, it would be great to see more players taking an interest in the non-league game by giving something back to the benefit of football at lower levels of the game.
Just 1 per cent of Wayne Rooney’s reported annual salary of £15million would comfortably run several of our clubs for a whole season – food for thought.
Paul Lawler, Chairman, The North West Counties Football League
