FC United of Newcastle v Rothbury
Northern Alliance Division One
Saturday 7th September, 2019. Kick-off 2.30pm
Recent events at Bolton and Bury have brought the plight of
lower League football clubs to a wider attention and while fans and the media
have all had their say about the game that exists beyond the Premier League, the
game also exists outside the Football League and is run by a small band of
dedicated people for no reward other than personal satisfaction, a sense of
community and a love of the game.
You don’t have to fork out twenty notes – or a hell of a lot
more to watch the game at the top flight - to watch a Northern Alliance game.
You can’t criticise the players for getting their wages for nowt, because
they’re playing for nowt. You can’t criticise the managers for being on
astronomical sums because they’re not only doing it for nowt, but they could be
washing the kits, lining the pitches and doing all the reams of FA paperwork
associated with the game long into the night as well. Not only that, they’ll
more often than not have had to pay to take the same qualifications as those in
the professional game.
It could be argued that those club Academies selling a dream – more often than not
to the parents of young children, not the kids themselves - of a millionaire
lifestyle are like a battery chicken farm, taking the talent and then kicking
them out, leaving them sickened of the game,are doing more damage than good to the sport. You can learn more about the game
kicking around with your mates on a local park. Just ask Ian Wright or any of
the multitudes of players that were good enough to move into professional
football from their local non-League sides.
Because it’s local football that is suffering the most, but
no-one sheds a tear if a local side or league disappears. It’s dismissed as one
of those things that happens - sad but inevitable. Mike Ashley couldn’t give a
monkey’s if you turn up at St. James’ or not, he’ll still make millions from
the TV money and global company sponsorship. You’re not even a number anymore.
Consider taking your support somewhere it is appreciated,
somewhere you can sit down with the players in the pub after and talk
about the game with them. Somewhere that the manager will chat with you and
thank you for coming along, somewhere that the cynicism and greed hasn’t
penetrated. You’re not turning your back on the Premier League – it has turned
its back on you. We don’t see a penny of the billions awash at the top of the
game. It doesn’t filter down. None of it. Not to the coaches, the players, nor
officials. So please support your local club. That’s why the local businesses
that so kindly help clubs like Rothbury FC are so valued, and that’s why your
voice and support for the team is so needed. Have a treat now and then and go
along to a Premier League game for the atmosphere, the drink, camaraderie and
the day out, by all means. But come along and watch your local team too. You
are needed now more than ever.
If you’re at a loose end this Saturday, Rothbury are looking
to bounce back from a heavy derby defeat by Red Row when they visit FC United
of Newcastle – paying their own petrol, by the way, and work commitments
permitting.
The black and whites have been beaten in four of their
opening five fixtures. Those losses were, however, against Whitburn &
Cleadon, Blyth Spartans Reserves, Prudhoe YC and Hexham – the leading four in
the table. So the Langdale Centre team’s lowly position is by no means any
reflection of the task ahead for Dan Herron’s side, and he knows it.
“We’re expecting it to be a test. They’re a
team that’s competed at Premier level for a lot of years too so we need to be
on it. We’ll need to compete all over the pitch to get a result,” said the
manager.
The boss feels that the Reds don’t need to
change anything to their approach on the pitch which served them so well last
season and is keen to maintain an attractive footballing style from his side.
“Our set up has worked really well for the
last two games, albeit mistakes costing us against Red Row,” he said.
“We’ve still got a couple of injuries but are
hoping for a strong squad. We’ll always keep playing our football the right way
and hopefully find our rhythm!”
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