S8 Ep33: 12th April 2024 - Ware and Quorn
First up an experienced manager in possibly the tightest promotion battle across the pyramid. Ware’s Paul Halsey is no stranger to play-off pressures but in a season of some clubs with 5 games per week, he’s got just 3 games on three separate Saturdays left to play in a division when any club from 6 could still pip the title. Talking about experience, following our love of highlighting the gre...
1hr 16m Apr 12, 2024
1hr 16m
S8 Ep32: 05th April 2024 - Fixture chaos and Colne FC
The beautiful game, the world of Non League football is magical for the people within it. A few years ago the pandemic did its best to impact and tear it apart, but IT came back stronger, we came back stronger. This season a new force threatens to rip apart our world. A natural force that surely can't be controlled. The weather across the country has played havoc with the playing season. Games...
59m Apr 05, 2024
59m
S8 Ep31: 29th March 2024 - FA Vase Semis, Lincoln United & Grimsby Town
It is FA Vase semi final time. We open the show with Phil Annets with his @FAVaseFactfile hat on, giving us insight into this season’s competition and the four sides remaining. Then we head north to one of the clubs involved. This week also has a creative arts feel, so we speak to the media guy putting in the hours to ensure Lincoln United is a club people are talking about up and down the land...
1hr 19m Mar 29, 2024
1hr 19m
S8 Ep30: 22nd March 2024 - Non League Day, Plymouth Parkway, Peter Miller's Stats and Stowmarket Town
It’s Non League Day this weekend so we celebrate Non league. I’ve tried to find something for everybody, celebrate the quirkiness, enjoy the camaraderie, and applaud the success in adversity. This is the Non League Football Show and this is Non League. First up a returnee with 15 games still to play until the end of the season that can’t be extended. By the time you listen to this, that will b...
1hr 17m Mar 22, 2024
1hr 17m
S8 Ep30: 15th March 2024 - England C and Brentwood Town
We start this week with one of this show’s longest-serving guests, not only as a guest of this show but also as manager of the England C side. Paul Fairclough has over two decades on the job and admits he is as enthusiastic as ever in the role. A game on Tuesday night in Wales is followed in May by a home game v Nepal at Aldershot Town and as Paul explains the non league international setup has...
1hr 12m Mar 15, 2024
1hr 12m
S8 Ep29: 08th March 2024 - FA Vase & FA Trophy Quarters - Macclesfield and North Greenford United
A bumper full length programme this week as we hit the Quarter finals of the FA Trophy and FA Vase, four ties, eight clubs in each compettion. First up an old friend of the show in a new job. His record speaks for itself but it's not often a manager moves into a new dugout in the back end of the season, at a club bigger than he’s ever taken on before, in sight of a play-off place and in the qu...
1hr 20m Mar 08, 2024
1hr 20m
S8 Ep28: 01st March - Ground Grading or Stadium Accreditation Assessments
A full-length programme this week but just the two in-depth guests. As we roll into March we discuss ground grading or rather Stadium Assessment the new system of baselining and auditing the stadia in operation across the National League System. Mark Harris Chairman of the Northern Premier League offers an expert view into why the new system was needed, what it is, and how it will impact clubs ...
1hr 5m Mar 01, 2024
1hr 5m
S8 Ep27: 23rd February 2024 - FA Cup Quarter Finals and Clubs in Crisis
A late release and shorter version due to technical gremlins affecting guest interviews this week. Disappointing but hopefully those guests can come back in the coming weeks as they have some exciting stuff to share. So just Matt Badcock from The Non League Paper this week but what a week of football news. He joins us straight from the press conference at Maidstone United as they gear up for t...
37m Feb 23, 2024
37m
S8 Ep26: 16th February 2024 - Bishops Stortford, The FA Trophy / Vase 5th Rd & QF
Just the one club guest this week so a slightly abbreviated show but an important insight nonetheless. With some of the Fifth Round FA Trophy ties still to be played due to weather postponements, we speak to a manager who is probably putting more on the chance for Wembley than any other club still in the competition. Bishops Stortford owner and manager Steve Smith was last with us celebrating ...
54m Feb 16, 2024
54m
S8 Ep25: 09th February 2024 - FA Trophy / FA Vase 5th Rd & Falmouth Town
We’ve reached round 5 in both the FA Trophy and the FA Vase. 16 clubs left in each competition 8 ties apiece to get through, with the weather looking to play a hand in that. In the Trophy those from outside the top tier have their sights set on a Wembley final they may not have expected, whilst there are still some looking to battle on more than one front this season. But our focus this week is...
53m Feb 09, 2024
53m
S8 Ep24: 02nd February 2024 - Cray Wanderers Wandering Home and Managers on the Move
To counter the clubs in peril stories we’ve had to report on this season, it’s time to celebrate a story of dedication, persistence and desire. London’s oldest football club finally coming home. Not quite yet fully ready for the return of the Isthmian Premier side but youth and women’s teams of Cray Wanderers are moving into Flamingo Park. CEO Sam Wright is rightly proud but far from done yet, ...
59m Feb 02, 2024
59m
S8 Ep23: 26th January 2024 - FA Cup 4th Round & Maidstone United
It is the FA Cup Fourth Round weekend and just the one non-league representative. Phil Annets @facupfactfile is on hand to give some insight into this round and the competition so far. Many will have written off National South’s Maidstone but having already dumped Barrow and Stevenage out for the competition to go further than the club ever has in this competition, or the former club before it ...
57m Jan 26, 2024
57m
S8 Ep22: 19th January 2024 - Barnet & Bishops Sutton
The highs and lows of football spotlighted this week but also the magic of why we all do it and why we all love it. First up a return to these waveforms of Barnet boss Dean Brennan. Into the FA Trophy last 16 and sitting third in the National League, life isn’t looking too shoddy. A Saturday tea-time visit of table-toppers Chesterfield is on the menu this week but as Dean says, he can only tak...
1hr 1m Jan 19, 2024
1hr 1m
S8 Ep21: 12th January 2024 - FA Trophy & FA Vase R4: Welling United & Blyth Town
The FA Trophy and the FA Vase reach the Fourth Round this weekend. The last 32 and the clubs still involved have every right to be distant dreaming about that Wembley final. We speak to an experienced non league manager who has enough behind him to know few will give his side a chance against visitors Chesterfield on Saturday. Welling United boss Danny Bloor is wiley enough to have a few trick...
1hr 13m Jan 12, 2024
1hr 13m
S8 Ep20: 05th January 2024 - FA Cup Third Round & Aldershot Town
It’s the FA Cup Third Round and four of the 64 in action are from Non-League Circles. First up Phil Annets is here with his FA Cup Factfile Hat, giving us all the insight into those four ties and more ahead of the weekend. Next an old friend of the show. A very old friend of our very old show. Hugo Langton used to grace the studio at BBC London in what seems another lifetime ago but now he’s s...
1hr 3m Jan 05, 2024
1hr 3m
S8 Ep19: 29th December 2023 - Farnham Town and 100% record
Another slightly shorter show going into the New Year but still much to entertain and inform. First up he’s led this club to the only 100% league record still intact as the end of the year arrives. Paul Johnson’s Farnham Town top the Combined Counties Premier South and remains in the FA Vase, yet he’s only been in the job just over 12 months. Lots achieved but much more to come, as he sets out...
52m Dec 29, 2023
52m
S8 Ep18: 22nd December 2023 - Oldham Athletic and Christmas
A slighter shorter show going into the Christmas break but we have two of football’s hardest-working non-league experts to take you into the festive weekend. First up he’s back in non-league with perhaps perfect timing. 12 years since he took Fleetwood Town into the Football League from the Conference, 6 years since he took Tranmere Rovers back to the 92, he’s settling in quickly at Oldham Ath...
53m Dec 22, 2023
53m
S8 Ep17: 15th December 2023 - Altrincham & Tividale
A mixed bag this week. We speak to an old friend of the show making progress every season at his club, now in the FA Trophy Fourth round and pushing for a play-off promotion in the National League. Phil Parkinson - yes non-league’s very own - thinks his Altrincham side is coming together nicely, although the Christmas schedule isn’t as he’d hoped, highlighting the big sacrifices those involved ...
1hr Dec 15, 2023
1hr
S8 Ep16: 08th December 2023 - FA Cup 2r Alfreton Town & FA Trophy 3 Chorley
A double hit of FA cup competitions this week. With great non-league success in the FA Cup, we talk to a manager who faces a trip to league opposition in a replay on Tuesday with a Third Round spot, the prize. Billy Heath’s Alfreton Town drew 0-0 this week with Walsall but know they have all the opportunity to become heroes and make the Third Round for the first time in the club’s history. Nex...
1hr 13m Dec 08, 2023
1hr 13m
S8 Ep15: 01st December 2023 - FA Vase 3, FA Cup 3 & Ramsgate
It is FA Vase 3rd round and FA Cup second round this weekend so we have Phil Annets on hand with first, his @favasefactfile hat on, and then, his @facupfactfile hat. The FA Cup 2nd Round has 10 non league representatives this weekend and we speak to the Chairman of the lowest-ranked side. James Lawson, Chairman at Ramsgate, already has a plethora of stories with his club and he hopes to make m...
1hr 14m Dec 01, 2023
1hr 14m
S8 Ep14: 24th November 2023 - Kidderminster Harriers The season unfolds
Some techie gremlins means a late release and shorter show but plenty to delight, entertain and inform. First up Russ Penn manager at Kidderminster Harriers. From play-off winners last term to rock bottom of the National League this, but there’s still hope and still expectation that the small margins can be pushed in the right direction at Aggborough. Matt Badcock is back with his insight into ...
41m Nov 24, 2023
41m
S8 Ep13: 17th November 2023 - FA Trophy 2, Radcliffe & Bracknell Town
We talk FA Trophy this week. Second Round action with 40 ties. We talk to two sides involved and focus on clubs with joint managers as the season begins to hit super busy. First up, Anthony Johnson now joint manager at Radcliffe has had an amazing start to the season in the Northern Premier League which he admits is the focus for him and Bernard Morley, but who’d turn down an FA Trophy run wit...
1hr 12m Nov 17, 2023
1hr 12m
S8 Ep12: 10th November 2023 - FA Vase Rd 2 and Horden CW
As the final teams come into the FA Vase we celebrate Round Tw , and @FAVaseFactfile Phil Annets offers insight and stats into the 64 ties. One of the all-Step 6 ties features a club only formed in 2017 but one that has already begun the climb up the pyramid and entered the Vase this year at this round due to last year’s progress to Round 4. It’s not often you speak to a manager who has been t...
1hr 6m Nov 10, 2023
1hr 6m
S8 Ep11: 03rd November 2023 - FA Cup 1 & Cray Valley Paper Mills
It's the magical First Round of the FA Cup.n 32 Non League sides involved, some against each other - guaranteeing representation in the Second Round, some eyeing a big cupset against League opposition. @FACupFactfile Phil Annets is back on hand to offer insight into who may be the David and who may be the Goliaths to fall this round and we speak to a manager ahead of his club's attempt to break...
1hr 4m Nov 03, 2023
1hr 4m
S8 Ep10: 27th October 2023 - Brockenhurst 500 Up McManus, FA Trophy 1 & Kingstonian
This week we celebrate a manager reaching 500 games at a club he first joined in 2013. Pat McManus may not have a multitude of promotions or silverware in the cabinet but as he explains success comes in different ways at Brockenhurst. Similarly, they may be former back-to-back FA Trophy Winners but nowadays whilst a Trophy run would be most welcomed by Kingstonian it might not be the primary fo...
59m Oct 27, 2023
59m
S8 Ep9: 20th October 2023 - FA Vase 1 and Portishead Town
It's the FA Vase First round this weekend and Phil Annets is here with his @FAVASEfactfile hat on with more impressive stats and facts. Our main guest is a former player with over 500 Southern League appearances, now operating as player-manager in Step 6 Divison One of the Western League leading a group of young local lads to one of the best starts of any club across the pyramid so far this se...
1hr 3m Oct 20, 2023
1hr 3m
S8 Ep8: 13th October 2023 - FA Cup 4Q and Horsham FC
It’s FA Cup weekend again. The Fourth qualifying round. We speak with Phil Annets with his @facupfactfile hat on offering some impressive stats and facts. We then speak to the secretary at Horsham FC who have a local derby at home to Dorking Wanderers in the FA Cup this weekend and looking to cause an upset in front of a sell-out crowd. Jeff Barrett has been involved with the club for nearly 5...
1hr 3m Oct 13, 2023
1hr 3m
S8 Ep7: 06th October 2023 - Bury, FA Trophy 3Q and Morpeth Town
Our manager this week is an old friend of the show. He won the Vase at Wembley, won hearts with this approach to those working with him and won a place in history in his latest role managing a club looking to rise back up to the Football League from their current Step 5 rank. Dave McNabb is just two weeks into the role at Bury FC but already you can sense the impact it has had on him and the po...
58m Oct 06, 2023
58m
S8 Ep6: 29th September - FA Cup 3Q & Winchester City
The FA Cup reaches the Third Qualifying Round with 40 ties and 80 clubs just one win away from potentially meeting one of the big boys of non league. First up this round and @FACupFactfile Phil Annets helps guide us through with highlights of his tie-by-tie previews. One club in the mix this weekend is Winchester City. An in-form team in the Southern League Premier South at the moment they host...
59m Sep 29, 2023
59m
S8 Ep5: 22nd September 2023 - Solihull Moors, FAT2Q, Brighouse Town & FAV2Q
After a successful first stint in management at Banbury, Andy Whing flew the nest in the summer and ended up with some old friends close to home at Solihull Moors. The only unbeaten side in the top of non league this season, 10 games in, they sit second and whilst realistic, Whing seems relaxed and confident they are ready to continue the same form for the rest of the season. Another busy week...
1hr 10m Sep 22, 2023
1hr 10m
S8 Ep4: 15th September 2023 - FA Cup 2Q & Mousehole
It’s the Second Qualifying Round of the FA Cup with the National League South and National League North clubs joining the competition and those who have got the competition to this stage are beginning to dream of some proper giantkillings. We kick it all off with the man in the know, FA Cup statistician extraordinaire Phil Annets with his @FACupFactfile hat on joins Tim Fuell to give some insi...
1hr 10m Sep 15, 2023
1hr 10m
S8 Ep3: 08th September 2023 - FA Trophy 1Q, Cribbs & Shirehampton
We go to the West Country this week and specifically two clubs in the Bristol suburbs. The FA trophy begins this weekend with the First Qualifying Round with Step 4 clubs kicking the competition off. We link up again with Richard Luffman gaffer at Cribbs. Promotion last year to step 4 and now this year they’ve already dumped one step 3 side out of the FA Cup and travel to another next week, fi...
1hr 10m Sep 08, 2023
1hr 10m
S8 Ep2: 01st September 2023 - FA Cup 1Q, Darlaston Town
It's the FA Cup First Qualifying Round.
1hr 5m Sep 01, 2023
1hr 5m
S8 Ep1: 25th August 2023 - FA VAse 1Q & Holmer Green
We are back with a new series of weekly looks at the world of non league football. As the 50th year of the FA Vase kicks off we speak with our resident Statto Mr Phil Annets with his @FAVaseFactfile hat on and speak with Holmer Green Chair Rob Shed who would like to do well in the competition this season but fears the timing might not be right, especially with even the Reading festival hitting ...
58m Aug 25, 2023
58m
S7 Ep41: 26th May 2023 - Non League Finals Day & National Game Awards
As the football season comes to an end, so does our own season. We hear from the managers involved in the FA Vase and FA Trophy finals this week, discuss managerial changes and learn about the winners of the Non League Paper's National Game Awards. Thanks for all your support this season, we are back very soon for the new season bigger, better and all the best human interest stories from the ...
49m May 26, 2023
49m
S7 Ep40: 19th May 2023 : Part 2 - Ascot United & Non League Finals Day
It’s a while since we did this but in an attempt to get a slightly different look at what Non League Finals Day means to those involved, this seemed too good an opportunity to turn down. Two legends of their club, Ascot United. Doug Page a man who first turned up at the club with two young sons looking for a club to learn football at. He ended up doing his own coaching badges and never leaving...
27m May 19, 2023
27m
S7 Ep39: 19th May 2023 - Gateshead and Non League Finals Day
The season is pretty much done but there’s plenty going on behind the scenes both here, at Wembley and at football clubs up and down the country. It’s actually the busiest time of the year and we wanted to capture a slightly different angle on it all as we go into the final big games this weekend with Non League Finals day. However, to do so it looks like we might have a two part show this week...
57m May 19, 2023
57m
S7 Ep38: 12th May 2023 - Kidderminster Harriers and the National League Play-offs
Three big games remain at the top of the non league league season. The finals for the National league, national League South and National league north play-offs, to see who takes those remaining promotion spots to climb further up the pyramid. We speak this week with one manager who if he achieves promotion sees it as his biggest achievement in a short successful management career but also a f...
50m May 12, 2023
50m
S7 Ep37: 05th May 2023 - Boreham Wood & Play-off winners, losers and dreamers
As the play-offs round off in Steps 3,4 & 5, they reach the semi finals stage in Steps 1 and 2 as the season finally draws to a close. Luke Garrard is no stranger to leading underdogs to success to taking his side to Notts County this weekend isn't too big a worry for him, albeit he concedes they probably deserved promotion from their standard league season performance. We find out how he is pr...
57m May 05, 2023
57m
S7 Ep36: 28th April 2023 - Billericay Town, Ashington, Promotion and Relegation
It’s the end of the season for many but for our first guest it’s just the beginning. Not with us, we’ve followed his journey for years, A new project begins this week as Gary McCann takes on the role of manager of Billericay Town. Calm and collected as ever, the excitement though is clear as he opens up about the challenge ahead. For our next guest, this weekend is the end of a very successful...
1hr 11m Apr 28, 2023
1hr 11m
S7 Ep35: 21st April 2023 - AFC Fylde & Seasons unwind
As many seasons come to a conclusion, for some the most exciting week of the season is upon us. We speak with a manager one point behind but a game in hand at the top of his table looking to secure the title this week. Adam Murray has been at AFC Fylde for less than a season but could be just about to secure legendary status  Rounding up the week’s news, as many leagues come to a close, the No...
50m Apr 21, 2023
50m
S7 Ep34: 14th April 2023 - Rossington Main & Season finales
It’s the time of season when their are tears of joy here and tears of sorrow there. Relegation, Promotion and the pain of just missing out, it’s what football is all about…. Unless of course you supports Rossington Main. They have spent the last 32 seasons in the same division of the Northern Counties East League at Step 6, with limited highs and lows. But now the air is a little bit more expec...
56m Apr 14, 2023
56m
S7 Ep33: 07th April 2023 - Ramsgate and end of season fixture congestion
We speak with a player manager who effectively has 5 possibly 6 ‘cup finals’ between now and the end of the season, hoping to secure promotion, a title and a county cup too. Jamie Coyle is no stranger to the manager’s role, nor to combining it with playing too and asince taking on both mantles at Ramsgate in February he has tweaked the side to sit top of the ISthmian South East with 4 league ga...
1hr 11m Apr 07, 2023
1hr 11m
S7 Ep32: 31st March 2023 - FA Trophy & FA Vase Semi Finals & Barnet
We reach the semi final stage of the FA Trophy and the FA Vase. All single game affairs with penalties if scores are level after 90 minutes, putting ateshead, Barnet, Altrincham FC Halifax Town, Corsham Town, Ascot United, Congleton Town and Newport Pagnell Town just over one hour and a half of football from a Wembley appearance. We talk to a man formerly of this very parish. Now head coach at...
1hr 1m Mar 31, 2023
1hr 1m
S7 Ep31: 24th March - Berkhamsted one point away
A slightly shorter show this week due to availability of our planned guests but hopefully as engaging as ever. So close in recent seasons, Berkhamsted are now just a point from the title at Step 4 in the Southern League and Chairman Steve Davis believes his club is more than ready for the next step, but first that trip to Hertford. As we reach Non League Day 2023 Matt Badcock is on hand from ...
46m Mar 24, 2023
46m
S7 Ep30: 17th March 2023 - Bury & Non League Day
A slightly different week this one our feature this week is really the love of the beautiful game. As the two Bury football club factions seek to once again come together we speak with the half currently with a ground but no club. Not the non league experience, nor effectively a team to support just yet week in week out, but it does seem a sharing of values that are important to non league and...
1hr 5m Mar 17, 2023
1hr 5m
S7 Ep29: 10th March 2023 - FA Trophy / Vase 6 Altrincham and Peacehaven & Telscombe
As the Trophy and Vase reach the Quarter Finals we talk with those at the top. First up a Co-Chairman whose love for his club began decades ago with most of those spent admiring from afar. Now however, Bill Waterson is using that fans passion, and business knowhow to push forward his club Altrincham, now in it’s first year as full-time and going from strength to strength. We have a return of ou...
1hr 9m Mar 10, 2023
1hr 9m
S7 Ep28: 03rd March 2023 - Worksop Town and Walthamstow
It's W week First up, we speak with Craig Parry the manager at Worksop Town who have already secured their play-off place this season and now focus their attention on the Northern Premier League Division One East title. He knows it won’t be easy but is pleased that the club seems to be on the right footing on and off the field. We also speak with a non league legend. Nicky Ironton won 3 Confe...
59m Mar 03, 2023
59m
S7 Ep27: 24th February 2023 - Football Governance and Melksham Town
A big week in football with the new Government White Paper? We get the thoughts of old friend of the show, fan engagement expert, turned lecturer, Kevin Rye on what it all means, especially for non league and how people can get involved and influence the likely legislation it is set to bring. On a slightly different note we speak with a man who has just notched his 2000th game at his club. Fro...
1hr 21m Feb 24, 2023
1hr 21m
S7 Ep26: 17th February 2023 - Ref Support & Wingate and Finchley
In a week when the BBC are citing the awful statistics of referees being abused, injured or attacked, we speak with old friend of the Show Martin Cassidy. CEO of independent charity Ref Support he’s actually in positive mood - not that the darker side of football isn’t there, but that the publicity means things are a changing with the FA looking at body cam roll-outs to help referees, help play...
1hr 7m Feb 17, 2023
1hr 7m