Taking back the terraces

The growing discontent with football at the highest level has seen a new trend emerge in the lower echelons of English Football. Many fans are now shunning the pre-fab stadiums with no soul and no atmosphere. No longer willing to spend way over the odds to see prima donnas flouncing around and play acting, sitting in an uncomfortable plastic seat, surrounded by stewards in florescent jackets drunk on their own power. Many have found sanctuary in non-league football, grass roots football where they’re free to express themselves and have a laugh on the terraces like the good old days.

The English Premier League may be the best to watch in the world but the fan experience has nose dived. Fans are no longer free to express themselves from the stands. This has led to many fans heading for the exits and through the turnstiles of their local non-league club, in some cases fan groups have even founded their own teams to recapture the terrace atmosphere of yesteryear.

Manchester disunited

In 2005 a group of Manchester United fans who had grown disheartened with the club formed a new club FC United of Manchester (FCUM for short). Following Malcolm Glazier’s takeover of the club a group of mans defected from the club, claiming it was ‘not for sale’ this despite the fact they club was a PLC and floated on the London Stock Exchange.

Although in many cases the catalyst was the Glazier takeover many had became disgruntled with football at the top level in the whole. They were now being forced to pay for games they may not even attend, being held to ransom by the club. The club was to begin at the bottom of the non-league pyramid, in the North west counties division 2 where the average crowd was below 100. It was a throw back to the 70s and 80s for many fans, a carefree era in which the fans owned the terraces and football was affordable.

The core value of the club has been non-commercialism, something in which many non-league fans seem to share. They currently have no sponsor on their shirt and have also refused to move a game in order to suit Unibond TV. They have even stated that if they’re to have their games re-scheduled if they reach the Conference premier (which currently has a TV deal with Setanta in which can move games with only a weeks notice, usually from a Saturday to a Thursday evening) then they will turn down promotion.

The new club was to attract crowds of 4000+, ground sharing with a club just outside of Greater Manchester, playing at Bury in Lancashire. The fans embraced the new freedom, fans and banners adorned the stands as fans mingled with away supporters, sharing an affordable pint before the game, watching an affordably priced game in a much more relaxed atmosphere than that which they’d come accustomed to watching top flight football. The club is currently on course for its fourth successive promotion, which would put it two leagues below the English Football League.

Of course this did set off a trend as their near neighbours not wanting to be outdone have since formed their own club. AFC Liverpool is not a rebellious cause but apparently aimed at fans that has been priced out by ‘big Liverpool’ and still want to show their support. The club hasn’t been as big a success as planned they’re currently second in their division (North West counties division 2) however attract only a few hundred each week.

Ultras

It is not only older fans fed up of the corporate atmosphere that are turning to non-league football. Many younger fans are enjoying the freedom to express themselves on the terraces; many ‘ultra’ groups have formed. Becoming influenced by the large contingents that follow teams abroad who put on a show on the terraces, waving flags, banners, drums, airhorns, choreographed routines, flares etc. Getting behind the team in a positive manner and showing their support expressively.

Below is a selection of pictures from non-league grounds across England: