Unpaid and Unthanked
Volunteers: The beating heart of non-league football
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I started a business recently. Basically, I didn’t want to get a job anywhere so figured I could do what I do well, but for myself. Through this I’ve found myself talking to a few football clubs about producing merch, signage, that kind of thing. Drop me an email at hello@sidekickmerch.com if you want to talk about how I can help your club or business.
I also volunteer for Clapton Community FC. They’re all the way on the other side of London to me so I don’t get to many games, but I help out the merch team remotely.
This isn’t just a self pat on the back about how benevolent I am (although have you checked if your local club needs a hand?), but it has taught me something about myself - I don’t just like football, I like being involved in football - and I have a new found respect for those that give up a hell of a lot more time for it than I do.
Salt and Jam
Talking to my mate Lee about what we’d do if we won the lottery a while ago, we agreed that buying a football club would be on the cards. Not in the sense that we would pump money into players and demolish the opposition - but more of the stuff that’s boring to most. Building an academy, a women’s team, better infrastructure and making the team competitive at their level. Interestingly enough the new owners of Lee’s beloved Maldon & Tiptree, Barrie and Scott Drewitt-Barlow, are doing exactly that.
Maldon is famous for salt and Tiptree for jam. Not a great combination on a dinner plate, but in real life, it’s a good community club that is turning into a superb one. The Drewitt-Barlows have brought the cash - even in the Isthmian League, you need a fair bit - but the Jammers wouldn’t exist without people turning up every other Saturday to run the match days and give the place the identity that it is continuing to build upon with support from the owners.
The Jammers Fan Association membership is 10 quid for a season, and among other things, they organise coaches for away days - like the ones they took to Port Vale in the FA Cup recently. Just reward for the fans who have sat through some pretty mediocre football in recent times, before the current owners took over. Organisations like this exist all over the country for people passionate about their respective clubs and every member helps to build upon the foundations of the communities they represent.
Lo Lo Lo - Clapton Community FC
I heard about CCFC about 5 or 6 years ago when a mate of mine said there was an equivalent to St Pauli in the lower leagues in England. Being an unapologetic Anti-Farage-ist (ANTIFAR), the thought that there might be a club I could relate to in that respect was attractive.
Clapton CFC is unique in that their away kit is modelled on the flag of the International Brigades - troops from various countries who came together to fight fascism in Spain. The jersey has sold, and continues to sell, like hotcakes - it has funded much of what they have built at the Old Spotted Dog ground - and the club has a sizeable supporter base, with plenty of visitors from abroad (including those from NK Zagreb 041, which we bonded over when I was there).
Far from being a simple marketing and money-making ploy, the club have visited Spain for a couple of friendly matches against CD Independiente de Vallecas - a weekend full of various activities including paying tribute to the Brigades - and have unveiled a monument at the OSD for them too. It’s also a nice purple, yellow and red design - so a good one for kit collectors everywhere.
Behind the scenes, the popularity of the club creates hurdles that other clubs at the same level are unlikely to face, such as dealing with overseas shipments of merch, and match day staff are often overwhelmed due to the numbers of attendees at games. It’s amazing to have that support but for volunteers, it can feel like a second, third or fourth job sometimes.
Without the same luxuries
Not all clubs have the fan base or cashed up owners as the ones I’ve mentioned - and the reliance on volunteers who are passionate and dedicated becomes even more important.
A few nights ago I was at Abbey Rangers’ Addlestone Moor, in Surrey. It was freezing, it was a cup game (arguably less important than the league), and it was Tuesday night so the Champions League was on the tele - that’s a lot for a club like this to compete with. The crowd was made up mostly of a few passionate fans, volunteers and friends and family of the players.
They describe themselves as a development club - with around 700 players across all ages, it’s not small - but it doesn’t necessarily have the same lofty ambitions as a Maldon & Tiptree who have stated they want to get to the Premier League. And that is perfectly fine - having development pathways is crucial.
With that said, getting people in the gate is generally a bit more of a struggle, and the team were 4-0 down against Camberley after about 70 minutes so the people that did turn up would have been forgiven for wishing they’d stayed home for Bodo/Glimt vs Juventus or something.
The Abbey pulled it back to 4-2 before the full time whistle which was a bit more respectable and gave the home fans something to cheer about - but despite it all, the canteen served hot food, the bar served beers, everything involved in putting on a football match went to plan - and none of that happens without people turning up for the club.
This is more the reality for the thousands of clubs across the UK (let alone the world) - and for some of them, it’s far more grim than this. I don’t know if there’s a stat for how many clubs disappear into the ether every season but it’s probably a pretty depressing figure.
What’s in it for me?
So let’s recap - You don’t get paid, you have to commit to something outside of your already busy life, and you have to miss the good football on TV to watch local teams instead.
So why volunteer?
Personally, I love the thought of knowing I’m doing something good and productive with my time - something selfless that involves a sport that I love. I also get a bit bloody anxious and it turns me off the idea completely and I don’t really know why. But like anything that makes you anxious, it’s usually not that bad and often it’s actually pretty fun. People who volunteer are typically pretty friendly people, so in my experience, I’ve always been made to feel welcome and the commitment has been appreciated.
Worst case - if you’re reading this, you probably go to football regularly, so just remember that the people looking after you at the club probably aren’t getting paid for it, so be nice and shout them a cup of tea or something once in a while.
This is a lovely piece!! Let’s try to collaborate in the new year.