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NON-LEAGUE PAPER

by Matthew Badcock

IS THIS the week the weather officially
‘turned’? Where you feel that chill when you
wake up in the morning and, most
importantly, need to have a good think about which coat to wear to a game?
For me, it won’t be long before it’s thermals on and handwarmers in the pocket when
I head out to a game. At home, though, the heating remains in the OFF position!
Of course, cost of living and rising energy prices have dominated the airwaves and how
the country combats it is a big priority sat in the new Prime Minister’s in-tray.
Whether it’s in the supermarket, at the fuel pumps or in your home, the large majority
of us will have noticed how the costs have been rising in our daily lives.
Northern Premier League chairman Mark Harris recently penned a piece for The NLP
around the potential impact on clubs and put across his thoughts on how clubs may
need to adapt.
But how will your own habits change? Is your spend at a Non-League ground a non-
negotiable or is it a luxury outgoing you may have to trim back on?
We’ve teamed up with the guys at The Football Supporters’ Association to get an idea
of what fans are thinking with an exclusive survey.
The aim is to get some really good data that the FSA can feed back into the game and
help leagues and clubs going forward into the winter.
Will rising costs affect your match attendance – both home and away – or will you
spend less at the burger bar?
The survey also asks fans their view on potential cost-saving measures such as earlier
kick-offs so floodlights don’t need to be used, tickets and potential price increases or
partial closure of parts of stadiums to reduce running costs on concession stands.
Andy Walsh, head of the national game at the FSA, said: “Non-League clubs are
warning that without assistance the increase in energy prices and the effect of high
inflation will create unmanageable financial pressures throughout the game, putting
some clubs' futures in jeopardy.
“This survey in partnership with The Non-League Paper will gather supporters’ views
and help in our discussions with the football authorities and leagues, providing real
data on how the rising cost of living is impacting fans, and help clubs navigate these
difficult times.”
We’d love to hear your thoughts to get a really good overview of the whole National
League System.
The survey is now open and can be filled out by visiting the link below.
The NLP will then report the results next month. To have your say visit bit.ly/fsa-nlp-
survey