Latest news with #non-league
BBC News
03-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Hopes for campaign to bring Dudley Football Club back home
There's nothing like playing in front of a home crowd – but for Dudley Football Club, it hasn't happened for 40 directors say finding a permanent home in the borough is "vital", while Dudley Council leader Patrick Harley said a potential site for the club has been identified. The team last played in the borough in 1985 but had to move out when a crater appeared on the pitch at Dudley Sports Centre. They now play seven miles (11.2km) away at Sporting Khalsa's ground in FC, a non-league team also known as the Robbins, was founded in 1888 and plays in the Midland Premier League. 'We could easily give up' Stephen Austin, one of the club's directors, said there have been many failed attempts over the years to move the club back to Dudley. "A return to Dudley is something we all want and need," he said."We've been in discussions for 40 years. We've been close on a number of occasions and not managed to get over the line so cautious is where we are."We have to remain optimistic because if not, we could easily give up."Dudley's connection to the sport is strong with footballer Duncan Edwards represented with a statue in the town was from Dudley and went on to play for Manchester United and England before his death in the Munich air disaster, aged just 21. Harley, leader of the Conservative-run council, said its officers were in talks with the club – and a potential site for the team has been identified."I think we're way closer now than we have been for many years," he said."There are lots of hurdles to overcome and we have to make sure that the council is not financially threatened by any proposed deal."It'll bring a sense of purpose to the area, it would bring a good morale boost." Former Dudley MP Marco Longhi raised the campaign in the House of Commons last year where it got the backing of the then Conservative culture secretary Lucy Sonia Kumar, the town's Labour MP, has started a petition to bring Dudley FC home."I'm very positive, we've got some things coming up in the pipeline and hopefully there is a place for Dudley to come back to," she said."It's not just about going to see the game for it's spirit, but what it will do for the economy." The club finished sixth place in the Midland Football League and is currently gearing up for the JW hunt charity cup on 5 June. Matty Lovatt, first team manager, said being back in Dudley would help with extra funding for the club's youth development."Having been here seven years, I feel like an adopted Dudley man," he said. "I feel attached to the club and I feel their pain. It's only right for the people that they've got a ground back in their own town." Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Daily Mail
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE The mad world of Jamie Vardy: Insiders and friends lift the lid on triple Red Bull-downing star whose career is held together by his 'glue' Rebekah - and why alcohol-free Saudi is off the cards for their next move
Not long after Jamie Vardy joined Leicester City from Fleetwood in 2012, he asked to go back to non-league football. Briefly he considered being a nightclub rep in Ibiza. When he was first called up for England three years later, he asked Leicester to invent an injury so that he didn't have to go. He has also said that playing football under an assumed name would suit him.
BBC News
09-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
AFC Whyteleafe look forward to 'amazing' FA Vase Wembley final
The captain of AFC Whytleafe has said he and his teammates must "overcome their emotions" if they are going to win a trophy at the home of will take on Whitstable Town in the final of the FA Vase at Wembley on 11 club was only formed in 2021, rising from the ashes of Whyteleafe FC, and has already won promotions from the eighth to fifth tier of non-league Helge Orom told BBC Radio Surrey it would be a "memory that will never be forgotten". "Especially for the fans, I think it'll be absolutely amazing," he said, "I've been fixated, even from earlier rounds and what that could actually look like."Now that we're in touching distance that's all I'm focussed on."It's going to hit a lot of the players, especially myself, when we actually walk out for the warm-up."It's about getting over their emotions and focussing on the task at hand. I don't think it's something you can prepare for unless you've actually done it." Whyteleafe finished the season third in the Combined Counties Premier Division South, just a point behind both runners-up Redhill and champions Jersey Kent opponents also finished third in the Southern Counties East Orom said that despite Whyteleafe's success so far, there is confidence and not complacency."We never take any games for granted," he said. "We're winners no matter what the competition is and we want to go out there and win games of football."That's something that's been part of our DNA at this football club, which is why we've won so many games this season."BBC Radio Surrey will be carrying online commentary of the game.
BBC News
09-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Teacher Taylor aiming for Moors glory at Wembley
Spennymoor Town are used to punching above their weight in non-league football. But on Sunday, they aim to land the biggest punch in their National League North side are heading to Wembley for the FA Trophy final to take on Aldershot Town from the league County Durham club have already knocked out three National League sides to get here and have a fourth one in their if Spennymoor can be victorious at the national stadium, they will become only the second club to have won both the FA Trophy and the FA of their big day in London, BBC Sport has spoken to two people entwined in the club's fabric. Schooling pupils, and defenders By day, he is 'Sir'. But on a Saturday afternoon and Tuesday evenings, Glen Taylor turns into one of the most prolific strikers in non-league has been with Spennymoor since 2017, which he has combined with family life and teaching at a school in has plundered 210 goals in 394 appearances, during which time they have been ever present in the sixth tier league against teams with bigger attendances and greater were chances to join the paid ranks, but the striker, who turns 35 on Sunday, explains why he has stayed loyal to the Moors."I could have left when I was 27, 28," he said. "But we had just had our first child and I had a good career."It could have meant leaving my job and leaving the area on a one or two-year deal for less money. That never made any sense."People say, 'you've got no ambition', but it's about making sensible decisions. If you asked someone to go and work for a better company but on significantly less money, they wouldn't do it."I couldn't be happier. I have a really good job and I'm at the best non-league club in the north east." 'Good goal, sir' Taylor works at World Alternative Education, a school for boys who have been excluded from mainstream believes that his footballing exploits have allowed him to establish a positive rapport with his pupils."All the boys are into football and it helps that one of the other teachers is an EFL assistant referee," he added. "I think I've gained a bit of respect from them because of it."The usual questions I get asked are 'how much do you get paid?' or 'how did you get on?' "Occasionally I'll come in on a Monday and they'll say 'That was a good goal,' as they will have found it on YouTube."But it helps the relationship. We play football on Wednesday so they've seen me play. "I try to stay at the back and keep clear of trouble. You won't catch me trying to take the ball on the half-turn on the halfway line against them!" Spennymoor are aiming to become only the second club after AFC Fylde to win both the Vase and the finished ninth in the National League North this season competing against fully professional sides while still operating on a part-time basis, with the squad training on Tuesday and Thursday run to Wembley has seen them knock out National League sides Boston United, Sutton United and Rochdale in the it has created lots of special memories for head of football Jason is 'Mr Spennymoor', having first signed for them as a player and then worked as assistant manager, coach, 13 years as manager and now his current he was in charge in May 2013 when they defeated Tunbridge Wells to lift the FA Vase."We get crowds of 1200-1300 from a population of 22,000 so the football team is a big part of what the community is all about," Ainsley said. "For a club the size of ours to get to Wembley twice in 12 years, it's phenomenal really."In the Vase, we were the big pull at that time because we had a really strong team, the elite of north east players. North east clubs had a monopoly on the Vase and Spennymoor were expected to do really well."Now, it was important to have a good run but we've beaten some really strong sides."At Rochdale, I got a car park space at the ground and we had flyers on our car doors about transport to Wembley! "I think they just expected to turn up and win but we equalised with the last kick of the game and then stood up under pressure and scored all five penalties."That game just summed up Spennymoor." The Moors have become used to battling against the odds, operating as a part-time club against former EFL regulars like Scunthorpe United and Chester the last few years, they have had to compete against Stockport County, Salford City and Harrogate Town, who have gone on to survive and thrive at higher Spennymoor have found a way of succeeding by drawing on their unique spirit and togetherness."There are probably a lot of teams punching far less above their weight than we are," Ainsley added."Teams don't like coming to play us. Our pitch has a little bit of a slope on it and we have players who never give up and have that north east fighting spirit. "They don't want to come here on a Tuesday night." 'Didn't even enjoy celebrations' Ainsley will take his seat in the royal box at Wembley, confident that his day will BE less nerve-wracking than in he will understand the emotions that manager Graeme Lee will be enduring on the touchline down below."Last time, I didn't even enjoy the night," he recalled. "I had a few pints and went to bed, I was just shattered. "Now, it's a great occasion and I can take my seat and see the different level we're at from when I was manager. It will fill me with immense pride."
