Features, columns and opinion from The SNLF and Dugout News. The stories between the scores.
New Beginnings: A Sussex Coaching Journey — Series Intro
Why I'm telling these stories — and who I'm telling them for. Every coach has a beginning. Not the first match, not the first qualification, not the first win —…
Are Referees Now Becoming Too Focused on the Dugouts and Technical Areas, and Not Focused Enough on the Actual Game?
The increasing focus on technical areas has made this question impossible to ignore. In many competitions, only two people are allowed to stand in the dugout at any one time.…
What Differentiates a Fan From a Supporter?
Home and away, every week — that’s what it’s all about
Who Really Needs Politics in Football?
Politics, funding and the people who make clubs work
B Teams in the Pyramid – Is It Really a Level Playing Field?
On B teams, promotion races and competition integrity
Don’t Price the Next Generation Out of Non-League
Every non-league football club says it wants younger supporters — right up until younger supporters start behaving like younger supporters. They sing. They make noise. They arrive in groups. They…
When the Money Dies, Who Buries the Club?
Digging into the money behind non-league football
Archie Cramer on His Spell in Charge of Horsham YM
I've really enjoyed the opportunity and the challenge of taking charge of Horsham YM over these two games. It's been difficult trying to put together a strong group of players…
The Missing Link in Worthing’s Football Pathway
Discovering Sussex. Developing futures.
Horsham FC — Genuine Playoff Contenders, or a Flash in the Pan?
Watching the Hornets’ rise week by week
What Are You Offering Other Than the Football?
We all know there is no single formula for improving the matchday experience. Every club is different, with its own ethos, community, facilities, culture and social setup. What works for…
Respect Works Both Ways
Referees are crucial to football. Without them, there is no game. They deserve respect, protection and support. But respect has to work both ways. Football has always been built on…
The Realities of Sussex Management
From Jarvis Brook to AFC Uckfield Town to Pagham — and what really keeps the heart of the Sussex pyramid beating.
What Do Volunteers Actually Do for Non-League Football?
What do volunteers do for non-league football? It might sound like a stupid question to ask. They get jobs done — the things supporters and others don't think of when…
Let the Coaches Coach. Let the Manager Manage.
Badges and philosophies are everywhere in non-league football. But are being a good coach and being a good manager actually the same thing?
My Name Is Chris — And This Is Why I Follow My Local Non-League Club
“FOOTBALL IS NOT A TELEVISION SHOW. DOWN HERE IN NON-LEAGUE… THAT'S THE BEAUTIFUL GAME.” The club in question is East Grinstead Town FC. But before I get into that, a…
The Battle Behind the Badge
A player can score the winner on Saturday, laugh in the clubhouse and post a smiling picture online. By Sunday night, that same person can be sitting alone, wondering how…
Division Two: Untapped Potential, or a Comfort Zone?
There is a growing debate within SCFL Division Two about whether too many players are becoming settled at a level that should represent a stepping stone rather than a destination.…
Taking Charge at 17
With the management team gone and a squad of Under-18s stepping up, Horsham YM's teenage caretaker reflects on a Vase tie that showed what this group is made of.
Issue Two: This Belongs to All of Us
709 downloads. One county. And a publication that belongs to everyone who keeps Sussex football alive.
