How is lower league football unique- The Players
Something that few people will experience is having fans shout and cheer while you’re playing football. Fewer still will play in front of thousands, and even fewer will feel the sensation of walking up to a penalty spot with millions at home watching in silence. I would ask you to imagine but it isn’t fathomable, any attempt would fall short. The best anyone can do is listen to those who have and engage in what they have to say. As always, it’s paramount to not just explore the highest level, but to examine every level of English football. Can a group of parents and a man walking his dog actually influence a performance? To find out, I interviewed a semi-pro AFC Sudbury player, an ex-Millwall player, and an ex-Chelsea player.
Peter Rhoades-Brown was a Chelsea player from 1979 to 1983, and he gave a nostalgic account of his Chelsea experience.
“That was when I was 20, 58 now. That was the highlight of my career at Chelsea, good days.
I’m not a fan, never been a fan, but being a footballer… you do get in your little bubble when you’re playing, however if there’s 5000 people there it makes a difference if there’s 15 000 and as you say against Liverpool 48 500, it does make a difference. If they’re on a bit of a high and the crowd are lively, you do raise your game.”
A player experiencing such an atmosphere before he does as a fan is a unique situation, you would imagine that the noise must really hit you and permeate right through your core. Despite this, his memories of scoring against Liverpool, who were back then the European Champions, centred primarily around his admiration for the players. That, and a goal against Chelsea whilst playing for Oxford made his most memorable moment playing football:
“I’ve had a few, the goal against Liverpool obviously because that was against the European champions at the time in ’82 and you’re playing against people like Dalglish, Rush, Grobbelaar, Alan Hansen, goodness sake, Mark Lawrenson, just incredible. So that was great, but I scored a volley against Chelsea, it was my first division one goal against my old boys, which went down really well as you can imagine, that was at the manor ground, Oxford. So, I think one of the highlights is the semi-final of the Mill Cup, where the final whistle in the semi-final against Aston Villa, second leg, as soon as the ref blows his whistle: ‘We’re going to Wembley’. That’s just an absolute dream come true for someone like me to get to Wembley in a cup final, but I missed the final though injury three weeks before.”
The impression I get is that Peter’s joy playing the game resided in the top level, he respected those who got there, but he was ready to walk among them. Ben Adams, a semi-professional player for AFC Sudbury picked out a similar memory; a personal performance that resulted in his team achieving big:
“It was actually last season, in tight game for my old team, and we had to win to win the league, and we were 2–0 down in the first 15 minutes. During that game I scored a hattrick and got an assist and we won 4–3.”
His account was actually concerning a season where he was playing for his Sunday league team, and not an anecdote playing for his current side, which is at a higher level. Among quotes from Peter that started to suggest the peak was playing with and against the best in the game, Ben’s most memorable moment remains a question of how big the occasion was to him, at the time. If the notion that ‘the size of an occasion is relative to what you’re used to’ is entertained, then it may serve as a point towards lower league. This scenario is different because it’s the players being consulted, but could this act as a reason for all the talented players who have never made it, to be satisfied with their level, because you don’t need to go to the top to feel the pure unencumbered excitement of a big game, a winning goal, or a celebration post-game. Joe Wicks, a former Millwall player, who now plays semi-professionally at Coggeshall, provided more on the concept on the level being of importance. I asked him if he’s happy playing football in the same way he was growing up:
“In a pure footballing sense, just as much, because I love playing my football whether I’m playing with my mates down the park, semi pro, as a kid, in terms of playing football, but as you get older there’s the politics and who the manager is picking, like when you’re younger everyone gets to play and its all-inclusive, everyone gets a chance, but as you get older and you realise the managers son’s mate and he likes to drink with down the pub and he’s putting him in the team over you and stuff like that…
That politics sometimes becomes frustrating and when it becomes like a job and you’re discussing finances and wages, there’s other stuff that can frustrate you. In the overall package it’s much more up and down, but in terms of purely on the pitch playing football, just as much.”
The endgame to such a debate will probably come down to situation, many want to be rich, many want to be famous, but many just want a modest life with football being involved. Of course, semi-pro can come with its financial strains. The rise of wages as you climb the divisions is exponential, so often, being a semi-pro just won’t get the bills paid. You’re most likely going to be working two jobs but isn’t football a similar commitment to make regarding time and effort spent. Either way, earning money playing football is no easy ride.
A lot of what I’ve found on why lower league is unique comes down to exclusivity, doing the same things you might do if you’re a local at a big club in a big city, but a smaller circle and stronger sense of community. It was more down to whether you’re missing out by not experiencing the huge teams, the best football and the best atmosphere. It would seem that for a fan of a lower league supporter, you do still get to see and hear atmospheres of that magnitude, but usually not too often. Can it really be said that it’s better to enjoy something over and over again, rather than have mind blowing experiences a few times in your life? Because once it’s over, all you have are memories.
However, supporters are not the only people involved in football, surely players see it differently. Is it enough to see the big stage once or twice in a career, or do they just get hungry to reach that point? The fundamental differences with the crowds are that you can practically talk to the opposition keepers the smaller the ground is, have a conversation before the game, then verbally abuse him for the rest of the 90 minutes. Peter Rhoades-Brown related to this quirk, as a club that came from division three, then all the way up in division one, he experienced the different sized grounds home and away every week. On the differences between these grounds, this is what he had to say:
“Chalk and cheese really, just because our ground was quite a tight place to play, we only held a maximum of 15 000 but because it was standing and seating, the Manor ground was all close and tight so when you took a throw, someone could tap you on the shoulder and tell you where to throw the ball, it was really tight. In division two, you’re playing against people like Man City in those days, Birmingham and Stoke City. Then you get in division one and you’re playing Liverpool, Arsenal Tottenham, Chelsea, Man United, it’s just incredible. Obviously, we’d pack it out at The Manor, but to go to those places and play, it was just incredible”
[Did it help or hinder you?]
“Raised your game, definitely raised your game, I’ve played in front of a man and his dog in a pre-season friendly which is like the worst place to play, then you play at Old Trafford which is like 40 odd thousand.”
It is fair enough that a lot of fans can get their football fix from lower league, but can questions be asked when just the size of the stadium and fanbase is enough to improve a player’s performance? Joe Wicks and Ben Adams also had something to say on crowds:
Joe: Yes definitely, so we had an fa cup game earlier on in the season against Wingate Finchley and they brought a couple of hundred fans down, and the atmosphere makes a massive difference, and some of well supported teams, like Dulwich Hamlet, teams like that at a semi pro level have thousands of fans, and it does make a big difference. It’s definitely a positive, when I’m playing at Brentwood and we have 10 fans come down and you can hear them, it’s like playing a training game so yeah makes a positive impact on the whole game.
Ben: Oh 100%, whatever level it is, it’s always good to have fans behind you, it boosts you as well.
Perhaps it does come down to individual players, where Ben seems grateful for any support, Joe had more to say on how the size of the club helped him raise his game:
Joe: Obviously, there was the pressure, the mangers constantly looking in to bring in new players, they’re obviously going to scout other teams and other people. You’ve got to try and compete for a place with the other boys, you’re surrounded by professional staff and a professional environment, so you have to play to the best of your ability every single day. So, it’s internal pressure and external pressure as well, which helps to raise your game.
Trying to find an answer to “What is unique about lower league football?” will simply always be subjective, not only that but it requires a wider scope to tell the whole story. Yes, lower league is unique in the sense that you can enjoy your football and experience the top moments, all while being a stronger, local community at less cost. However, if you’re a player of a certain ambition it seems that it may not be enough to be part of a wholesome community, financially you’re at the bottom of the curve, not enough to live comfortably in some cases. But, not only that but you spend your whole childhood wanting to become a Premier League footballer, nothing less. Once you get a sniff of the top level, whether it’s an away visit in the FA Cup or a pre-season friendly, the top spot for your best ever footballing experience is reserved for life.
