The Non-League Paper’s first edition hit the shops on Sunday, March 26, 2000 – we revisit the opening weekend
Stuart Pearce implored top clubs to unearth Non-League treasures on the front cover of The NLP’s first ever edition – and what good advice it has proved!
The England legend famously took that path himself, beginning at Wealdstone before going on to have a decorated career at the very top of the English game.
Pearce joined the Essex Senior League’s Non-League Day groundhop yesterday to see the impact of the Premier League’s Stadium Fund, which has distributed more than £207 million in grants to over 1,000 men’s and women’s clubs throughout the English Football League, National League and football pyramid.
The fund, like The NLP, is celebrating its 25th anniversary and Pearce smiled when looking back at issue one.
Incredible
“It’s incredible – and 25 years later Dan Burn walks out in an England shirt,” Pearce told The NLP.
“That’s a great point in case.
“A lot of players get released from academies and it can diminish their spirit but it shouldn’t necessarily do that.
“In fact – and I got released from QPR as a 13-year-old – it should inspire you to prove people wrong.
“I think all of football was delighted to see Dan Burn arrive in an England shirt.
“For what he’s doing for his club, a hometown boy if you like, and his pathway, it sends a great message out to youngsters that you don’t have to be a superstar to start with.
“If you’re determined, dogged, then you’ve got every opportunity.”
Pathway
Burn came through the ranks at Blyth Spartans and Darlington before moving up the ladder with Fulham.
And Pearce has never forgotten his own Non-League grounding.
“I go to my old club Wealdstone a reasonable amount – I’ll be there on Tuesday against Aldershot,” Pearce said.
“It’s not lost on me the pathway I took at the start of my career.
“If it wasn’t for all the volunteers at clubs and the opportunities Wealdstone gave me, I wouldn’t have been a professional.
“Whatever level you get to is almost irrelevant in the grand scheme of things.
“If you enjoy the camaraderie, the team spirit, the health aspect, that’s the baseline and then after that, you never know, you might come through the food chain and get to the very top.”
Non-League Day bonanza
Pearce – and the Premier League trophy – visited Benfleet yesterday lunchtime to see the result of £148,000 in grants from the Premier League Stadium Fund towards their refurbished home ground, including new spectator accommodation, dugouts, fencing and energy-efficient LED floodlights.
Buckhurst Hill’s ESL clash with Hullbridge Sports was next and the £100,000 they’ve received for help with infrastructure upgrades including new LED floodlights, fencing, a perimeter barrier, dugouts and spectator accommodation.
And the Non-League Day bonanza finished at Takeley’s evening match with Saffron Walden Town.
The home side have benefited from £110,000 investment for new energy-efficient LED floodlights and additional upgrades including improved pitch drainage.
“It’s a real help to clubs at this level,” Pearce said.
“Where I am stood at the moment (at Buckhurst Hill), there’s new floodlights, a new stand, new dug-outs – it’s fantastic.
“It’s the lifeblood for places like this.
“Better facilities means bigger uptake and certainly youngsters coming to their local clubs – and better coaching as well, which can only be a good thing for the game.”
Football Conference – what happened next?
Kidderminster Harriers cruised to the title, eventually clinching their place in the Football League – and the only promotion spot available at the time – by nine points.
While Altrincham were the biggest fallers in the season’s conclusion, Morecambe ended with a 17-game unbeaten run to storm up to third. Justin Jackson’s 31 goals earned him a move to Rushden & Diamonds, whose failure to score in five of their remaining 11 games cost them a title push.
They had to wait a mere 12 months instead.
Welling’s return of 14 points from their final eight games wasn’t enough as they were relegated after 14 years in Non-League’s top flight.
Sutton lost their final seven league matches, plus a 6-0 humiliation in a semi-final second leg at local rivals Kingstonian in the FA Trophy.
Geoff Chapple’s side won that competition for a second year running.
Despite playing four games in six days to complete the season, they had enough energy to overcome Kettering Town 3-2 in the last FA Trophy at the old Wembley.
Southern Premier – what happened next?
Boston United won the title by a hefty 14 points.
Their nearest challengers in the end were Nigel Clough’s Burton Albion, who beat Bath City on the final day during an end of season collapse for the Romans.
Paul Bodin’s team lost just one of their first 31 league games but only won one of their final 11 as they tailed off alarmingly.
The bottom four at the end of March all suffered relegation.
Grantham Town couldn’t swing the goal difference enough on the final day and ultimately paid for a dreadful start.
Atherstone United lost their last eight matches, scoring one goal, as they finished rock bottom.
Clevedon Town enjoyed the best season in their history.
Steve Fey’s side won their final four matches in their first campaign at this level, finishing just behind fellow newly promoted outfit Newport County.
Northern Premier – what happened next?
Lee Trundle’s 11 goals in 10 games on loan at Bamber Bridge saw them stave off any relegation threat.
The future Swansea striker, still playing in Cymru South for Trefelin BGC at the age of 48, netted a hat-trick against Leek Town and four in a 7-0 win over Colwyn Bay during the run-in.
Leek Town slumped in the latter stages after selling Paul Kiely to Stafford Rangers but with only one relegation place, there were little fears of dropping down.
Spennymoor United were docked a point but still finished 26 clear of Winsford, whose sorry record included a 9-0 loss at Worksop Town in April.
Leigh RMI won their last seven games, scoring 21 goals in the process, to fend off Hyde United.
The latter’s consolation was winning the Unifilla Cup, defeating Emley in the final one day after the first edition of The NLP hit the shelves.
Isthmian Premier – what happened next?
Dagenham & Redbridge cruised to the title, ending the season with 10 straight wins to top the division by a magnificent 24 points in Garry Hill’s first season at the helm.
This included 20 wins and a draw at home as they returned to the Conference after a four-year absence.
Troubled Enfield were forced to play home league games at St Albans, Hendon, Boreham Wood and Bishop’s Stortford from October onwards after selling their Southbury Road home.
They finished a creditable 14th in the circumstances, but only two points clear of the drop.
Aylesbury went down by one goal with four teams locked on 48 points.
Losing their penultimate fixture 5-0 at Billericay proved costly as a 4-1 last day success over Gravesend & Northfleet wasn’t enough.
Boreham Wood were also relegated with Walton & Hersham.
Maidenhead United won promotion under Alan Devonshire.
They and Grays Athletic were accompanied by champions Croydon from Isthmian Division One, which saw Bromley and Braintree Town finish mid-table.
Lower down
Lower down the pyramid, Curzon Ashton were pipped to the North West Counties Football League Division Two (Step 5) title by Woodley Sports.
Sports had to win their remaining five matches after Curzon’s 34-game campaign had already concluded. They duly did, pipping the Nash on goal difference.
They were both promoted to Division One, with opponents including Fleetwood Freeport (now Town) and Salford City, who finished 7th and 11th respectively.
Vauxhall Motors romped to the championship, finishing nine points clear of Newcastle Town.
Alfreton Town promised season ticket holders a money-back guarantee if they did not win promotion from Northern Counties East, following back-to-back relegations.
They finished 5th, 25 points behind champions North Ferriby United.
Northern Premier League Division One & more
Accrington Stanley won instant promotion back from Northern Premier League Division One in an extraordinary title race which saw them, Burscough and Witton Albion only separated by goal difference.
A final day 3-0 win over Farsley Celtic in front of over 2,500 gave Stanley the silverware after Burscough’s season had already concluded, the future FA Trophy winners joined them in promotion while Witton missed out.
Hemel Hempstead Town also squandered a promotion, in their case they didn’t obtain the required ground grading to step up from Isthmian Division Two.
Northwood, winners of the Vandanel Trophy, went up in their place.
Hornchurch and Aveley achieved top 10 placings in Division Three while Dorking, playing at Meadowbank, finished just two off the bottom.
Southern Western Division & Crawley & District League
This was also the end of the first season of Marc White’s Dorking Wanderers, who started life in the Crawley & District League.
Moor Green and Solihull Borough, who went on to merge in 2007, impressed in Southern Western Division.
The Moors joined Stafford Rangers in promotion while Boro’ finished fifth.
In the Eastern, Fisher Athletic and Folkestone Invicta pulled well clear at the top, 16 and 15 points clear of nearest challengers respectively, to earn promotion.
Steve Portway, who lost sight in one eye four years previous, continued his stunning goalscoring feats in Non-League with 28 goals for Fisher.
Wessex League, FA Vase & more
Andy Forbes outdid that with a staggering 61 in the Wessex League for Andover.
The future Eastleigh man helped his side to third in the First Division (Step 4), while the Spitfires finished 7th under Trevor Parker.
The Western League were represented in the FA Vase final as Chippenham Town lost one of the last games at the old Wembley to Deal Town.
Taunton Town, winners in 2001, turned down promotion despite finishing 16 points clear.
Mangotsfield United took their place in Step 3.
Devizes Town won Division One with an unbeaten season, which landed them a front cover spot on The NLP that May.
Television crews were also regularly in attendance at Nursteed Road to witness their 32-game run without defeat.
Meanwhile, Frome Town finished rock bottom with a mere 11 points.
