I’D just like to pay tribute and congratulate a good friend of mine, Derek Sargeant, who is living proof that Non-League football is alive and kicking.
Derek has attended 500 consecutive games watching New Mills FC in the North West Counties Premier League in an idyllic Derbyshire setting, and has also served as secretary since 2012.
Not only does he do that, he also performs the role of kit man, washing it and hanging it up in the dressing room for the players to wear before each game.
In order to do that, he makes a 30-mile round trip three evenings a week, unpaid, and with very lit...