Tuesday 12 April 2022

Do you support a non--league club?

This week's Non-League Paper contains a feature on the revival of Ramsgate.   The Kent town is, of course, the home of VOTV editor Rick Everitt, ousted last year as Thanet Council leader.   Although attendances at Ramsgate have grown from around 185 a year ago to 700 now (863 for last week's clash against Haywards Heath Town) I doubt whether the Rickster goes there.

Pushing for a play off place in the Isthmian League South-East, Ramsgate have hired 61-year old former Gillingham and Welling United boss Steve Lovell as manager.   Whether the hiring of the former Glaziers and Spanners striker is quite the coup they think remains to be seen.

At my own non-league club, Leamington, I am known as 'the Charlton supporter'.  The Baggies seem to be the favourite Football League club, although there is also a history of Villa support (there is a bit of tension with Coventry City with one song directed at them).   I am secretary of the vice-presidents club which offers a half time cup of tea and the biscuit of your choice in a 'lounge' (aka portakabin).

I am thinking of doing a survey of the non-league clubs that Charlton fans go to watch when Charlton are not playing, or at least not at home.  My hunch is that the favourites would include Bromley (supported by the SLP's Louis Mendez), Welling United (perhaps less so these days), Dartford and Dulwich Hamlet. However, I would be interested to hear other suggestions for survey prompts.

In days gone by there were quite a few fans who alternated watching Charlton and Millwall and some occasionally went to Arsenal.

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