NON-LEAGUE FOOTBALL DAY

It is the Non-League weekend and specifically Non-League Day today. Plenty of games are being played on Sunday, for example the FA Trophy Preliminary tie between Pickering Town and Stocksbridge PS and of course, Hepworth United Juniors will have plenty of matches going on in the massive Huddersfield and District Junior League. Our Under 15 section consists of 6 divisions alone. Age groups run from U7/8 through to U18 boys and girls.

So it is important to keep kids playing at all levels and of course to maintain the development of players in "senior" age groups as they hope for professional contracts! All players have their roots in Non-League Football and those who reach the heady heights of professionalism have many worthy individuals to thank for their success.

Why not support your local club by spending a few £s at the turnstiles, or in the club cafe or bar, buy a programme and a raffle ticket.
Loads of volunteers help run clubs and most of the hard work is done on the clubhouse side of the touchline (apart from the groundsman of course!). These are the unsung heros.
This weekend at Hepworth we are collecting money for the club's "World Mental Health Day" project, something that is close to our hearts and something that is being promoted all over the country.
Martin Tyler is one of many media personalities who didn't quite make it in the big game but has always supported Non-League football, as a player (The Commentators' XI for instance and at slightly more competitive levels; he is now very much part of Hampton and Richmond Borough FC, presently 4th in the National League South).

Don't forget Leyton Orient, Torquay and Hartlepool, a few of the ex-Football League Clubs that now ply their trade at lower levels, striving to get back in the big time.
https://theballisround.co.uk/

So remember the grass roots stuff....Hepworth United FC playing in the Sheffield and Hallamshire County Premier today and our Ladies whose central charity is World Mental Health and they will be playing their league game on Sunday, very much with Lauren in their memory.
Since it is international weekend, go out and find a Non-League game.

On the other hand......don't forget the oldies who are still playing despite their old age:
Dannie Bulman, Crawley Town 39y241d
Kevin Ellison Morecambe 39y225d
Aaron Wilbraham Rochdale 38y344d and
of course our oldest international, the great Stanley Matthews, who at 43 years and 103 days played for England against Denmark on the 15th May 1957. England won 4-1 in Copenhagen.
He was the oldest "capped" goalscorer at 41y 248d, 6/10/56 in a 1-1 draw v Northern Ireland at Windsor Park. His international career lasted 22 years 228 days. Matthews is here with Stan Mortensen.