The Sunday League side aiming to make sure every venue is covered by a defibrillator - and how you can help
Plus the unintended consequences of removing the 3pm blackout and some very shiny new boots.
In this newsletter:
Why a Sunday League club are aiming to fund defibrillators
3 pm blackout and the unintended consequences of removing it
Why I Love - New Boots, by Justin Horton
If you only read/click on one thing in this newsletter, please let it be this
I had planned to start our Match of the Weekend and Away Day features this week, but in the planning process, something else happened.
A Bracknell & District Sunday League side are raising money to fund defibrillators at two sites used by the league that don’t have one.
Read Jack’s story by clicking the image below.
The 3pm blackout and the unintended consequences of removing it
I ran a (very unscientific as it turns out poll) in the FiB WhatsApp group asking ‘Assuming everyone answering is a regular non-league match-goer, would the removal of the 3pm blackout affect your attendance at non-league games on a Saturday?’
Of course, I was asking inside my own bubble. 23 replied No, 3 replied Maybe and just 1 with Yes.
All the people in the group have already bought into the game at their local club. As have most regular supporters.
But it feeds this idea in my mind that I’m not sure how much effect it would have if it did do (constructive comments on why I’m wrong are very welcome).
The one thing I do think is that it’d take a few years before we discovered the extent of making the change - and a bit like VAR - if I’m wrong in my assumption it’d be next to impossible to put the genie back in the lamp.
The other solid reason for keeping the blackout, and this is argued by Steve Gabb, is the likely effect on participation at the lower levels - Step 6 and below. It is already a tough job getting teams out and this could push a lot of clubs over the edge. Why sit on the bench when you could be watching United (bad example) on the tele?
I firmly believe attendance at women’s matches would be much higher if the only window in the weekend for women’s games wasn’t 2pm on a Sunday - from the FA WSL down to the Thames Valley Counties Women’s Football League.
I get armchair fans are paying out £100s across 12 different subscription packages to not watch their team every week, but that’s another problem for another day.
It’s not broken, and thankfully it doesn’t look like it needs fixing anytime soon.
Tom Canning
Why I Love: Getting New Boots
If you’re like me you’ll spend all pre-season picking the right ones, there’s so much to think about, colours, ground type, brand, budget.
Even more so with modern-day boots, there are so many variations, knitted, sock fit, laceless, different quality levels and even choices for what type of player you are, do you fall into the speed, skill, or accuracy category?
But once you’ve got through all of this, the buzz starts, getting them home, putting them on and walking around your living room, with football socks on, as if this will give you an accurate idea of how they will perform.
Then it's waiting time, hoping the weather is perfect on Sunday, but really you're going to wear them anyway right?
You turn up Sunday morning waiting to see if your team are going to love them or give you stick, do you even care if they notice? Probably not!
Then you’re on the pitch, the confidence boost you get is unparalleled, whether this transfers to the pitch and your performance is never really a given. But for that whole game you feel a little lighter, a little faster and you know you made the right choice.
Justin Horton - Follow Justin on Instagram
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