Tag Archives: non-league

Apr 18 2026
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Daily Post, Portrait, Sport, Stranger

People dressed as chickens

Saturday 18th April 2026, 3.20pm (day 5,350)

Ashington chicken fans, 18/4/26

Why the fans of Ashington FC turned up at today’s game (at Brighouse) dressed as chickens is a story I was told, but in some ways it is far too tragic to relate here: let us just say that it was to do with a practical joke from the past that may have gone wrong. Beyond this you do not want to know, trust me. Connection corner: this is the second time Ashington FC have made it onto tbe blog and, as the visiting team on both occasions, they were just as successful as last time — this is also the second time that, at Brighouse, there has been a picture of a grown man dressed as a chicken. What this says about me, Brighouse Town, and non-league football generally, I know not.

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Apr 16 2026
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Daily Post, Portrait, Stranger

Tea bar at Thackley

Wednesday 15th April 2026, 8.20pm (day 5,347)

Thackley tea bar, 15/4/26

Half-time, time for refreshments for players and fans alike. The match we are watching is to have a great last five minutes, but all that is in the future at this point.

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Apr 12 2026
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Daily Post, Sport

Play-off semi-final

Saturday 11th April 2026, 4.35pm (day 5,343)

Beverley Town crowd, 11/4/26

Some leagues get themselves wrapped up early, like the Northern Counties East League, which has already reached its play-offs. These are fans of Beverley Town, the home team. There are about 10 minutes to go on the clock at this point (though what they don’t yet know is that the ref is going to keep things going for about 20) and the 1-0 lead is going to be retained, don’t worry folks — although if you ask me most of them are looking at their phones at this point.

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Mar 05 2026
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Daily Post, Sport

The lights have gone out

Wednesday 4th March 2026, 9.05pm (day 5,305)

Floodlight failure, 4/3/26

Five minutes into the second half of tonight’s game at Brighouse Town, half the lights went out. At that point, this picture was taken. About a minute later, the remaining lights went out too, and the game was abandoned: as a football fan, my third ever abandonment, one of them because of a serious injury, one because of rain (at Accrington Stanley) and now tonight. Brighouse have been rather inept on the pitch lately, so perhaps this off-pitch ineptitude is all just part of the bigger picture.

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Feb 02 2026
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Daily Post, Sport

Half-time huddle

Sunday 1st February 2026, 11.20am (day 5,274)

Half time, 1/2/26

The players of AC Soulseek ponder the 45 minutes that are to come, though not without unhappiness, as they are 3-1 up at this point. Wasn’t I here basically a year ago? Yes, but I cannot honestly think of a more agreeable place to spend a Sunday morning in London — as long as it isn’t raining.

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Jan 22 2026
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Daily Post, Portrait, Stranger

The away fans’ enclosure

Wednesday 21st January 2026, 8.40pm (day 5,263)

Away fans at Halifax, 21/1/26

I was wondering whether to go with a picture that is a little less dark, dismal, drizzly and not a little bit depressing. On the other hand this seems to sum up the evening perfectly. I’ve seen some tedious football matches in my time but Halifax 1, Morecambe 0 on 21/1/26 now ranks down there with the worst.

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Jan 18 2026
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Daily Post, Portrait, Sport, Stranger

The full-back

Saturday 17th January 2026, 3.20pm (day 5,259)

Full-back, 17/1/26

On the basis that no fewer than 23 people (because you do need a referee) can be gathered in each area of space that comprises a Saturday afternoon football match, then there must have been at least a quarter of a million people in the UK doing what this guy was doing at the same point in time, 3.20pm. That’s just the people on the pitches, too. At least 30 other people, including substitutes, coaches and slighly weird people (like me) were also persuaded that watching Sheffield Union v Thornbridge Villa in the 12th tier of English football was the best way they had of spending Saturday afternoon. So add another million or two for all of them…. it can’t be completely wasted collective effort, can it? At this level it’s certainly not about making any money.

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Dec 07 2025
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Daily Post, Sport

Necessary protection

Saturday 6th December 2025, 4.40pm (day 5,217)

Rain at Chadderton, 6/12/25

With five minutes to go in Chadderton v Burscough, the score still 0-0 and a big chunk of the Atlantic Ocean seemingly pouring from above, I am sure I was not the only one wondering why I was still there. At least this person had some protection. I notice the title of the post might also refer to the netting, which I have included mainly because it seems to enhance the rain effect. Did I mention it was raining?

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Nov 03 2025
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Daily Post, Sport

Lancaster City FC

Saturday 1st November 2025, 4.30pm (day 5,182)

Lancaster City FC, 1/11/25

I do generally limit the number of football shots published on here but after having had a couple of extra days to think about it, I do think this is the most pleasing shot I captured today. The view from the terrace at the Giant Axe (the name of Lancaster City’s stadium) encompasses both Lancaster Castle and the railway station — though I never captured the money shot, including both the ball and a train.

This shot was better than the match itself, which finished 0-0. In fact, the shot of Clapham Common two weekends ago was of a match that also finished 0-0. I doubt this coincidence is a meaningful one however.

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Sep 21 2025
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Daily Post, Sport

Cougar Park gates

Saturday 20th September 2025, 4.00pm (day 5,140)

Cougar Park gates, 20/9/25

I pick this shot for the colour palette mainly — the blue of of his jacket works very well. It is taken from inside the ground, as the reversal of the lettering makes evident. As you can also see — it is raining, a lot. But the game behind me did manage to reach a conclusion. Nothing to do with Keighley Cougars, a rugby league club (you have never seen rugby league depicted on here, and unless I radically change in my remaining years, you never will) — the owners of that club decided they fancied a football team as well so simply bought one, Eccleshill United of Bradford, and teleported them here for as long as they feel like dabbling in another mode of football.

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