Skip to main content

"If you want some accessible but informative insight into football then I suggest you couldn't do better than the Political Economy of Football website, which is not only intelligible but comes with the added bonus of being written by Addicks fan Wyn Grant."
Ben Hayes - Charlton Athletic programme

Non-league

Share/Save

Re-branding a club

Submitted by WG on Sun, 20/06/2010 - 19:00

In commercial life decisions to re-brand an established product are taken only rarely.   Some have been disasters which have wasted money, e.g., re-branding the Post Office as Consiignia.  In fact there has been a recent fashion for reviving retro brand names.

Chester and Grays succeed in appeals

Submitted by WG on Sun, 20/06/2010 - 08:36

Former Football League club Chester City have won their appeal against being placed in Step 6 of the non-league system in the North-West Counties League.   The phoenix club is now likely to be placed in Step 4 and the Northern Premier League.   The club reckons this will make a big difference in terms of season ticket sales.   They are hoepful of selling between 600 and 750 season tickets.

Grimsby deny financial crisis

Submitted by WG on Thu, 17/06/2010 - 06:20

At one time Grimsby Town FC (who actually play in Cleethorpes) were in what is now the Championship, but they have since been relegated to the Conference.   However, after the chairman of the Conference stated that the two clubs being relegated this year were in a financial mess, the chairman of Grimsby Town has strongly refuted these claims which caused some anxiety among Grimsby fans.  He has pointed out that the club has a 'healthy' overdraft and any debt is benign debt owed to

Non-league clubs complain they get a raw deal

Submitted by WG on Tue, 15/06/2010 - 08:27

Non-league clubs are complaining that they are being treated more harshly and more inconsistently than league clubs who run into financial trouble.   Prominent among the complainants are Northwich Victoria and Salisbury City who consider that they have been unfailrly demoted to Step 3 of the non-league pyramid for failing to comply with financial rules.

Two teams in Bromsgrove

Submitted by WG on Thu, 03/06/2010 - 06:07

Bromsgrove Rovers were at one time in the Conference, but they hit financial problems and have fallen back to the third tier of the non-league.    The Worcestershire town is within commuting distance of Birmingham.   Now the local council has to decide whether to award the lease of the ground to Rovers or to a new fans' club.

Salisbury City fight expulsion

Submitted by WG on Mon, 24/05/2010 - 18:32

Salisbury City are appealing against expulsion from the Blue Square Premiership under the controversial Appendix E rules adopted last year.   Some critics think they are too stringent.   Salisbury argue that they have paid all football creditors in full.    Their only outstanding debt is an admittedly substantial £228,000 to the tax authorities with whom they have an agreement to pay 27p in the pound over three years.

Battle on to control Bones

Submitted by WG on Tue, 11/05/2010 - 19:33

A battle is on for control of impoverished Northamptonshire side Rothwell Town.  Known as the Bones because of the unique collection of human remains in the nearby church, they may play in the United Counties League next season having resigned from the Southern (Zamaretto) League.

It's the Evo-Stik league

Submitted by WG on Sun, 02/05/2010 - 18:26

The Northern Premier League have signed a three-year deal with adhesive manufacturers Evo-Stik.  For 16 years the competition was known as the Unibond League, a long time for one competition sponsor to stay in place.  Now Unibond have been replaced by their business rivals.   The deal is worth six figures per season and clubs can expect a generous increase on their existing payments.  Evo-Stik are also going to invest money into facilities and community initiatives.

Martyrs find saviour

Submitted by WG on Sun, 25/04/2010 - 17:29

Welsh businessman and Cardiff City supporter Annis Abraham is ready to pick up the pieces once Merthyr Tydfil are liquidated on May 3.  He cannot pay off the £315,000 debt and the only way forward is to start again.  Merthyr will be rebranded and are likely to apply to join either the Western or the Hellenic League next season (they have never been interested in the Welsh League with its small crowds).   They have successfully renegotiated a £100-per week lease for their Penydarren Park ground next season.

Danes back in picture at Chester

Submitted by WG on Sun, 25/04/2010 - 17:21

The Danish consortium who made an unsuccessful last minute bid to save Chester City from extinction have re-surfaced in the discussions about the formation of a successor club.   Mystery surrounds the identity of the Scandinavian group Fodbold Selskabet who have applied to use the Deva Stadium next season.   However, City Fans United who want to take the reformed club into the Unibond Premier next season have expressed concerns that the secretive consortium may have links with the controversial old regime at the club.