''Hope You Die of Cancer": Life in Non-League Football

by Marvin Close

Overview

A million miles away from the rich uplands of the Premier League lies the Poundland world of non-league football. A far grittier version of the beautiful game, it's a glorious ragbag of former EFL clubs on the down, impoverished minnows and ambitious outfits on the make, played by a mix of full-time, part-time and amateur performers. This is the inside story of life in the lower reaches of English football, seen through the eyes of a player with over a decade's experience in the Conference and National Leagues. Footballer X lifts the lid on never-before-told stories of dust-ups, bust-ups, backhanders and betting scandals, the players lucky enough to get contracts and the rest who live precariously from game to game. It's a story of constant financial struggle, big sacrifices and small victories from owners, fans and players alike. Our footballer is still playing, so the cloak of anonymity allows him to give us a true picture of what life is really like playing as a non-league footballer today.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781801502115
Publisher:	Pitch Publishing Ltd
Publication date:	01/17/2022
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	272
File size:	6 MB

About the Author

Footballer X, who has played for six different Conference and National clubs, collaborated with Marvin Close to tell this story. Marvin is the author, with Chuck Korr, of More Than Just A Game: Football vs Apartheid, and Hope, the life story of Hope Powell. He co-wrote and edited FIFA's Futsal manual. Marvin is also a drama writer for TV, radio, film and theatre. Footballer X, who has played for six different Conference and National clubs, collaborated with Marvin Close to tell this story. Marvin is the author, with Chuck Korr, of More Than Just A Game: Football vs Apartheid, and Hope, the life story of Hope Powell. He co-wrote and edited FIFA's Futsal manual. Marvin is also a drama writer for TV, radio, film and theatre.

Table of Contents

Author's Note 7

Introduction 9

The Beginning 17

The Pyramid 29

The Dressing Room 36

Pre-Season 49

Players 58

Young Players 72

The Banter 82

Money 87

Grounds 96

Travel 106

Fans 115

Managers 128

Referees 146

Gamesmanship 155

Injuries 164

The Board 174

Agents 182

The Media 189

Betting and Bribes 198

Up for the Cup 208

The Non-League Lions 216

Covid 225

Part-Timers 233

The Future of Non-League Football 240

Appendix 1 249

Appendix 2 250

Appendix 3 252

Appendix 4 256

Appendix 5 264

Index 268