Mark Carruthers: Why Non-League football deserves more respect

It would be pretty safe for me to assume you are a lover of Non-League football if you are reading my weekly musings – and as such are well-positioned to comment on the changing state of the game at this level.

At the first of veering into the predictable, the rise of Jamie Vardy from Stocksbridge Park Steels to becoming a Premier League winner and England international via FC Halifax Town and Fleetwood Town can only be viewed as a positive for the Non-League game.

The profile was raised and despite the slight annoyance of any Non-League prospect being immediately dubbed the ‘next Vardy’, there was more of a spotlight placed upon the game below the EFL.

However, sometimes I do wonder if the views on the Non-League game from those higher levels have actually changed over the last decade or so.

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One man and his dog

Do they still believe Non-League clubs are still ‘one man and his dog’ outfits and every Non-League manager is a cheap knockoff of Mike Bassett and insist on playing four-four-two?

Yes, I resisted the temptation of adding a profanity into that sentence in fear of evoking the wrath of the editor.

Do they still hide behind the football romantic angle by insisting on focusing on the day jobs of Non-League players and believe every single side play long ball football with a ‘classic big man and little man’ partnership up front?

Or can they cut through all of that and see what has actually developed across the Non-League scene over that time?

On and off the pitch, our clubs have become more and more professional and I would argue some are ran in a more effective manner than their higher-level counterparts.

Media output

Of course, there are exceptions, just as there are at every level of the game – but there is no doubt Non-League clubs have opened up to the use of analysts, scouts, alternative training methods, recovery programs and are reaping the rewards.

The media output from clubs has improved with students and volunteers gaining invaluable experience at our clubs and going above and beyond to provide some unique content that has gone viral.

Just as many players have made the step from Non-League into the EFL and beyond, so too have those volunteers and they are now earned a full-time wage at a higher level on the back of the experience they gained.

Infrastructure

Behind the scenes, Non-League clubs are focusing on strengthening their infrastructure in a bid to progress in a cost-efficient manner and are looking far beyond short-term success in favour of long-term stability and progress.

It all takes time, patience, hard work and understanding – but on the whole, Non-League clubs are strengthening with every passing year.

So rather than the standard rhetoric of day jobs of players and the stereotyping of Non-League, it’s time for those above to appreciate and show respect to all of the hard work that has gone into improving our clubs

READ MORE: Mark Carruthers: The rise of young supporters breathing new life into Non-League football