Non-League Paper Programme: Tony Incenzo’s groundhopping quest starts all over again

When The NLP’s very own columnist Tony Incenzo visited Fulwood Amateurs for their North West Counties First Division North game against Thornton Cleveleys on Easter Monday, he completed a truly epic groundhopping quest.

Fifty-four years after attending his very first Non-League match, broadcaster Tony, 63, had become the first journalist to visit all 2,000 grounds in the English National League System, earning him huge acclaim.

But it Tony’s own words in his NLP column last week, the life of a Non-League groundhopper is “akin to painting the legendary Forth Bridge”.

Once you achieve your targets it is time to start all over again.

Work is never done

Such is the ever-changing landscape of the great English pyramid, Tony was suddenly presented with another 22 new Non-League grounds to visit ahead of the start of 2026-27 season.

A groundhopper’s work is never done, it seems.

One of Tony’s first missions this season is the visit new, or modified grounds, of clubs he has already visited among his 2,600 or so ventures. Three to be exact.

Take NPL Premier side Workington for example.

Whilst a state-of-the-art £16 million stadium is being built for the West Cumbrian outfit to replace their famous old Borough Park, they are playing at nearby Fibrus Community Stadium (Derwent Park) for the next two seasons or so.

It is the home of Workington Town Rugby League club and has held a record crowd of 17,741 in years gone by.

Then there’s, North West Counties League First Division North side Woolton. They have reverted to their Simpson Sports Ground headquarters after bringing it up to Step 6 standard.

They spent 2025/26 – their first season as a NLS club – groundsharing at nearby South Liverpool.

I notice Simpson has a 3G synthetic pitch so I’ll probably leave it until wintery weather kicks in before venturing there.

TICKED OFF: This season, he has already taken in new visits to Anstey Town and Hemsworth Miners Welfare, below.

Completing the set again

And finally, the third is a new Non-League ground currently under construction, just outside Aveley’s Parkside Stadium.

A one-time Sunday League pitch with some covered spectator accommodation, the ground is due to be fully enclosed to provide a Step 6 graded home for both Brimsdown and Lymore Gardens, of Eastern Counties League First Division South.

Of the 40+ teams promoted to the NLS this season from the various Regional Feeder Leagues, Tony needs to visit 19 to complete the set once again.

But it’s going to require plenty of miles on the clock with 300+ mile treks to South West Peninsula League Premier West Division sides Hayle AFC and St Mawgan on the ‘to-do’ list.

Still, there are worse places to visit I suppose.

Naturally, Tony’s already on the case and up and running for 2026-27.

Ground tally

The Northern Counties East League Division One team have developed a new ground next door to their previous pitch which didn’t meet NLS football requirements.

And then earlier in the month, he watched Anstey Town beat Birmingham OJM 5-0 in the Midland League Division One. Anstey play at a nice set-up within De Montfort University at Beaumont Park in Leicester.

With the games coming thick and fast, Tony is out and about most nights of the week – except, that is, when it coincides with a QPR home game.

Tony hasn’t missed his beloved Rs at Loftus Road for 53 years!

His ground tally now sits at 2,715 with every match logged in his now famous handwritten scrapbook.

He’s also a jolly nice bloke, so if you see Tony at a game near you then say hello. I’m sure he’ll have a tale or two to tell.

• Find Tony on X at @TonyIncenzo