VOLUNTEERS ARE STILL PRICELESS

Volunteers are still priceless.

Unfortunately the money side demands of football seems to be creeping more and more into our level of football & even lower as the odd club that did pay players has now moved to its only the odd club that dont pay players. As chairman of a club that doesn't have the ability to pay it's players, even no expenses, it makes it even harder to stand still let alone progress. I struggle if I'm honest to understand, with all due respect, why some clubs do it, I understand it's to attract better players, but that doesn't always guarantee success, also there is no guarantee by doing so you will increase crowds or anything , and once some of these wealthy backers get board and move on, it can really really put the whole clubs existence at risk. I know I'm older but non league football has always been for the love of the game, yes we want success, yes we have ambition, but at what cost , not surely with something that can put the whole clubs future at risk or even if some cases the future of other clubs at risk. I'm all for having ambition, for wanting to be successful, but Im not a fan or the ever increasing win at all costs factor that is creeping into the game.

The non league family has always been about the camaraderie, all in the same boat mentality sadly that's disappeared with some clubs 'a them and us' ,in terms of finance certainly is creeping more and more into the game. I feel we should still all be looking out for each other to help maintain the strength of our game , to preserve our game, rather than trying to scramble and tread over each other in an effort to get further up the pyramid.

Thankfully we still have a number of volunteers at all our clubs , the ones that do the thankless but essential tasks, and still have that let's all muck in together to do this for the good of the club attitude, the problem with this is all the volunteers are getting older and as they get older invariably we lose some , as they either become incapable of attending games due to health etc or indeed pass on. This has happened just this week as Micky Phillips, of Stansted, Takeley, sawbridgeworth town, to name a few and someone who gave decades of his time to our game has sadly passed away, Micky was a shining example of someone who gave everything to the game & expected nothing in return he just did it for the love of football, that's still the case at the majority of clubs especially our traditional clubs with long histories, I'm not sure it's the case with these new social media type clubs that are now springing up.
There is an unofficial, which should be official, hall of fame of volunteers, we all know, that have been doing it for years, giving up their time etc, for their football love of their life, people like, Tom Williams, Keith Handley, Keith Whittingham, Steve Day ,Dan Ellis, just a few of the very very many at clubs in our league, in some cases like Ray Wright at May & Baker almost single handedly running their clubs.

My hat is bowed to these , as well as the many others I haven't mentioned & the many people who ,especially in the case of our league committee, give up their time to make sure we have a league to play in , it's the same at many other leagues up and down the country.
So my message to those wealthy backers, some who see a club as their new toy, rather than their long term love, I know that £150.00., of so you have burning a hole in your pocket may sign the player , who you believe may be the one, but believe me in most cases he really ain't, but how about rewarding your volunteer who's been there for years to a pint in the bar or by her some flowers, or even invest the money in trying to bring the next lot of volunteers we all need to get involved in our game. We all want our clubs to have a better future ,but sometimes you have to think , short term success is no good if there's no club there in the long term to enjoy it.