Bobby Zamora and Glenn Murray share their love for non league football and explain how clubs benefit from the PL fund.
Fusion Josh spent Non League Day at Southern Combination Premier Division outfit Haywards Heath Town with the two former top flight footballers.
They also checked out how the Premier League Stadium Fund, which is celebrating it’s 25th year anniversary, have supported over 1,000 mens and woman’s football clubs by pumping in over 220 million pounds.
Josh: So I’m joined with Glenn Murray, Bobby Zamora’s a big Brighton fan, this is massive for me, so it’s a privilege to meet you guys. I think combined we’ve got, you know, 194 goals for the Albion. How are you guys doing today?
Bobby Zamora: Yeah good, yeah, nice to be here, see where that money’s been spent.
Josh: Absolutely, what does non-league mean to you guys?
Glenn Murray: Well I spent quite a few years in it when I was a young man, so it has a fondness for me obviously, it was part of my journey. So being back here today, it brings back a lot of memories and I think it’s so important still.
Josh: And you know what, that’s a big, big point actually, Workington Reds was where you started, is that correct?
Glenn Murray: Yeah.
Josh: How did that shape you up as a player going forward, Premier League player, must have shaped you up really well, good experience?
Glenn Murray: Yeah, I think me and Bobby, we’ve spoken about it already today, you learn how to use your body, you become a man, it kind of supersedes that from playing in reserves and youth team football, all of a sudden you’re getting kicked as both former strikers getting kicked from pillar to post by big, strong centre-backs. So you learn very quickly how to adapt your game, so yeah, like I say, it was massive for me.
Josh: Bobby, as well for you, you were a brief spell at Bath City, wasn’t it? How did that shape you up as a player? Identical to what Glenn said?
Bobby Zamora: Yeah, pretty much, I was 18 years of age and on loan from Bristol Rovers, so I didn’t actually really train with the team either, it was like one evening and then I play a game on a Saturday for the club, but it was a short time, six games and thoroughly enjoyed it, managed to score some goals and I suppose that opens the doorway for other clubs, which was Brighton to come and take a punt on to get me on loan as well. So it was a fantastic experience and one that I’ll cherish.
Josh: What would be your message for someone to go out there and watch it?
Bobby Zamora: To watch? Yeah, listen, it’s fantastic. Undoubtedly, there’s a local non-league side near everybody, just go and experience it, go and support them really, put some money back into the club as well, which will help, so yeah, just go and experience it. If you’ve got nothing to do on a weekend, literally, if you have never been to a game, then go and experience it.
Josh: Being so close to the action as well, having that access to everything is so key, isn’t it?
Bobby Zamora: Exactly, you can hear the players’ real conversations on the pitch, which you don’t hear on a Premier League game, so yeah, it’s great.
Josh: And affordable football too, and we all love affordable football. What’s your thoughts on non-league and what would you say to people who have no experience in non-league football themselves?
Glenn Murray: Yeah, get down, support your local community. I mean, you can really smell it and taste it here, you’re part of it. I mean, I’ve seen people walking around here with their dogs and stuff, so you can just mow your own down, take your dog down, grab a pint, watch some football, what more can you want?
Josh: I’ll tell you what, talking of the pint, are we going for a pint or are we keeping it professional?
Glenn Murray: Are you buying?
Josh: I can buy if you want. Yeah, you’ve scored enough goals for the club, come on then. But thank you so much guys, really appreciate it.
Josh: Volunteers are the heroes and driving forces of so many football clubs. Affordable football for everyone to enjoy.
Conversations with players bringing the community element together and stronger. Every supporter being treated with respect and gratitude. The significance and rise of Non-League Football is evident to see.
In 2021, Haywards Heath Town received a £123k grant towards LED floodlights which was cost-saving, whilst in 2023 made upgrades to their hospitality which generates further revenue for the club.
But as always folks, go out and support Non-League because you’ll have a great experience. I’ll tell you what, look at the facilities in here.
It’s kind of a surprise for me. I just can’t get over how great of a day it is but if I look around here, look at the blue railings as well.
Obviously Haywards Heath Town, they play in blue and white so to have railings like this, to have colours representing the football club, I love a lot about Non-League club so this is brilliant. Good little touch. Ignore the music right now but look where we are, we’re in the stand right now. Blue and white seating everywhere.
Look at this behind me, everyone with blue and white stripes. As a Brighton fan, it’s good to see the correlation with blue and white, quite like it. Great thing about today, the Premier League trophy coming in.
Nick, Director of Community at The Premier League, was also there, he asked how big is Non League Day for the Premier League and Non-League?
He replied: “That’s really important. It’s part of our More Than A Game campaign which is celebrating everything we do away from the 90 minutes on the pitch and clubs like this one, heartbeat of football, the National League system is so important for our country and we’re very proud to invest in it through things like the Premier League Stadium Fund.
“Over a thousand clubs have benefited from £230 million worth of investment so this is just an incredible day. You can see the smiles, the number of people, about a thousand people through the gate. Absolutely incredible.
“If they can get promoted, all of this money from the Premier League Stadium Fund to £123,000 to be precise, you can see these LED floodlights which is bringing the club a bit more sustainable, the upgrades in hospitality, all of this is absolutely brilliant and if they get promoted, it’s just the right step for these Non-League clubs and especially Haywards Heath Town.”
Josh spoke to James Doe, the Non-League Day founder in 2010. Asked how much has it grown since that year, James replied: “Well, quite a lot. Yeah, I mean it was just a Facebook event originally so I just thought it was for my friends, I didn’t think anything would happen and it went viral in six weeks and I had a national event on my hands and now here we are 15, 16 years later and we’ve got no international clubs from all over Europe backing us in the Premier League and yeah, it’s massive.”
“But I’ll tell you what, step five, not a bad facility, I can’t exactly complain and I’ll tell you what, the gaffer today has got a great view of the action.
On the positive impact for these Non-League clubs on Non-League Day: “Yeah, well I’m hoping it will be today, I mean we’ve seen lots of big crowds in the past, it’s not just about the crowds necessarily, it’s the publicity they get, the awareness of the game at this level is a lot higher than I think it was.”
Nick continued: “Premier League Stadium funds invested about £120,000 in Haywards Heath Town, so new LED floodlights, cutting their costs, an amazing hospitality space over there, Simo’s Bar, with some pretty decent food to be fair.
“So 40% increase in revenue since they put that in a couple of years ago, and that’s what the Premier League Stadium fund is all about really, helping clubs at this level increase their revenue, reduce their costs and just be the hub of the community, which you can see this club really is.”
Josh: “What is the best part of Non-League in your opinion?”
James: “I like getting close to it and the value, yeah the value is a huge thing because I can take my kids, they much prefer coming to a small stadium like this than a really big one because it’s more intimate and they can just have more fun.”
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