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<p>An epic goalkeeping performance quiets the crowd. Smooth finishes for both teams ignite the scoring at one-all. A thrilling match leaves spectators on the edge of their seats.</p>
<p>Fans of the game see performances like these and their mind runs to El Clásico, a North London Derby, the Derby della Madonnina or any fixture between major teams. But November’s <a href="https:\/\/youtu.be/HyOGAmnnzGc" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Andover-Petersfield</a> match rivaled those games in terms of emotion. The drive, passion, and energy in the game were a joy to see. It was unique as well.</p>
<p>Andover did not play in a stadium like Wembley or Camp Nou. The Wessex League side’s stadium evoked comparisons more akin to a training ground of those historically significant clubs. Despite the relatively small number of spectators, both sides played as if it were the FA Cup Final.</p>
<p>That is why broadcasters focus on the “giant-killers” more than they will on Premier League sides during the FA Cup or League Cup. There is a uniqueness and exotic feel to non-league soccer. Essentially, it is the unfamiliarity of a community-oriented scene that draws us in. Joy and passion persist just because the game is happening, the result is secondhand.</p>
<p>Some of this energy comes from the zeal of the community.</p>
<h3>Energy in non-league soccer</h3>
<p>Higher up in the English soccer league pyramid, National League side AFC Wrexham beat Gloucester City 5-0. Their victory saw Kwame Thomas score to help send Gloucester packing. After the game, Thomas talked about why he plays the beautiful game.</p>
<blockquote><p><em>“I think one of the main things that people pick up when I’m playing is, most of the time, I have a smile on my face, and that’s what it’s about, just enjoying your football.”</em></p></blockquote>
<p>The way Thomas behaves suggests that. Thomas is immersed in the community, as he sells Christmas trees to Wrexham and East Midlands areas. The forward also tweeted, <a href="https:\/\/twitter.com/KwameKtyThomas/status/1472306867770728457" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“Couldn’t be happier”</a> before his show-stopping performance.</p>
<p>There is usually a lot of positivity in the National League. The surrounding community is attached to its club. Ticket prices, terraces, and a sense of familiarity also help with that.</p>
<p>Non-league soccer straddles a fine line between intense and relaxing. You can wind back at a local game and eat in what is, generally speaking, a colloquial setting. Or, you can fully immerse yourself in the highs and lows of the fixture. You could even spot the next superstar. Players like Jamie Vardy, Ian Wright, and Harry Kane have stepped foot on a non-league pitch before.</p>
<p>Contrast this with leagues like the Premier League, and you will get a different experience. The Premier League has more quality, is more intense, bigger, and is more of a business than non-league soccer is. These qualities could clash with some people trying to enjoy the game for what it is.</p>
<p>All in all, non-league soccer’s passion is hard to find outside of sports. That is why, when people see it, most love it.</p>
<h3>Giant-killers</h3>
<p>Fans also love drama. Nothing promotes storylines more than watching a major team, one with unbounded history, struggle against considerably lower opposition.</p>
<p>We were left in awe when sixth-tier side Chorley advanced to the fourth round of the FA Cup. They beat Wigan, Peterborough, and Derby with their high-octane offense. Chorley’s improbable run ended with a loss to Wolves, but their ambiance, both on and off the pitch, changed how I look at non-league soccer.</p>
<p>A game that defines the FA Cup and its giant-killing nature is Hereford against Newcastle United. In 1972, fifth-tier side Hereford United beat first-tier team Newcastle United after extra time. The game is well-known for <a href="https:\/\/youtu.be/wUCtT71XWc8" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Ronnie Radford</a>’s 30-yard strike that forced the extra period. Radford helped set up the winning match in overtime to help Hereford advance to the fourth round of FA Cup action.</p>
<p>All these matches elicited powerful emotions in fans unaffiliated with those teams. Hearts raced as the improbable became reality, such is the beauty non-league soccer teams provide. However, the excitement of giant-killers comes outside of non-league soccer.</p>
<p>Bradford City, who entered the FA Cup in the third tier of English soccer, stunned the world in 2015. Coming off a UEFA Super Cup victory, Chelsea would go on to win the Premier League this season. However, Bradford’s grit from unfamiliar faces advanced the club to the fifth round of the FA Cup.</p>
<h5>Across Europe</h5>
<p>There are plenty of instances of dramatic finishes and the biggest upsets. To be fair, it happens outside of non-league soccer all the time. That is what happens in a sport as globally and socially important as soccer.</p>
<p><a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/2021/09/28/we-came-here-to-win-says-sheriff-captain-after-shocking-real-in-madrid/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sheriff Tiraspol beats Real Madrid</a> with a one-of-a-kind strike. Yann Sommer makes save after save to send <a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/2021/06/28/france-stunned-by-switzerland-spain-through-to-last-eight-on-dramatic-day-at-euro-2020/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Switzerland to the last eight</a> in Euro 2020. <a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/2019/09/07/portugal-beat-serbia-to-claim-first-euro-2020-qualifying-win/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Serbia stuns Portugal</a> to earn automatic qualification to the 2022 World Cup.</p>
<p>Upsets are a part of the game, yes. But, beyond that, these massive upsets are symbolic. The down-to-earth, community-based club full of loyal supporters takes down the worldwide club that produces minimal excitement or drama in cup competitions reflects in the world outside sports. The beauty of a David versus Goliath story speaks volumes inside of everybody regardless of who that person supports.</p>
<h3>The importance of non-league soccer</h3>
<p>Non-league soccer is precious, but it is vulnerable to threats that do not exist for the more established.</p>
<p>COVID outbreaks happen to seemingly every club at the most inopportune times. Non-league soccer teams do not have the same facilities or capacity to contain the spread.</p>
<p>Similarly, smaller budgets inhibit the exponential growth of clubs we see at the top. It takes years, decades even, to turn a club into a consistent performer in the top-four English leagues.</p>
<p>Too often, we pass on the magic of non-league soccer for the major leagues across Europe, South America or even North America. We forget that non-league soccer is where careers start and end. That is why we need to support the local teams and celebrate their accomplishments. We never know how crucial non-league soccer is until we learn about it.</p>
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Non-league soccer may not pull in the recognition of what we see on TV each day, but it never fails to match the intensity and energy.

The joy of watching non-league soccer and cup upsets

Non-League Day

The joy of watching non-league soccer and cup upsets