WHAT A YEAR IT'S BEEN
THE NON-LEAGUE PAPER’S 2023-24 SEASON REVIEW
JON COUCH
Personally, I don’t think this was a vintage year in the National League – but it certainly was for our Non-League sides in the FA Cup.
Maidstone United, in particularly, played out the fairytale with memorable victories over Barrow, Stevenage and Premier League-bound Ipswich Town (my team!) before bowing out bravely at eventual semi-finalists Coventry City.
Cray Valley PM taking on high-profile neighbours Charlton and Aldershot Town making the trip to West Brom were also huge highs.
It has to be Chesterfield. Left very much in the shadows of 100-pointers Wrexham and Notts County last season, the Spireites went about their response in devastating fashion with very little fanfare under uber-cool boss Paul Cook, eventually sealing their Football League return with relative ease.
It’s now over two years since Andy Woodman turned down an approach from Gillingham in order to fulfil his Football League dream with Bromley – and he finally got reward for his loyalty by steering the Ravens into League Two via the play-offs. A more popular winner there couldn’t have been.
Southend’s Kevin Maher and Aveley’s Danny Scopes have to be in the conversation, as should Andy Peaks for steering Tamworth to back-to-back promotions to Step 1.
Chesterfield’s National League domination makes this something of a closed shop. From 1-11, they’ve been magnificent so take your pick really, but I’ll just go with midfield enforcer Tom Naylor.
Chris Conn-Clarke has been instrumental in Altrincham’s promotion challenge and has a big future in front of him, while Worthing goal machine Ollie Pearce is the hottest property in Non-League football right now.
While neither could be described as classic games of football, the sheer occasion of seeing Maidstone at Coventry City and Aldershot at West Brom were a privilege to witness.
As a club close to my heart, it almost brought a tear to the eye to see 5,000 Aldershot Town fans cram into the Smethwick Road end at The Hawthorns where they cheered on the Shots throughout – particularly Olly Bray’s late consolation goal – in a 4-1 defeat.
It’s not always the case that the relegated sides from League Two enter Non-League with their houses in order, but everything is in place to suggest that both Sutton United and Forest Green Rovers could play their part in an already highly-competitive National League title race next season.
Both, of course, know this division well, and how to get out of it, and appear ambitious and structurally sound enough to make a serious challenge once again.
MATT BADCOCK
The final whistle at Portman Road that sent 4,500 Maidstone fans crazy after they beat Championship high-flyers Ipswich Town has to be up there. Likewise, Cray Valley drawing with Charlton.
And how about
