As the FA Vase returns with four unplayed Third Round ties Tim Fuell speaks to new Guildford City manager Paul Barnes about taking on a new job in lockdown, preparing for a season, one competitive game at a time and his career thus far in non league.

Before that Dave Anderson bows out from the show whilst he takes some gardening leave to concentrate on his new role coaching the goalkeepers at Barnet in the National League alongside Simon Bassey.

Plus David Richardson provides his round up of the week's news and views from Non League Paper Towers.

S5 Ep28: 09th April 2021 - Dave Anderson departs & Paul Barnes on Guildford CIty & the FA Vase

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First up an experienced manager in possibly the tightest promotion battle across the pyramid. Ware’s Paul Halsey is no stranger to play-off pressures but in a season of some clubs with 5 games per week, he’s got just 3 games on three separate Saturdays left to play in a division when any club from 6 could still pip the title.



Talking about experience, following our love of highlighting the great work done by so many off the field and the many jobs that can entail, we speak again to an old friend of the show Adam Etheridge. From volunteer to full-time administrator he’s now overseeing the off-the-field work at Quorn FC and has a multitude of hats and a multitude of stories about the wonders and magic of non league to tell



Rounding it all up in a bumper week of news too, is The Non League Paper’s Jon Couch, that FA Vase semi-final second leg, final movers and shakers in the National League, fairness for fans, and some managerial moves all in the mix.








S8 Ep33: 12th April 2024 - Ware and Quorn

The beautiful game, the world of Non League football is magical for the people within it. A few years ago the pandemic did its best to impact and tear it apart, but IT came back stronger, we came back stronger.



This season a new force threatens to rip apart our world. A natural force that surely can't be controlled. The weather across the country has played havoc with the playing season. Games postponed, games abandoned, and a fixture pile-up with an FA hardline backstop that leaves many clubs with back-to-back days to play matches to complete the season. We speak to one man who has tried to rally the troops for change. Colne FC is one of those who face a multitude of matches in a matter of days with burdens not only on pitches and players but also on volunteers and fans. Media Man Ben Metcalfe admits he has no answer but knows it is time for change. 



Rounding up the week’s news is The Non League Paper’s Matt Badcock as we hit Semi-Finals fo the FA Vase and FA Trophy and see a multitude of managerial rejigs.






S8 Ep32: 05th April 2024 - Fixture chaos and Colne FC

It is FA Vase semi final time. We open the show with Phil Annets with his @FAVaseFactfile hat on, giving us insight into this season’s competition and the four sides remaining.

Then we head north to one of the clubs involved. This week also has a creative arts feel, so we speak to the media guy putting in the hours to ensure Lincoln United is a club people are talking about up and down the land and across the world. Charlie Fytche is still in his early 20s but already doing great stuff for the world of non league.



Talking about the world of non league, my next guest is a filmmaker but at heart a non league fan too. Jack Spring has made a documentary series about his beloved Grimsby Town’s last magical season back in non league out now on Amazon Prime. It’s driven by the kind of human interest people-led stories that make us love non league and well worth a watch.



Rounding up the week’s news is Jon Couch of The Non League Paper in another bumper show, ahead of an Easter weekend hopefully just as packed with non league action.






S8 Ep31: 29th March 2024 - FA Vase Semis, Lincoln United & Grimsby Town

It’s Non League Day this weekend so we celebrate Non league. I’ve tried to find something for everybody, celebrate the quirkiness, enjoy the camaraderie, and applaud the success in adversity. This is the Non League Football Show and this is Non League.



First up a returnee with 15 games still to play until the end of the season that can’t be extended. By the time you listen to this, that will be 14, because with their own ground not in use due to the International break, the local pro club have offered up use of their stadium to my first guest to help his Step 3 club get through their fixture backlog. Lee Hobbs is very thankful for the support and practical about the job facing Plymouth Parkway in the coming weeks to avoid relegation.



Also returning to the show another statistician, of the like, only Non League creates. It began over a decade ago as a way of providing answers to his own questions as to whether his club could get promoted, now it’s this non leaguer’s and many more’s, go-to resource, as the season draws to a close. A big hat-tip to Peter Miller and his Google Sheets.



Our Chairman this week, could easily have become a clubs in crisis feature when his club lost its long-term financial supporter. However, a strong team of volunteers, a string of community based projects and a desire to improve within realistic budgets means whilst relegation looms from Step 4, other elements of the club are thriving and the long term sustainability of the club is now well within reach at Stowmarket Town thanks to Kevin Blundell and his team.



Helping us round off the show and round-up the week's news, Matt Badcock of The Non League Paper. Titles won and not quite won, managerial moves and plenty more we can read in this week’s paper.






S8 Ep30: 22nd March 2024 - Non League Day, Plymouth Parkway, Peter Miller's Stats and Stowmarket Town

We start this week with one of this show’s longest-serving guests, not only as a guest of this show but also as manager of the England C side. Paul Fairclough has over two decades on the job and admits he is as enthusiastic as ever in the role. A game on Tuesday night in Wales is followed in May by a home game v Nepal at Aldershot Town and as Paul explains the non league international setup has been the stepping stone for so many successful footballers. 



Next, a debutant to the show. Chairman at Brentwood Town Jez Dickinson has big plans for this club that have helped him partner up with one of sport’s business masters and set in place plans for a 3G pitch to be laid as soon as the season ends. It’s clear he’s enjoying the ride but that he’s also very appreciative of the team he has around him - on and off the field.



Rounding up the show and the news, Matt Badcock of The Non League Paper. Covering the stories and talking points of the week he also gives an insight into what we can read in this week’s paper.






S5 Ep28: 09th April 2021 - Dave Anderson departs & Paul Barnes on Guildford CIty & the FA Vase

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