Away fixtures on a Friday evening can be daunting if you’re in the Premier League, Championship or further down the EFL pyramid. The travel, the break in tradition and the big question of what to do on the following Saturday are all factors racing through the minds of football fans up and down the country.
In non-league’s local divisions, where the average distance between stadia is far less than in the leagues above, including the National League, could the idea of Friday night football work to the advantage of players, staff and supporters?
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020, more than 2,000 pubs and 400 nightclubs have closed down across the UK, leaving many people with fewer options for what was once a habitual Friday night out.
The cost-of-living crisis has also left UK residents watching their pockets and often choosing to stay in rather than enjoy the once-affordable night out. The combination of rising utility bills and general household outgoings has coincided with increased attendances at non-league matches, with the National League reporting significantly higher attendance figures in many cases compared with pre-2022 levels.
Friday night recently saw an eagerly anticipated FA Cup First Round Qualifying tie as Quorn of the Northern Premier League faced Shepshed Dynamo, a step below. The proximity between the two sides, separated by the town of Loughborough, meant local pride was at stake, with the winner set to bring in much-needed prize money in the next round.
Nobody could have predicted the turnout at Farley Way. Quorn, who average between 300 and 400 supporters per home fixture, smashed their all-time attendance record by pulling in 1,004 supporters for the tie. Shepshed Dynamo can also boast impressive numbers, with their home gates having exceeded 300 twice already this season.
Queues backed up from the turnstiles close to kick-off, with many supporters missing Quorn’s opening goal, scored by striker Jayden Samuel-Lawrence Lowther with just 55 seconds played.
Shepshed hit back before half-time, backed by a vociferous away crowd complete with a drummer. Striker Taylor Wyse smashed in an 18-yard rocket to level the scores five minutes before the break.
A replay looked to be on the cards before Shepshed full-back Kelly Fombad helped the ball back towards his goalkeeper, only to find his own net after 87 minutes. Heartbreak for the visitors, but an incredible turnout for what had been an entertaining cup tie.
So, this begs the question: should there be more Friday night football in the non-league system?
The benefits for players and staff, most of whom work full-time and play football part-time, would be a proper weekend break. Fans, too, can enjoy food and drink after a long working week at an affordable price, in a community environment, while watching a decent standard of football.
A recent fixture on Friday, August 28, at Roots Hall saw National League side Southend United pack 9,115 fans into the stadium for their home league game against Kidderminster Harriers. Sadly, Southend’s substantial support couldn’t help their team’s fortunes as Kidderminster produced a comeback to win 3-1.
That same bank holiday weekend saw more than 133,000 fans attend games throughout the National League, as non-league football continues to boom. Supporters are increasingly disillusioned by prices in the professional leagues, inconsistencies with VAR and the lack of community feeling at clubs in the upper echelons of the game.
Maybe all they need is that Friday feeling.