The chairman of a Non League football club in Buckinghamshire has pleaded with nearby residents to support grassroots teams in the area.
Denis Mair, who is in his 22nd year at Chalfont St Peter AFC, spoke exclusively to the Free Press about the struggles several clubs down the football pyramid face when trying to get people to enter through the turnstiles.
READ MORE: Wycombe manager Gareth Ainsworth up for Manager of the Month Award
No Wycombe? No problem. Some @NonLeagueCrowd action this weekend at @csp_afc, as they take on @FHFC1907 #NonLeague pic.twitter.com/v0w3KS9Lbq
— James Richings (@James_BFP) January 7, 2023
The Saints currently play in the Combined Counties Football League Premier Division North, the fifth step of the Non League ladder which is the ninth tier of English football.
They are partaking in the division following their relegation from the Isthmian League South Central Division last season.
Currently, the club averages around 70 people per home match.
Mair told the Free Press: “Local teams will die without fans or just people who fancy a quick game to attend - it’s essential.
“There’s nothing wrong with spending a couple of hours at a small/local club where you’re away from the TV watching some live football on Sky Sports.
FT | Not the the result we would have wanted to start the New Year.
— Chalfont St Peter (@csp_afc) January 7, 2023
❤️💚#ComeOnYouSaints pic.twitter.com/SGRc7SueTZ
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“You can have a beer and a burger and you’re talking to other people like yourself and this is what community is all about.
“Football is part of a community, anywhere you go across the land and it brings people together.”
Incredibly, following the club’s demotion into a lower league at the start of this season, Chalfont St Peter have seen a slight increase in spectators.
Mair believes that this is down to the number of Buckinghamshire and Berkshire teams within their respective division, making it easier for fans to travel to fixtures.
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However, despite the low numbers, he hopes teenagers and youngsters can help fill the void for the remainder of the season.
𝓝𝓮𝔁𝓽 𝓤𝓹!
— Chalfont St Peter (@csp_afc) January 10, 2023
We head to Oxhey in search of our first 3️⃣ points of the New Year!
🏆 @ComCoFL
🆚 @1972Jets
📆 14/01/2023
⏰ 3:00pm
🏟 The Boundary Stadium, WD19 6FW
❤️💚 #ComeOnYouSaints pic.twitter.com/aV1cdaMu36
Speaking after Chalfont’s 4-1 home defeat against Flackwell Heath on January 7, he explained: Putting the result to one side, a huge plus for us was seeing lots of many children with their parents.
“Especially on a day like today [January 7] where it’s cold and wet, they could have easily stayed at home.
“This has been missing for Chalfont in recent years and it’s so important to get the kids involved because if you do that, they’ll bring the parents along.
“That’s the essence of it and I assume that is for all the clubs across the Non League pyramid.
𝕸𝖆𝖙𝖈𝖍𝖉𝖆𝖞!
— Chalfont St Peter (@csp_afc) January 7, 2023
Join us for our first game in over a month, as we look to secure our first 3️⃣ points in 2023!
🏆 @ComCoFL
🆚 @FHFC1907
📆 TODAY!
⏰ 3:00pm
🏟 Mill Meadow, SL9 9QX
🎟 Adult £9 | Cons £5 | 12-17 £3 | Under 12 FREE
❤️💚 #ComeOnTheSaints pic.twitter.com/k3TLc3Op11
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“At Non League level, you’re always going to struggle due to what TV games they put on at certain times.
“But as long you’ve got kids coming in to watch the match whilst enjoying themselves, you’ll get adults coming in, and long may that continue.
“It’s not about old gits like me anymore, as it’s about the future.
“Today [January 7], I gave a kid in the car park a free pass for the season and he acted as if Christmas had come again.
“That’s what it’s all about.”
Visit www.chalfontstpeterafc.co.uk for more.
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