Cheshunt FC harnessed the power of their fans as they sought to attract new punters on Non-League Day. 

With no Premier League or Championship football due to the international break, clubs at the lower ends of the pyramid had a chance to showcase non-league football, and Pitching In Isthmian League Premier Division side Cheshunt grasped the opportunity with both hands. 

Through the efforts of a small group of fans, and with the full support of the club, the Ambers put on live music, face painting, and sweet stalls combined with entry for just £1 to tempt newcomers down to Theobalds Lane. 

“Non-League Day is massive,” said owner and chairman Dean Williamson. 

“It’s a chance for us to show what non-league football is all about; the passion, the excitement, the quality of the football as well.” 

The Ambers are situated just 15 minutes from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium by train and have historically struggled with low attendances as many residents have strong ties to London.  

However, the club has seen a marked uptick in recent years as more people have turned away from the top divisions and towards non-league with attendances going from double figures to nearing an average of 300 this season. 

The Hertfordshire club recorded the Pitching In Isthmian League Premier Division’s highest attendance on Non-League Day, with 915 coming to watch their match with league leaders Worthing. 

“The core group of fans that I’ve been coming along with for quite some time now decided that the club will benefit and the community will benefit from a much higher attendance and a bit of a buzz around the town,” said lifelong supporter Chris Bradshaw. 

“We all took to social media and have done whatever we could to get a big buzz around national Non-League Day and just to promote non-league football in general.” 

Fellow supporter Stephen Urch swapped the Premier League for non-league a few years ago and believes will do the same if they see what the lower-leagues have to offer. 

He said: “They’ll come down once, get down here and you’ll come back again. You’ll just see that the players put a shift in, it’s a different atmosphere to Premier League football, we mix and match with the away fans which is great.” 

Worthing ultimately ran out 2-0 winners, with goals from league top scorer Ollie Pearce and Will Seager continuing the Rebels’ march to the title, but the result did little to dampen spirits at Theobalds Lane. 

“It’s been a fantastic turnout at the club today,” said assistant manager Ugo Udoji. 

“To see the boys and girls come in, especially on Non-League Day when you haven’t got Premiership teams playing, they’ve got the means to come down to watch.  

“Grassroots football, where football started, to see their local club thriving is where the football is.” 

Underpinning everything at Cheshunt is the knowledge of the benefits that come from club and community supporting one another, as well as harnessing what sets non-league apart. 

“Here at Cheshunt, we’ve got a togetherness,” said Williamson. 

“You’ve got the players, the fans, the management, the staff, all the community, all the youth teams have been here today and you don’t get that in the professional game.  

“Having fans is so important for the club, not only revenue through the gate and through the bar, but the atmosphere and when you create that atmosphere, players feel it and it lifts them and it creates a really good spirit.” 

Ladbrokes, with the support of its owner Entain, has launched a multi-million pound investment programme, Pitching In, designed to support and promote grassroots sports. For more details see: https://entaingroup.com/sustainability/pitching-in/