With the constant increase in Premier League ticket prices, a surge in fans switching to the inexpensive and intimate atmosphere of non-league football has been observed.
Hundreds of supporters flocked to the Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field in Lincolnshire on a sunny bank holiday Monday, to witness Real Bedford, a team that came into being only a few years ago, attempt another meteoric rise in the ranks of football. Local entrepreneur and podcaster, Peter McCormack, who purchased Bedford FC, a 10th tier team, and rebranded it as Real Bedford, harbors ambitions of taking his hometown club to the top.
McCormack believes that Bedford, a large town in England without a professional football team, has always had the potential – it just lacked a club that matched its size and zeal. This belief has led to an incredible journey for Real Bedford, with three consecutive promotions and significant investments building momentum for the club.
For supporters like Andy Chinneck, the charm of non-league football isn’t just about the game, but also the community feeling it engenders. At Real Bedford, Andy feels part of the club, unlike his experience at Manchester United where he felt more like a customer of a global entertainment business.
In recent years, dissatisfaction with Premier League football has been on the rise. Skyrocketing ticket prices, foreign ownership, and a sense of commercialization have alienated many traditional fans. For instance, 19 of the 20 Premier League clubs increased their ticket prices in the 2024/25 season, and 13 clubs did so again in the 2025/26 season. Fans are now searching for more affordable options, like non-league football, where they can enjoy the game without burning a hole in their pockets.
The Real Bedford’s Ledger Stadium, a seventh-tier site, attracts crowds of up to 1,000 people, reflecting the growing interest in non-league football.
The growing disenchantment with the Premier League model led to the birth of FC United of Manchester in 2005. This club, created by fans who were upset with the takeover of Manchester United by an American billionaire, aims to make football affordable for ordinary fans. FC United’s co-owner model is resonating with fans, drawing crowd numbers in the thousands and making it one of the most attended teams in non-league football.
The surge in non-league football’s popularity is apparent in the numbers. The National League South recorded a 10-year high average crowd of 1,221 in 2024/25, marking a 134% increase from a decade ago. The Isthmian Premier Division saw a 94% increase in attendance during the same period. James Doe, the founder of Non-League Day, suggests that people are drawn to non-league football for its accessibility, affordability, and intimate experience.
Real Bedford exemplifies this trend. Even though they missed out on a fourth consecutive promotion this year, the ecstatic crowd at the away end indicates that something significant is happening in the world of non-league football.
Photography by Curt Taylor
