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Next Game: South Shields At Edgar Street On Saturday September 12th At 3.00pm

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Friday, September 11, 2026

National North Weekend Preview

This preview written bt NL's Tom Scott.

Kam Kandola Is Expected To Captain Hereford Tomorrow

 A clash of two early pacesetters is the highlight on this weekend's Enterprise National League North fixture card.

Hereford went top midweek after a sixth win in their last six - they welcome third place unbeaten South Shields to Edgar Street 

At the other end of the table, Spennymoor Town are struggling and things might be about to get worse.

August Manager of the Month John Rooney takes his in-form Macclesfield side to Brewery Field after five wins in their last six games.

Marine have just one win in six and host Darlington who have claimed all of their points this season so far away from home.

Radcliffe were buoyed by their 5-1 win in midweek but Oxford City will present a stiff test while Chorley head to King's Lynn Town.

AFC Telford United travel to Harborough Town in decent fettle after back-to-back wins. 

But the Bees like their home comforts - they've won three of their four home games so far this term.

Speaking of good home form, Hebburn Town top the 'Home' form table ahead of the visit of Hednesford Town who grabbed a first win on the road in midweek.

Managerless Southport are winless on the road but head to Worksop Town boosted by their gritty midweek win against Morecambe.

The Shrimps want to bounce back at home to Brackley Town.

Spalding United are flying and boast the best defence outside of the top three ahead of the visit of Bedford Town.

The Eagles aren't going too badly themselves - their midweek win at Worksop was their fifth in six games.

Elsewhere, Scarborough Athletic host unbeaten-in-two Merthyr Town while Chester - who are winless in four after a decent start - take a trip to Buxton. 

Clegg Has A Target Of 30 Goals For South Shields

Rio Clegg, who joined South Shields from Radcliffe earlier this week, has set himself a target of 30 goals this season for his new club.

Tomorrow Clegg is expected to start for South Shields tomorrow at Hereford. 

"With this being my first week, it’s been a lot to take on but once I get going, once I get to grips with it after a few weeks, I know I’ll start scoring goals for the team," said Clegg.

"The team is made to score goals so I should get loads in this side. I want to beat last year, I got 27 so I guess 30 would be the target. 

"I’m happy to be training everyday, to be working hard and just trying to improve really because that’s what I want to do during my time here. We used to train twice a week at Radcliffe, I love that and I improved there so I hope to make the most of training four times a week at least here. I just want to get better and better. 

Clegg says he has been impressed with his new manager Mike Williamson.

"He’s a top guy and he’s got some good ideas.. Just from speaking to him, it made me want to sign and I obviously knew the style of play and what he thought of me. Everything just made me want to move here and now I can’t wait to get going."

Meanwhile Shields are expected to be without defender Ethan Mann tomorrow after he suffered an injury last Tuesday night. 

He might be replaced bSheffield Wednesday’s young defender Joe Emery who has joined the club on loan.  

James And Phillips Sign Contract Extensions

 

Both Joseph James and Billy Phillips have signed contract extensions with Hereford until the end of next season

Manager Aaron Downes says he sees a bright future in the game for both players.

“Firstly, I want to thank the chairman and the board for their support. It shows long-term planning and I really appreciate them backing me.

“I want to thank both Billy and JJ for their efforts so far this season and I’m excited about helping them to develop. I see both of them having a bright future in the game.

“I also want to thank their representatives for working swiftly and professionally in getting the deals done. Signing these two players goes to show that our football club is moving in the right direction and that we’re planning for the short, medium and long-term future. I’m excited to watch them improve and see where their careers go.” 

Good time to be a Bull

Back home to Edgar Street for Hereford FC this weekend for what could be the stiffest test of the season so far.

Full-time South Shields are the visitors, looking to go one better this season after narrowly missing out on automatic promotion last time. They’ll also be looking for revenge after losing 2-1 in this fixture in March.

You would have got good odds on two Harrisons scoring two goals for Hereford in this fixture two seasons running before Harrison Sohna’s two stunning strikes last season. Now, however, another brace for Harrison Iwunze to complete that unlikely double doesn’t seem too far-fetched at all. What a waste, incidentally, that Harrison Sohna’s wand of a left peg is rotting on the bench at Woking. Not literally of course – that would be disgusting, and quite unfortunate for the lad.

Rio Clegg turned professional at the age of 24 in midweek with his move from Radcliffe to South Shields. Clegg joins Paul Blackett up top for the Mariners in what looks on paper to be a formidable strike force. However, one thing to bear in mind about the new arrival is that he’s only previously played for small clubs in and around Manchester, and whilst last season’s 26 goals was outstanding, it’s a punt on the part of South Shields that last season wasn’t a one-off at this level. Clegg replaces Sonny Finch, who left for Grimsby recently for a reportedly substantial fee. Along with Clegg, the Mariners have also brought in ex-Rangers and Sunderland winger Jordan Jones.

They’ve got quality throughout. Harrison Iwunze’s now a marked man of course, and his marker in this game will be one of the division’s better centre halves, captain Robbie Tinkler. If the Notts County loanee can get the better of him he’ll be doing well. He’ll have to rapidly become wise to the full range of tricks they teach at NLN Centre Back Dark Arts School.

Cedwyn Scott’s a capable goal-getter, and of course there’s Blackett, scorer of 82 goals in the last three seasons. However, he’s only scored a third of the goals Iwunze’s scored so far, and if that ratio continues and Blackett gets his usual 30, Iwunze will finish the season on 90 goals if his loan at Edgar Street is extended from January to the end of the season.

The full-timers won’t have had the rigmarole of an early start and long coach trip on the day of the match, so should be perfectly well rested after a night in a hotel en route.

On Tuesday night they edged a tight one at home to Marine 2-1, with Blackett getting one of the goals. That win took them up to third in the table, which, if my maths is correct, is nowhere near as good as being first in the table.

Hereford FC are, er, top of the league. Sounds odd, feels really good. Much more of this and there will be more scouts at Bulls games than at a jamboree. Tuesday night’s 3-0 win at Harborough Town, a side who had previously won all their home games, was another excellent whole-team performance marked by the squad’s togetherness and strength as a unit, with the highlight being Cawley Cox getting off the mark for the season. It was good to see all three strikers bag a goal.

The Bulls’ goal led something of a charmed life in the latter stages of the game, something that never seemed to happen last season, but ultimately another clean sheet was secured. That’s five in eight games with only four goals conceded. Contrast that with Spennymoor and Darlington each shipping 18 in what hasn’t been the best of starts for northeastern sides in the division, South Shields excepted, of course.

What a testament that league position is to the diligence and hard work that Aaron Downes and Harry Pell put in over the summer, and what good use they’re making of hugely capable substitutes coming on in games and exploiting opposition tiredness. Everyone truly is playing their part.

This should be another good advert for the division given that South Shields like to play ground-level passing football, and they could well have the majority of possession, so the hosts may have to be patient, close down, chase and harry, and then find Harry. Kam Kandola sitting deep will have a huge role to play in this game. Being good without the ball is something the side has already shown to have in its locker.

Another big crowd looks a certainty, and the momentum of an early goal and the reaction of the crowd to it could deliver a special afternoon. What a happy space we’re in at the moment.

COYW

Highlights Harborough v Hereford

 

Highlights from last Tuesday evening's game between Harborough and Hereford are now available to watch.

Please go to: https://herefordfc.co.uk/2026/09/highlights-harborough-town-0-3-hereford-fc/

Episode 41 of the London Bulls Podcast is OUT NOW!


Join Tom Gough and Jo Clements as they wax lyrical about Hereford’s phenomenal current form.


The pair dissect the games against Radcliffe, Worksop, Chester and Southport, curse KD for organising a wedding that clashed with the Spennymoor match and attempt (and fail) to keep their composure after watching an impressive win at Harborough.


Tom and Jo chat about the standout players (who definitely don’t include Harrison Iwunze if you’re reading this from Notts County) and go crazy about Cawley Cox’s first goal for the club.


Listen to them discuss the team’s battling style of play, Aaron Downes and Harry Pell’s wizardry and the fact Hereford are (whisper it - unless you’re Jo) top of the National League North.


The duo discuss the men’s team’s upcoming games against South Shields and Stafford Rangers and look at the women’s team’s start to the season.


We’re top, we’re massive and we’re definitely getting too carried away for mid September.


Thanks for listening! Come on you whites!


YouTube: Top of the Tree | The London Bulls Podcast | Ep.41

https://youtu.be/rtipKZc-_9M 



Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4p0niDz6DW9rDIAw8r0902


Link to Hereford FC Women's Fixtures 🔗 https://herefordfc.co.uk/fixtures/women/



Link to the Membership!🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/londonbulls


Contact the London Bulls at londonbulls1924@gmail.com

Very Early To Be Worried Said Downes

Aaron Downes With Club Chairman Chris Ammonds After Victory At Harborough Last Tuesday

South Shields are the visitors at Edgar Street tomorrow.

Whilst they sit in third place in the table, they have played one less game than Hereford and are two points behind.

The bookmakers favour them to win the title, currently they are 5/2.

However Hereford manager Aaron Downes says it's very early in the season.

"One team could just go on a massive run, you don't know," he told BBC Hereford and Worcester.

"We're not focusing too much on that, I think it's still very early to be worried about anything like that.

"It's a case of picking up as many points as you can and make sure you keep consistent in the standards you keep and the levels of performance.

"We'll see where we are at Christmas time." 

Hereford Down To 12/1 To Win League Title

 

Just a few weeks ago Hereford were 33/1 to win the National North League title.

Today they are 12/1

No doubt topping the league has brought the price down.

South Shields remain most favoured at 5/2.

Macclesfield are 9/2, Chester and Morecambe are 10/1. 

Thursday, September 10, 2026

News Round Up

The much missed former Hereford United striker Adam Stansfield, who died from bowel cancer when just 31, would have been 48 today. 

BBC Sport are to broadcast the FA Cup tie between Redcar and Darlington. 

On Saturday Hereford supporters will hold a one minute applause in the 22nd minute of the game to remember 'Jamo'.

Hello Brand studio, who have offices in Hereford, Bath and Toronto, are the new sponsors of the Hereford Suite. 

 

New Owners And Investment At Bath City

The sale of Bath City to new owners has been completed. They have promised to invest £6M in the club.

This from Cityam:

A consortium led by mobile gaming entrepreneur Andrew Stalbow has completed a takeover of Bath City FC in a £6m deal said to represent a record investment for non-league football.

Stalbow, who helped create the Best Fiends and Angry Birds games franchises, heads an international group of investors which also includes executives from consultancy giant Bain and Company and musician Curt Smith of seminal 80s band Tears for Fears.

The group raised £6m to buy Bath City from the supporters’ society which had owned the club since 2017 and enact an ambitious plan to take them from the seventh tier into the English Football League for the first time in their history.

“Our role is to unlock Bath City’s potential and transform the club. Our work starts today,” said Stalbow. “The partnership that we will build between the supporters, the city, the community in Twerton, the players, the coaching staff, the operating team and the investors will set us apart. This is a unique opportunity.”

Bath is one of the most notable English cities never to have experienced league football, despite its rugby union team being a mainstay of the top flight and attracting investment from billionaire Sir James Dyson.

Bath City were in the fifth tier as recently as 2012 but have struggled to return to the National League since then and were relegated to the Southern League Premier Division South last season. 

 

 

 

Best In Non-League Finalists 2026

The Best In Non-League Final is part of the Football Contents Awards for 2026.

Here are the nominations: 

A Dad, His Lad and His Lad

A Dad, His Lad and His Lad follows Chris Law, his son Charlie and his father Peter as they visit lower-league football grounds across Scotland. The project began after Peter suffered a stroke and could no longer get to matches as easily, with Chris and Charlie deciding to take him to a different ground each week. Their coverage has since expanded beyond groundhopping to promote positive mental health and an Assisted Support Needs sensory bag initiative for supporters attending football.

Adam Anselm

Adam Anselm is part of Tonbridge Angels’ first-team staff as an analyst. He began coaching Dorking Wanderers’ Under-8s and Under-10s at 16 before moving into senior football with Kingstonian as an analyst. He later worked in first-team recruitment at Dorking Wanderers and as an analyst with Merstham, before starting the 2025/26 season at Raynes Park Vale and joining Tonbridge in October 2025. His work gives him direct experience of analysis, recruitment and preparation within non-league football.

AFC Fylde

AFC Fylde’s media output follows the Coasters throughout the season through written news and its dedicated Coasters TV platform. Current video coverage includes match highlights, pre and post-match interviews, first interviews with new signings and behind-the-scenes features such as the club’s men’s media day. The website brings that video together with match reports, previews, transfer news and coverage of both the men’s and women’s teams, providing supporters with regular access to events around the club.

AFC Welwyn

AFC Welwyn has made digital media a major part of the club since its formation. Its content includes match highlights, interviews, behind-the-scenes features and community stories across YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and X, while matches are also streamed through YouTube and Lounges.tv. The club reported more than 11 million social views during the 2025/26 season and continues to use its channels to document a project aiming to climb through the English football pyramid.

Around The Grounds

Around The Grounds documents football by travelling to matches across the country, with non-league forming a regular part of the channel. Videos put the viewer inside the matchday experience, covering the ground, supporters and atmosphere around individual fixtures. One example followed Scunthorpe United against Chester on Non-League Day as the sides met first against second in National League North in front of a record league crowd. The channel has published hundreds of videos since launching in 2022.

Blair McNally

Blair McNally travels to football grounds for his Home N’ Away series, assessing matchdays through factors including atmosphere, price, food, football and facilities. His visits regularly take him into non-league, where the ground and supporter experience are as important to the video as the result itself. Previous episodes have taken him to clubs across Scotland and England, allowing audiences to see grounds and teams that rarely receive the same level of video coverage as professional clubs.

Bury FC

Bury FC’s media team covers the Shakers across matchdays through video, photography, written reporting and live social updates. The club’s 2026/27 output includes full match highlights and post-match interviews with manager Anthony Johnson and players, alongside previews, reports and photography from games. Bury also uses dedicated MatchDay Live updates and has recruited volunteers specifically to capture short-form video, photographs and social content from around Gigg Lane as the club competes in the Northern Premier League Premier Division.

Chris Phillips

Chris Phillips is the Echo’s chief sports reporter and has covered Southend United for more than two decades. His reporting follows the club closely through every match, press conference, transfer and major off-field development. During the opening weeks of the 2026/27 season alone, his work included match previews, transfer reporting, player interviews and detailed coverage of Southend’s changing squad. The Echo says Phillips has covered the club for 23 years and attends every Blues match and press conference.

D1versity

D1VERSITY is a Southend United matchday vlogger who follows the Shrimpers home and away. His videos are built around attending games, capturing the stands and giving his own reaction to what happens on the pitch. The channel remains active in 2026/27, with new vlogs appearing immediately after Southend fixtures and recent coverage including the club’s match against Scunthorpe. He also contributes supporter reports to Shrimperscast, extending his matchday perspective beyond his own YouTube channel.

The Football Hipster

The Football Hipster produces matchday video from the non-league game. His work takes him directly to grounds to document fixtures and the experience surrounding them rather than covering matches from a studio. During the closing stages of the 2025/26 National League season, his vlog from Wealdstone’s 1-0 victory over Marine was included alongside the club’s match report, highlights and post-match coverage.

Football Cymru Community

Football Cymru Community is built around domestic Welsh football and the supporters who follow it. The project began with a dedicated community space where fans could represent and discuss their clubs, and it has since developed relationships with teams across Wales. Its account currently describes itself as sponsoring several Welsh clubs, with partnerships including kit and match-programme sponsorships, while continuing to share and engage with football from across the Welsh pyramid.

Non-League HQ

Non-League HQ is a data platform dedicated to the English non-league pyramid. It provides results, fixtures, league tables, form guides and ELO ratings for clubs from Steps 1 to 7, with records stretching back to the 2021/22 season. The site also tracks cup competitions and individual statistics, including goalscorers. By bringing information from a large number of divisions into one platform, Non-League HQ gives supporters a structured way to follow clubs far beyond the National League alone.

Embracing The Vision

Embracing The Vision is created by Lee Eltringham and follows football across the North East through on-location video. His current output includes matches involving clubs such as Gateshead and Blyth Town, alongside grassroots and lower-league fixtures. Lee films from the ground and publishes match-focused videos and clips, with recent posts covering pre-season games and dramatic moments captured from the stands. The project also extends into women’s and grassroots football around the region.

I Had Trials Once

I Had Trials Once is hosted by former players Gareth Seddon and Jordan Hulme and combines football interviews with dedicated non-league discussion. Guests talk through their careers and the realities of playing at different levels of the game, while the recurring A (Non) League Of Their Own format focuses specifically on stories from the National League down through the pyramid. Recent 2026 episodes have covered club finances, promotion structures, transfers, grounds and the experiences of players moving between professional and non-league football.

LOVE NON-LEAGUE

LOVE NON-LEAGUE combines football content with direct experience of recruitment inside the non-league game. The account describes its focus as the lighter side of non-league football while also operating around player recruitment. Its founder has held recruitment roles with Braintree Town, Tonbridge Angels, Maidstone United and Wealdstone and is now Head of Recruitment at Welling United. The platform’s social feed follows clubs, players and stories from across the pyramid while maintaining that connection to the working side of non-league football.

John Sinclair

John Sinclair TV takes viewers to football grounds across the professional and non-league game, with a significant part of the channel devoted to visiting smaller clubs. His matchday vlogs cover the journey, stadium, supporters and match itself, with recent non-league trips including Merthyr Town against Worksop Town and Brackley Town against Kidderminster Harriers. The channel’s own description identifies non-league, league and European matchday vlogs as its focus, with John continuing to travel to clubs rather than concentrating on a single team.

SE Dons

SE Dons have taken the audience built through YouTube football into the English non-league pyramid. Founded in 2014, the club spent years documenting Sunday League football before entering the National League System. After earning promotion in 2025/26, the Dons now compete at Step 5 in the SCEFL Premier Division. Their 2026/27 season has already produced another major chapter for the channel, including the club’s first FA Cup campaign and a 6-0 win on its debut in the competition.

SMIV

Matt Smith, better known as Smiv, has been documenting football on YouTube for more than a decade. His early work followed Palmers FC, the Sunday League team he ran with friends, before his On The Road series took him to grounds throughout the football pyramid. That format remains active in 2026, with Smiv again travelling to clubs and building videos around the matchday itself. He has also produced a Tier 10 to the Premier League series, following football through the levels of the English pyramid.

Southend United

Southend United’s club media operation covers the team through BluesTV, YouTube, the club website and its social channels. BluesTV provides highlights and exclusive pre and post-match interviews, while the club regularly publishes full press conferences with players and the head coach. Its 2026 coverage included Kevin Maher’s previews of National League and FA Trophy fixtures, player interviews and reaction following the club’s Wembley success. The wider matchday output also includes reports, photography and live supporter information.

The Football Stadium Show

The Football Stadium Show is created by Thomas Sandamas and uses on-location mini-documentaries to explore football grounds, clubs and stories. Non-league is a major part of the channel, with Thomas visiting stadiums, interviewing supporters and club figures and researching the history behind the teams he covers. His work has also examined wider issues affecting clubs, including Grays Athletic’s long period without a permanent home and the campaign surrounding the club’s former Ship Lane ground.

The Premier Non League Podcast

The Premier Non League Podcast is a group show built entirely around following the non-league game. Its current A-Z of Non-League format uses a different letter as the starting point for each episode while the hosts also discuss results and developments involving the clubs they support. Episodes during 2026 have covered the run-in, Worthing’s season, sponsored teams Tividale Ladies and Tarring FC and wider talking points from across the pyramid, with different members of the panel bringing perspectives from their own clubs.

Through the Turnstile of Non-League Football

Through the Turnstile of Non-League Football was founded by Christian to tell stories from the grassroots and non-league game. The site publishes club features and one-to-one interviews with players, volunteers, coaches, photographers and other people working around football. Its 2026 coverage has included Non-League Finals Day, the rise of AFC Whyteleafe and a behind-the-scenes feature with Welling United’s volunteers. Christian has also expanded the project into the printed Parks to Pitches magazine.

Wroxham

Wroxham FC used the similarity between its name and Wrexham as the basis for the three-part Welcome to Wroxham series. The mockumentary introduces the Norfolk non-league club, its ground and the characters who keep it running, including long-serving groundsman Barry Letten. The campaign began with a trailer that passed 300,000 views and led to national media attention before the first episode was released. Wroxham’s wider club media also continues to publish match photography, videos, reports and updates across its men’s and women’s teams.

Iron Hour Podcast

The Iron Hour is a Scunthorpe United podcast hosted by supporters and published as part of the talkSPORT Fan Network. Its weekly episodes cover matches, club news and the wider National League, while regular guests bring additional perspectives from inside and outside the club. Ahead of 2026/27, the team recorded dedicated season-preview interviews with chairman Michelle Harness, James Moody and manager Andy Butler before moving into weekly match discussion, opposition previews and National League predictions as the campaign began.

These finalists were selected from around 29,000 nominations across 24 categories. The entries were reviewed through the 2026 judging process. The judging panel makes up 50% of the final result, with fan voting providing the other 50%.

Vote for your favourite finalist on our website, or join the conversation on Instagram and X. Voting closes on Saturday, 3 October 2026 at 23:59 (UK time). Your vote will help determine the winner of the Best In Non-League category at the Football Content Awards 2026.

VOTE NOW! 

 

Segregation At Stafford

Segregation will be in place at the Stafford v Hereford FA Cup Tie on Saturday September 19th.

Ticket prices for the game have been revealed.

Seated:

Adults £12, Concessions £9, Juniors £3

Standing: 

Adults £10, Concessions £7, Under 18 £3 

To purchase tickets: https://staffordrangersfc.ktckts.com/event/srffacq2/fa-cup-v-hereford-segregated 

More from Stafford:

 

More Pictures Of Hereford Supporters At Harborough

These from after the final whistle.