The first Step is fully taken

So, here ends the first 'Step' on my non-league quest.

The current season is around halfway through for the remaining Durham Alliance teams (two fewer than started in August), but for me this level is done.

I have visited every club's home ground (and, in the case of Durham Stonebridge, that means both) and watched fifteen games of Step 8/Level 12 soccer.

The quality of venue and entertainment varied widely, but nothing depressed me enough to quit the quest. In fact, I'd voluntarily return to a few places for 90 minutes of unpretentious banter and simple sporting fare.

The 'Best & Worst' are listed elsewhere, but among the notable memories are:

- the opening match on the astroturf at Bobby Robson Centre, back in the blazing summer;

- the evening game at Sherburn, amongst a happy crowd of friendly locals... and a horse!

- being 25% of the 'non-crowd' in the teaming rain at Consett;

- the youngsters of all ages hanging-out at the public park in Coxhoe;

- the gradient at Wheatley Hill, not one square yard of the entire pitch was flat;

- the locals' warmth and community spirit in Wingate and Murton;

- the fantastic sunset over the valley from Brandon;

- and the decrepit-but-adorable Murton stands and outdoor urinal;

- the wind, wellies and whippets at Coundon, or rather, Leeholm;

- the Spennymoor coaches' expletive-filled and ultimately futile half-time rant against Blackwell Meadows;

- my phone (ie my notebook, camera and e-ticket home!) nearly dying in Darlington;

- the crazy Coundon sendings-off at Sunderland Hylton.

I expected this first Step to be a lot like Sunday league kickabouts in the park, but that wasn't always the case. Yes, there were a couple of venues (eg Deerness Heights and Crookhall) which were no better than a soggy field, but others were very definitely 'football grounds' (eg Murton or Hylton, and Brandon United obviously).

In many places, there were the typical defining characteristics of a 'grass roots' footie venue: minimal weather protection, standing-room only, getting changed in a shed, vistas of allotments and hedgerows.

Away from the physical environment, it was the people - inevitably - that added the real character. Laughter and camaraderie, shouts of despair and encouragement, effing, jeffing and all manner of non-monastic language.

The kids playing patiently as they wait for their Dad to finish playing so they can go home; the mums and (usually) dads supporting sons as they pursue a dream, encouraging, taxiing, consoling; the village elders turning up loyally for decades; the dog-walking onlookers, the frozen girlfriends, the teenage apprentices..... all prepared to give up their time, week in week out.

So, as I move on now to the Wearside League and Step 7, I am grateful to all the folks of the Durham Alliance for their hospitality, integrity and commitment.
I wish them all well. I wish the teams who expired a speedy recovery. I wish the most-impressive teams might eventually follow me to a higher level.

Fifteen matches, fifteen places, fifteen great memories.