Non-League clubs remain the “lifeblood and soul of English football” as they stive to balance ambition with careful financial management, according to Hartlepool president Jeff Stelling.
Eastleigh host Hartlepool in the Vanarama National League on Saturday, one of 10 focus fixtures across Non-League Day which celebrates a decade working with Prostate Cancer UK.
As part of the 10-year milestone activities, the Premier League trophy will be on display at the Silverlake Stadium.
Emulating Manchester City in lifting such silverware may be something Eastleigh and Hartlepool supporters can only dream of.
Nevertheless Stelling – who hosted Sky Sports’ Soccer Saturday show for more than 25 years before stepping down at the end of last season – feels that in no way diminishes their standing within the game.
“People forget that they are still the lifeblood and soul of English football – to fans of National League sides or National League North or South sides, their clubs matter just as much to them as Manchester City or Liverpool matter to their fans,” Stelling told the PA news agency.
“They are just as passionate and yet they have to survive on the crumbs from the table. It is a hell of a feast on that Premier League table and yet the lower league sides, and particularly the non-league sides, they get left anything that is pretty much dropped on the floor.
View this post on Instagram“It will be interesting to see what effect the (new independent football) regulator has. I think none of us are too sure quite how it is going to work and there are certainly grey areas there.
“I read clubs are going to be need to be licenced annually and if they can’t prove they are financially OK then they wont get that licence. Well, what happens to that football club then?
“New owners are not like apples from trees – it is really tough to find someone to back your football club.
“But on the positive side, if there is control over what (money) the Premier League give to the EFL and thereby the entire pyramid, then that has got to be a good thing.”
Stelling, who has been honorary president of Hartlepool since 2015, accepts facing up to the reality of life further down the pyramid can be a tough juggling act.
“You do have to live within your means, or as best you can,” he said.
“You have to balance it up with ambition because every supporter wants you to be ambitious and also no supporter wants you to put the club into financial difficulties. It is an incredibly difficult juggling act.
“You want to have ambition and not to just stagnate, but equally you don’t want to put your club at risk because, at the end of the day, the one thing you absolutely have to have is a football club to support at whatever level.”
During a series of marathon marches since 2016, Stelling has helped raise more than £1.7million for Prostate Cancer UK and increased awareness about a disease which affects one in eight men.
Stelling, 69, said: “If you catch prostate cancer early, it is one of the most treatable of all forms of cancer, so if you do get yourself checked you have got a better chance of discovering it early and then going on and living an absolutely normal and healthy life.
“Prostate Cancer UK are saying take their 30-second risk checker and if you have any concerns, make an appointment with your GP, who can help take it forward.”
:: Prostate cancer is a disease which affects one in eight men in the UK and is the most common cancer in men. Find out your risk of prostate cancer and find a fixture near you via https://nonleagueday.co.uk/
Al-Nassr 1-1 Al-Hilal: Mitrovic scores last-gasp penalty
Aleksandar Mitrovic scored a penalty in the 10th minute of second-half stoppage time as Al-Hilal denied Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr victory in a 1-1 draw.
Mitrovic netted his 27th Saudi Pro League goal of the campaign after Sadio Mane was harshly judged to have fouled Saud Abdulhamid in the area.
Mane stuck out an arm to shield the ball, catching his opponent in the throat, though the contact appeared to have been outside of the box.
Mitrovic made no mistake to keep Al-Hilal's unbeaten campaign going.
The Serbian's spot-kick cancelled out Otavio's first-minute opener, with Ronaldo having set up his compatriot.
Champions Al-Hilal remain 12 points clear of Al-Nassr at the summit of the Pro League standings.
Data Debrief: Ronaldo the provider
Ronaldo leads the scoring charts in Saudi Arabia this season, though he had to settle for an assist on Friday.
That came from the only chance he created, with the 39-year-old limited to 25 touches, though he did have four shots.
Al-Ittihad pegged back as winless run rolls on
Mohamed Sherif scored late on as Al-Ittihad's winless run in the Saudi Pro League stretched to four games after a 1-1 draw with Al-Khaleej.
Al-Ittihad have endured a miserable title defence, and with just two games remaining, the highest the big-spending, PIF-backed club can finish is fourth.
Muhannad Al Shanqiti put them ahead on the stroke of half-time, yet despite having a further eight shots and accumulating 1.07 xG in the second half, Al-Ittihad could not add another.
Their profligacy proved costly in the 81st minute, with Egypt international Sherif snatching an equaliser for 11th-placed Al-Khaleej.
Al-Tai moved out of the relegation zone with a surprise 3-1 win over seventh-placed Al-Fateh, with Bernard Mensah scoring twice.
Al-Raed, meanwhile, claimed a 1-0 win at Al-Wehda.
Data Debrief: Kante the creator?
On the day he received a surprising France recall, N'Golo Kante created three chances for Al-Ittihad, leading the team.
On the flip side, Kante only attempted one tackle, with the midfielder showing a different side to his game, not that it proved fruitful for his team.
Ronaldo motivated to keep playing at top level
Cristiano Ronaldo has no intention of stopping as he says he is still motivated to compete with the "young lions" coming through in the game.
Ronaldo is reportedly considering signing a contract extension to keep him at Al-Nassr until June 2026, taking him past his 41st birthday.
The Portugal international has scored 42 goals in 41 appearances for the Saudi Pro League club this season, and he insists he is still motivated to keep going.
Speaking on the Whoop podcast, he said: "I feel proud to have this age and still compete at the highest level. It's great, and it gives me motivation to carry on.
"If you look at my career for the last 20 years, my level is high. If you are top for 20 years, it's unbelievable.
"I do that, and I continue to do that. For me, it's a big achievement."
Ronaldo has scored an incredible 891 goals in his career and is the all-time leading scorer in men’s international football with 128 goals.
"My biggest motivation is to carry on," he added. "It's not easy to be at this level.
"To still push, to still motivate, to carry on, to score goals, to be in good shape, to compete with the young lions that are coming and that when they play against me, they want to show me that they are stronger and faster than me.
"You have to prepare very well, not just physically but mentally, too. This is the challenge.
"Talent without work is nothing and work without talent is nothing. They have to work together at the same time. I have both. I can't say that I have more of one than the other.
"Small details will make the difference. Consistency is the most difficult thing.
"Are you willing to do that? That's the main point, because everyone wants to be Cristiano, but doing it is difficult. Discipline is the most difficult thing."
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