Saturday 7th September 2013, 4.15pm (day 744)
With no top- or second-level football matches on in England today because of the international games, fans were encouraged to go and support their local lower-division teams through an initiative known as ‘Non-League Day’ — whether this added much to the crowd at my local non-league team, Halifax Town, I cannot tell but it did get Joe & I down there. They enjoyed a 2-1 win over Barnet FC.
Interest was added for the neutrals by the appearance on the touchline of Barnet’s manager, Edgar Davids, who played 74 times for the Netherlands, mostly in his trademark glasses; having graced World Cup Finals he now plies his trade in the fifth tier of English football, which I find amazing really, as if Wayne Rooney were to end his career coaching in the Dutch third division. But here he is, giving advice with his assistant; Barnet were 2-0 down at this point and on their way to a first defeat of the season.
