CASE STUDY 002: London and the Lower Leagues

A religious experience, if you will indulge.

Europe will always have the benefit of time when comparing its sporting communities to the likes of the US. 

Barnet, AFC Wimbledon, QPR, Charlton Athletic, Brentford, Leyton Orient, Fulham, Luton Town, Millwall, Watford. A non-exhaustive list of professional clubs located within 50 miles of the London Eye, all of which either sit or have recently sat outside of England’s top flight. That’s not including the Arsenals, Chelseas, Spurs, and West Hams of this world, nor the numerous semi-professional clubs in the same radius competing to enter the fully professional footballing pyramid. 

That “off the top of the head” list of clubs has over 1,000 years of cumulative footballing history - most of it outside of England’s glamorous top flight. These clubs, these communities, are not playing in the shadows. No, they are playing under a different type of light. They are playing in grandfathers taking their granddaughter for a day out to the football. They are playing in queues of fathers and sons waiting for a turn at the hundred-year-old urinals. They are playing in an irrational love for some 20-year-old on £400 pounds a week they had never even heard of 6 months ago. Outside of the spotlight, the lower leagues bring the highs to generations of locals. 

Find yourself at Loftus Road or The Valley or Brisbane Road in the heat of promotion or relegation battle, and you will find yourself at church. Huddled over wooden chairs with thousands bowing their head praying for an act of god. 

Find yourself in the lower leagues, find yourself in religion.