Just before Christmas I was asked to go and scout Exmouth for another club for an upcoming cup game, all the years watching football I'd never seen an amateur game.  Was £9 to get in total for me and my lad and £1 for the program.

The ground was tidy, a nice little club house with bar / sky / food etc. (the burgers were thick and very nice).  There were 2 little stands opposite the half way, one with about 50-75 seats in - the other standing.  Parking was easy ample space right outside the ground and I'd say there were about 75 in attendance, many seemed to have some kind of family / acquaintance connection with the players.

The game was surprisingly high quality, and as the Exmouth manager spotted my FA jacket he prompted some mid game banter from the dugout which was brilliant, far removed from the non communicative pro's.

Exmouth playing top of the league Saltash - the visitors were ahead 2-0 at half time through a penalty and a 25 yard rocket from a half cleared corner.  Exmouth scored 2 in the last 5 minutes to snatch what seemed an unlikely draw.

Gotta say we enjoyed it immensely - there seemed a realism about it, how football should be - available to the every day Joe.  There was also no disconnect between the staff, management, players etc and the supporters and admirably the former actually joined in at the club bar afterwards and were willing to discuss anything about the game / season etc.

If you haven't experienced football at this level, give it a go - having watched the class of 96 and the goings on at Salford, I can see why the supporters are so utterly passionate about it.  It's refreshing when all we mostly see at pro level is plastic falseness.  It put my faith back into football - it really did.

Has anyone else got any experience of this?