Welcome to Through the Turnstile, this series of features are intended to shine the light on some of non-leagues leading stars. This time we are heading through the Turnstile at Basford United. A club which unfortunately did not have the season they were planning or hoped for. Finishing the season in 21st place in the Northern Premier League and subsequently relegated, the club now look to change their projected plans and realign them with a promotion charge, in an effort to bounce back at the first time of asking.

So…lets get stuck in and have a look at Basford United shall we!

A brief history of the club.

Basford United, one of Nottingham’s oldest football clubs, traces its roots back to the early 20th century. Pronounced “Base-fud,” the club has undergone a remarkable transformation in recent years, with five promotions in 13 seasons. Their modern resurgence began in 2007 when current chairman Chris Munroe took charge as manager, overseeing their entry into the National League Pyramid. Under Darren Saunders, United won the Central Midlands League and the Floodlit Cup, achieving a league and cup double and promotion to the East Midlands Counties League for 2012–13.

Former Stoke City striker Martin Carruthers took over in 2013, leading United through several league transitions, culminating in a Midland Football League title in 2015 and a Northern Premier League promotion in 2018 with a record-breaking 100-point season. Steve Chettle succeeded Carruthers and guided the club to sixth in their debut Premier Division season, though progress was disrupted by COVID-hit campaigns.

Managerial instability followed, with Mark Clifford, Steve Kittrick, and James Jepson among a series of appointments. Jepson and assistant Daniel Holmes took over in September 2023 following a poor start to the season after the club’s return to the Northern Premier League. The club previously spent a season in the Southern League, Premier Division (Central), having been moved laterally by the FA.

Off the field, Basford’s Greenwich Avenue home has seen significant investment, including a £3 million redevelopment and £750,000 grant-backed improvements, installing a 3G pitch and new clubhouse. These upgrades supported the rise of the club’s Football Education Academy, which has produced talents like Kirmani Smith, Kole Lambert, and Colby Bishop.

The academy has enjoyed national success, including a run to the third round of the FA Youth Cup in 2021, where they lost to Premier League side West Bromwich Albion. Managed by Josh Law and now Andrew Danylyszyn, the academy has consistently competed in top youth competitions.

Basford United’s legacy includes notable former players such as Bert Bowery, Chris Freestone, Shaun Derry, Will Hoskins, and Paul Cox. Now boasting strong infrastructure, a thriving academy, and ambitious leadership, Basford United is targeting promotion to National League football as they continue their impressive ascent in English non-league football.

(Source: https://www.basfordunited.com/a/club-history-21149.html)

Club legends (as told by Fan Luke Taylor )

Oooo two players…..I’ll go Matt Thornhill ex forest player and although he has now left the club, he was at the club for quite a while, also Ill go for Kieran Preston (KP). He’s a former GK that’s currently at Belper. I honestly have no idea why he doesn’t play at a higher level.

Kit

2024 /2025 Replica Kit – £27

https://info144678.wixsite.com/website/product-page/pre-order-liberal-sport-bufc-24-25-home-shirt

Stadium info

The Greenwich Avenue Stadium (NG6 0LD)
Capacity – 1600 (350 💺)
Number of stands – 3 (2 seated & 1 standing)
3G Pitch (Installed 2024)

Entry Price

Matchday Tickets
Adult – £11
Concessions – £8
Student & Under 16’s -£5
Family of four (must include 1 Under 16) – £27.50

Matchday Programme
£3 printed

Stadium Shop

Located within the stadium this shop stocks just about everything!

You can pick yourself up the clubs replica shirt right here, along with a warm padded jacket, mugs, scarves, beanies the whole works!

I do love the fact that you can pick up a lot of the branded merchandise at the stadium as I know more and more clubs are moving to just operating an online store (which sometimes is on demand only) which I understand, but also really do prefer the option of a physical store. It just not the same as physically seeing the product in front of your eyes.

In saying all of that, if you did want to have a little look at the online store, you can do so here: https://info144678.wixsite.com/website

Any and all items purchased are massively helpful to the club as we know money is so hard to come by!

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Itssssss pin badge corner…and great news!

The club has this little gem of a pin and looks exceptional with the ground in the background of this cinematic like shot!

Price – £3.50

Special Mention – 125 Year Celebration

WOW – what a celebration !

The club have joined what is currently an extremely popular thing it would seem and they are changing their badge, however unlike many others they have a legitimate reason to and I for one think the badge is an upgrade on what their old badge looked like (below).

The new badge is modern and if you are looking to change the badge and welcome in a new period of 125 years as a club then why not pick a monumental anniversary such as this to do so?

Would love to see the new badge in pin format too as I think it has all the makings of a nice little pin!

Drinks

Now this is what we call a branded bar! (although they will now need to rebrand it due to their change in logo)

Well equipped to cater to all of your thirsty drinkers, head here before, during and after to put your pennies in their coffers and some liquid down yourself!

My eye does spot two of my favourite go to drinks available on the pumps – Madri & Rekorderlig, always fancy a nice crisp cold cider on a summers day and Madri is my go to beer whenever im done with the sweetness of the cider. Leather seated boothed tables are also available for you to sit down in the warm and enjoy a drink on those matchdays when the weather just isnt playing ball!

All in all a nice functional bar area which celebrates the club – well worth checking out when you visit next!

Food

The kitchen outlet is open on a matchday and offers a wide range of hot food and snacks, as you can see from the below!

Simple and effective – nothing more you need than that!

The Fab 4, arguably the most important part of any club feature. Lets just get stuck in and see how the club fare and if they can make some serious statements!

Very impressive performance!

Unfortunately the club don’t make the list with their £5 draft pints but they do make the other 3 league tables with some great pricing on offer, especially £4 for a pint of cider as well as that ever so popular price point of £1.20 for a cup of tea.

Top 3 players from 24/25 season (as told by fan Matthew Williams)

Ethan Stewart, Matt Thornhill & Josh Barnes

I think our Centre Back Ethan Stewart had a really consistent season and it wasn’t hard to see why he got awarded the Basford United Fans Player of the Season. Our Captain and Midfield Maestro Matt Thornhill was also incredibly consistent, and has been for several seasons and for many is still a top performer week in and week out, and my final choice is our Left Back Josh Barnes who until his serious and season-ending injury had also played really well for us too.

It would be remiss of me however not to mention two very young players at Basford United named Tyler Dacres, who plays out on the Right Wing, and Joe Uveges, who is a Striker. Both of these young men really could set Step 4 alight next season as they are very fast, very talented and desperately hungry to succeed. They both have massive potential, and nothing would please the fans of the Amber Army down at Basford United’s home ground of Greenwich Avenue if both of these players had fabulous 2025/2026 seasons!

Press Play!

A very active YouTube channel is a personal favourite of mine – after every game the club upload post-match interview as well as Match Highlights.

I have watched a good selection of both and found the interviews to be of especially good standard. This kind of direct communication from a Non-league is sometimes undervalued but I have always found that fans really do appreciate it.

Views from the Staff

Q) What in your opinion is the best thing about volunteering for a club like Basford?

I enjoy volunteering for Basford as its an exciting environment with a great community feeling and I enjoy helping people and meeting new people while using the facility

Q) What does your day look like on a matchday?

ON match day I arrive at 8am I open the ground. Then I proceed to set up and unlock the goals on the grass pitches for our youth teams I also manage the car park and meet and great the 1st team players as well as the opposition team I then steward the 1st team game and managing other stewards and controlling the tunnel area I then clean the ground and lock up the ground at the end of the day

Q) Why do you volunteer?

I enjoy helping people and meeting new people and I love the clubs community feeling

Q) Why should someone come down and watch the team in action?

Because we offer a great match day experience exciting Football and great community feeling

Q) What do you hope for the club in the next 5 years?

I like to see the club in the national league system and with 98 youth teams it would be nice to see the kids progressing to the 1st team football

Q) What do you think of Non-league football?

I think Non-league football is honestly brilliant. Teams at our level play some really good football, there’s a brilliant mix of styles and lots of quality. The match day experience is unrivalled in my opinion, there’s so much authenticity in non league that a lot of people miss in the football league. There’s also a real sense of community, you get to know the people, you see them turn up every game and see how passionate they are.

Q) What is your role at Basford United and what does that include day in, day out?

I’m a media executive with most of my work being done on match days. I put out the live match updates on our social media channels for fans to keep up to date with how our games are going. I also film and conduct post match interviews and create some other video content. I travel home and away with the team and I put a lot of focus on keeping fans informed for away games especially the longer trips.

Q) What bit do you enjoy the most from your role?

I really enjoy working with everyone in the media team and the club. We have a great group, the players and staff are all really friendly and happy to be a part of what we do! In terms of my favourite media duty I enjoy putting together short videos of our away day journey’s, I find it really engaging and a good challenge as I usually only have a short amount of time to get it done and out on time.

Q) What is the biggest challenge for you?

I’d have to say time is the biggest stumbling block for myself working in sports media. You have to get content out on time and make sure what you are producing is high quality but also accurate. Working in non league you don’t necessarily have lots of information and tools that you can access quickly which you might have working in the professional game. That’s where teamwork and good communication with the rest of the team comes in but you also have to trust yourself under pressure.

Q) How much do you personally enjoy a matchday?

It’s honestly the highlight of my week. I also work outside of football and I always look forward to the weekend. Basford has become my main source of football as I’m not able to go to the club I supports matches as often but I enjoy what I do so it doesn’t bother me. It helps when everyone involved with the club is welcoming and supportive.

Q) What do you hope for Basford in the future?

We’ve had a challenging campaign so I hope we can show what we’re capable of next season. There’s so much opportunity here particularly with our social media output and I believe we have the people needed to do some great things. We’re a relatively new media team and we’ve got some exciting ideas that we can hopefully put into practice.

Q) Why should someone volunteer their time at their own local club?

It’s a great opportunity to do more and help your local community. Non League relies on volunteers and there’s always help needed in all areas of a club. It’s also the perfect place to gain experience if you’re looking to build a professional career in football. It depends on the club but I’ve found that volunteering in media there’s a lot of freedom to experiment and try new ideas.

Q) How did you come to be involved in Basford United?

A bit of a weird one actually, a leaflet came through the door from Basford who were advertising for weekend work and I was doing my A levels at the time and thought I like football and would like to get involved so I went and started working as a car park attendant on a Saturday and Sunday which was really good.

Q) What does your role entail?

I have worked many roles at Basford. I started as a car park attendants then started to get more involved and became a groundsman. I’ve also worked in the kitchen and bar and been working in the media department for the last 2/3 seasons. I’m now the first team kit man and away day secretary and I warm up the goalkeeper on matchdays

Q) What’s the thing you are most proud of doing in your role?

it’s not so much about being proud probably but it’s how much I enjoy being involved with the first team and I love the fact that I can have an impact off the pitch and help the team move forward.

Q) Where do you love to watch the game from on a matchday?

I always like standing by the players tunnel on home games but the majority of our fans like to stand behind the goal.

Q) Who has been your favourite player to watch at Basford ?

Matt Thornhill. Any other Basford fan will likely agree that club captain Matt Thornhill is one of the best players the club has had. Quality midfield player.

Q) If you could sign one player from a rival club, who would you choose and why?

Matt Yates. Ilkeston Town goalkeeper. Very good goalkeeper

Q) Why should more people volunteer at their local non league clubs?

You should volunteer at your local club because no matter what role you do you feel like you are part of the football family. 100% recommend volunteering at your local club.

View from the fans

Q) Why Basford United?

A few years ago, friends of mine used to play for basford so I’ve had a connection with the club from then really. It’s grown over recent years as coach and manage an u12’s side there now with my son playing.

Q) What does Basford mean to you?

It’s a great way for the team and parents to meet up after our games and then watch the gents play.

Q) What does a matchday look like for you?

Matchday look – often we’ll have a game ourselves in the morning and then my son will ask his friends/team mates if they’re going. So we’ll head home, quick change and then often arrive about 2:30 ready for the game.

Q) What is your favourite part of a matchday?

For me, the best part of supporting basford is the fact the players and owner come into the club house afterwards and have a drink and chat with you. You get a really sense of community togetherness.

Q) Do you have a favourite chant?

I wouldn’t say we have a chant as such but the occasional screams of ‘ambers’ can be heard.

Q) Why should someone come down and give a Basford matchday a go?

I’d recommend fans of football to come along. Often the pro games locally are sold out so why not spend the afternoon at the Avenue. Close community feel, cheap tickets and there’s always goals…even if it is in our net 🙈

Q) What is your first memory of a being a Basford fan?

I’d been encouraged by a friend of mine to come along to a Basford United game because he said the quality of the football down there was excellent. I was looking for something different and had become very disillusioned with the prices that many professional clubs were charging to attend games, so I decided why not, let’s go down there and see what it was like. The first Basford United game I ever attended was a Northern Premier League fixture at home to Farsley Celtic in the 2018/2019 season, and I have to say I was hooked in about twenty minutes because it was the one best games of football I had watched in years. Both sides were really going for it, playing well and providing superb entertainment for the fans of both clubs. Basford United were incredibly unlucky to be 3-1 behind at half-time because they had actually hit the post and bar during the first half, but they came back in the second half, turned it around and won 4-3. It was from that first game onwards that I started to go to every Basford United home game, and it wasn’t at all long afterwards that I started following Basford United at away grounds near to the Nottingham area. Because I enjoyed watching Basford United that much, towards the end of March 2019 I made the decision to go to every away game starting at Witton Albion, then going to Matlock Town, Stalybridge Celtic and South Shields before the final away fixture of the season at Mickleover. I think for me it was just that level of joy following the team brought whether we won, drew or lost as it was like a massive family all on the same team.

Q) What does a matchday mean and look like to you?

A matchday is the single most important day in any football fans week, and the anticipation I still feel ahead of going to a game (even four or five days in advance) is still huge. If the game is on a Saturday at home, then I like to go out and get myself a full English Breakfast before meeting my fellow Basford United fanatics and friends at a local public house in the Basford area, and from there, we’ll have a few drinks, head to the ground and watch the game. Depending on where the away game is, I will either drive to the game myself or with a few other fans either on the day, the night before or even a few days before if it’s somewhere really beautiful, and will make a few days or even a long weekend out of the occasion. A matchday is what you as a fan want to make of it, and I love to make mine as full as possible before, during and after the game.

Q) Non-League football is growing in popularity, why do you think this is?

While I don’t think the love of professional football will ever diminish and neither should it, I think non-league football offers a financially viable option to many, and it’s a way for many to see a game of football on a Saturday afternoon or in the midweek where they may struggle to get a ticket for a professional game due to logistical, financial, football preferences or other issues. The other aspect to non-league football is that in many ways it offers a more bare bones approach, and what I mean by this is that while football will never entirely return to how it was, non-league football is still quite unforgiving in many ways, and you never go through a game and not see at least one crunching tackle. For many enthusiasts, the non-league represents a hark back to how professional football used to be even twenty years ago, and to a significant percentage of those fans it is a massive selling point, but the other key issue is that in the non-league, you can go to many grounds and get yourself a match ticket, a pint of beer, a match programme and a pie and still have change from £25 – which in these tough economic times is a huge deal.

Q) What is your favourite matchday viewing point?

I like to watch the game from the end that Basford United are attacking, and the two main reasons I do this is because a) it gives me a fantastic view of how the game is being played out, I can see where players should be and I can discuss the game with fellow Basford United fans, and b) it means I get to see a few goals right in front of me and I can celebrate them with the team and my friends – which means absolutely everything.

Q) How do you find following the team both home and away and the commitment that comes with that?

The bottom line is that I love Basford United Football Club, and while the results on the pitch generally haven’t been brilliant for a few seasons now, I wouldn’t dream of wanting to follow anyone else. The home games are fun to go to and are a right laugh with my friends, but the away days are very, very special – and especially so if Basford United win. I think every non-league fan will empathise with this, but watching Basford United is a real conversation starter wherever I go, and it’s because when I’m asked who I support (and I get asked this a lot) I say Basford United football Club with a huge smile. The responses back to this usually come in one of three forms, and the first of which is one of laughter, followed by “Yeah, but who do you really support?” to which I always reply “Basford United Football Club – I go to every single game both home and away”. It’s at that point most people realise I’m completely serious about supporting Basford United, and it surprises them even more when I tell them I have only missed three Basford United fixtures in the last six years. Even after hearing this, sometimes I’m met with “You must be absolutely mad to follow them” to which I just smile and politely say that it’s only the same as supporting the football club they love – it’s just that I love a team that plays at a lower level to the team they support. Most of the time however, the response I get to me saying that I support Basford United is incredibly positive, and people genuinely want to know more about the club, where they advertise the games and events they are holding, when the games are and if you can pay for tickets with cash or cards on the day at the ground and whether the food is good. Over the last couple of years, people I have spoken to about Basford United both inside and outside the ground have begun to come to games, and a significant percentage of those people who tentatively came to a few home games now have full season tickets. Incredibly, some people I have met not only now have home season tickets, but come with me on away days to various grounds wherever Basford United play which I think is incredible and only does good for Basford United Football Club. Watching Basford United for me and several of my fellow fans isn’t a commitment – They and I are purely doing the thing we love most in the world which is to watch our football team play – and nothing in the world beats that (apart from a great pie or other fabulous food at the grounds)!

Q) What do you hope for the club in the coming years?

I’m hoping for stability both on and off the pitch, and am hoping that we solidify ourselves next season after Basford United’s relegation from Step 3 to Step 4 this season. While it is sad that we couldn’t avoid the drop into Step 4, the sensible aim for the 2025/2026 season is for the club to regroup, refocus and go into it with the intention of winning more games than we lose in the Northern Premier League Midlands League. For me, once Basford United rebuild some of the club foundations, we can hopefully progress forwards and with some luck, find ourselves back in Step 3 at the right time for the club.

There cannot and should not be a timeframe on when this should happen by, because what matters more than anything is that the club is sustainable, and that we have the right people with appropriate skills in the correct places to enable the club to be stronger and to ultimately improve both on and off the pitch. Recruitment will be very important both this next season and the next few afterwards both on and off the pitch, but if Basford United get these elements right (and I don’t see any reason why they can’t) then promotion back into Step 3 could become a realistic proposition.

Future plans as told by Chris Munroe

Chris’s statement from April 2025:

“The first burning question concerns me as an Owner. I made it very clear 24/25 was to be my last season for no other reason than age, and as such, I have taken a massive step back in control and influence. I do, though, now intend to put any thoughts of retirement on hold and commit to the 3 year plan, as I didn’t envisage going out off the back of a relegation. This, obviously, from me is the assurance a decent level of financial funding will remain to make us more than competitive at Step 4. But more so I back myself working closely with the senior management team to turn this round quickly and reinvigorate our identity at the forefront of Nottingham City Non-league football.

In terms of Chairman David Lilley and 1st team manager, Willis Francis & the respective management teams, no blame of relegation is apportioned in their direction, and I did make this clear at the time of appointment. David and I will plot the rebound, but we will look to add key colleagues to form a tight inner circle at the top end hierarchy of the club.

So, to confirm, Willis Francis has been asked to continue and form a management team for 25/26 promptly, to start planning retention and recruitment immediately.”

It seems that Basford are in good hands to the upcoming season, Chris has now reversed his decision to step away from the club and instead will stay and help contribute towards the overall objective of achieving promotion and back to where he would like to see the club as a whole.

Not only that but by sticking to and showing faith with the current management squad it removes any need for a new team to come in and understand and grasp what Chris and David are looking for. I have a good feeling personally that the club will bounce back next season and the fans will be treated to a fair few more wins than they got to the season just gone.

Here is hoping anyway!
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And with that we bring our time with Basford United to a close, it is obvious that relegation is never the ideal scenario for any club but for Basford I feel they are in good hands and have a good solid base on which to build a very strong promotion charge for the 25/26 campaign. It could well be the small reset and rebuild that they needed – everything happens for a reason right!

Keep your eyes peeled on what happens next as Basford United and why not head down there to see it first hand?

Until next time!

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