Welcome back to another Through the Turnstile meets, this time we are sitting down with James who has been working within Non-League football for nearly 15 years, starting as a press officer and now a commentator and interviewer. James opens up and explains how he come into the roles and what his plans for the future look like.

A real insight that showcases the importance for both hard work and consistency, lets go!

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What is your experience in Non-League football and what has been your favourite job to date?

I got involved with Non-League by answering an advert placed by Carshalton Athletic in my local paper. The club was seeking a press officer and I applied as the role combined my passions of media and football. That was back in around 2011 and I went on to set up the club’s social media platforms, provide content to both local and national media outlets, attend all home and away matches to write match reports and conduct interviews with players/management/fans. I eventually added live match commentary and video interviews to the role once we decided to create Robins TV in 2017. I had an enjoyable decade at Colston Avenue in that role and now, following a season working with Kingstonian, I’m about to enter my fourth season with Merstham as their live match commentator/interviewer.

What does the prep look like when commentating on a game?

I usually start preparing for a commentary about two days before the match. I sit down and gather in as many ‘facts and stats’ as I can, begin crafting my introduction and update my database in terms of individual player facts. I also enjoy talking to fans and club staff on a matchday as it gives me a feel of the climate within the stadium. We share our collective thoughts on recent performances and club affairs, which sometimes leads to an little additional nugget of information or insight I can use during game time. I also collaborate with my cameraman Bernard as we look to focus on in-form players or to conjure up memorable images within our coverage.

What are the main things that are difficult to combat when carrying out a live commentary?

The first thing I thought of was I don’t have access to in-game replays like they do on television, so my memory gets a good workout when descrbing the aftermath of an incident! It’s also frustrating if a club wears shirts that camouflage the players’ numbers – I like to provide the viewer with as accurate a commentary as possible and not being able to see numbers can certainly hamper that!

What has been your favourite match to cover?

I have to be greedy and mention more than one I’m afraid! – firstly, I thoroughly enjoyed being involved in a FA Cup first round proper match when Carshalton made it through to face Boston United. It was an immensely proud day for the club despite the result and Sky Sports even had a ‘roving reporter’ on-site which added to the excitement. Also, following a dramatic 3-3 draw in the first game, travelling with Carshalton to Barnet in a FA Trophy third round replay was a great affair. More recently, commentating on Merstham’s involvement in a relegation play-off match was certainly unique – and thankfully we won which makes the occasion infinitely more memorable – plus this last season has provided many highlights including a 9-0 win over East Grinstead Town and a thrilling 3-2 victory over eventual league champions Ramsgate. I’ve also been fortunate to interview a few footballing ‘household names’ over the years which I’ll always treasure.

Why is Non-League so special?

I think Non-League is so special because clubs are hubs within their local communities. The bond between clubs and their fans can be so strong and the willingness to give help each way is apparent in things like clubs running youth initiatives , people helping to paint a clubhouse, everyone coming together at a club open day or summer fete. I also personally like the sense of a person’s money spent at the turnstile, on refreshments, on merchandise etc, is going directly in to help the running and upkeep of their local team.

Advice on anyone wanting to get into Non-League press duties?

There’s certainly no harm in the old-fashioned way of simply approaching local clubs and seeing if they need any help with their media output. With the advent of social media now, aspiring football journslists could build a showcase portfolio by following a friends team or perhaps a Sunday League club who’ll no doubt appreciate the coverage.

Is there pressure when doing commentary to get pronunciations right?

I would say absolutely! Any commentator worth their salt doesn’t want to either embarrass anyone on the pitch or themselves behind the mic. It’s always unsettling if I discover that I’ve mispronounced names of players, clubs or places and I make a point pre-match to ask custodians of such information so everybody wins. I will say it’s unhelpful when clubs change their line-ups once teamsheets have been submitted, which happens occasionally and meant I’ve called a player the incorrect name for 90 minutes, but that’s more a communication breakdown. Players at this level also don’t tend to have their names on the back of their shirts, so I implore clubs to not hide their shirt numbers amongst same-coloured hoops or stripes if at all possible!

Do you prefer the live commentary or the interviews?

I thoroughly enjoy planning for a 90 minute commentary and getting to live ‘in the moment’ as the action unfolds, that never gets boring. I do enjoy doing interviews as well, but sometimes they can be difficult depending on how the match went. Interviewees are of course more than happy to wax lyrical over a 5-0 win rather than a heavy defeat, but I’m always appreciative to those whom step up to face the harder questions when called upon.

Who has inspired you to follow a career in commentating?

I always have two people in mind when I’m asked and they are John Motson and Jonathan Pearce. John always came across as knowledgeable and prepared, and his voice was one of the first I heard when getting into football as a child. Barry Davies was another one from that era I liked, but John for me just captured my imagination more. Jonathan I used to listen to back when he was on Captial Gold radio and his enthusiasm during a commentary was palpable, you couldn’t ignore him. His storytelling was top notch too, descriptive and informative without being too ‘over the top’. I like to think both he and John have helped inform my style to a degree.

What does the future hold for you?

Well I’m very happy to announce that Merstham want my team and I to stay on for another season, which I’m very happy to commit us to. I’m also amenable to other opportunities outside of my work at The Moatside, so I’m always open for a chat or to kick around ideas.

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A very insightful look at the world of a media volunteer – incredible that people like James give up their time to help promote and support Non-League Football. It is not just a turn up on the day role either, as stated the days leading up to a match is prep time to ensure he is ready for live comms and also the interviews. It is this kind of behind the scenes preparation work that often gets overlooked simply as it is not known it goes on. Well you now know! Keep up the great work James!

That is all for now so….Until next time!

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