Features

Catching some winter sun? Then take the shirt off me back.

I only ask because I saw an odd looking shirt making it's way down Oxford Street the other day and, me being me, I had to ask the occupier where he was from. Cue the quickest conversation I had that day ."Tromso" says he, "ah" says I and off he walked.

Tromso, of course, are not Non League, but they were part-timers in Norway when they came up against the might of the Kings Road. Even now though but I'd like to see them take on the might of say St Albans in a scrap and see who comes out on top.

Non League on the road

So how big is Non League anywhere but here? Much of course has been made of the state of "Soccer" in the US of A recently, but a quick Google on "Non League other countries" comes up with around 2 million answers, and who should be top of the pile, but a thread on Tony Kempster's English Football Site, and one aforementioned 'Tromso'. In fact there's a whole world out there of lower league football, although it's got to go some way to match our Non League system (think Paul Fairclough's England C team recently beating Finland's U21s). So time therefore to make ourselves known, along with the Chelseas of this world.

Halifax Town fan Patrick in Halifax, Massachusetts

See it's quite a common thing this, taking a football shirt abroad, but everyone from Ibiza to Istanbul has seen a Manchester United or Liverpool shirt, and I for one am laying down the gauntlet.

Even if you don't support a Non League team (although you are reading this), I say go down to your local club and take their shirt abroad, and if you know someone who is about to head for somewhere a little hotter, urge them to take yours, say "here lover of all things prawn sandwich, take something to shade your pot belly, who needs an SPF, when you've got the shirt off my back?

The mighty colours of Dulwich hamlet (matches the pink nose see)".

Pride in your shirt

If nothing else, think of the faces in Torremolinos where you can revel in the self same conversation I had at 10.30 am last Thursday, "where are you from? " says he in a sun drenched manner, "Dulwich" says you, and away he walks to google the mighty "Hamlet" whilst downing his Sangria.

Pass it on, you know it makes sense.

Bishop's Stortford fan Danny at the Nou Camp

Your Non League shirts abroad

Alan Phair writes: "Here's my 10 year old son, Danny who supports Bishop's Stortford FC and is pictured in Spain this summer holiday proudly wearing his Stortford shirt - at the Nou Camp, home of course to Barcelona.

Danny has supported the Mighty Bishops for 3 seasons and makes an 80-mile round trip just for home games as he lives in Hemel Hempstead."

Russ Prebble, Welling Fan, China

Taking your shirt abroad? Or maybe you support a Non League team in another country? Send us a picture of you, email nonleague@bbc.co.uk

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