Football is viewed as one of the UK’s most popular national sports. 

It brings people together through the trials and tribulations of the beautiful game from goals and team celebrations to penalties and fouls on the pitch. 

I am not an avid football fan and don’t support a team but have seen a handful of live matches, one Preston North End game while I was at university more than a decade ago while the Lily Whites were in the Championship, a Tottenham Hotspur v Braga in a UEFA clash and a Canaries game when I was young. 

They were fun and it was good to soak up the atmosphere and seeing crowds cheer on their teams made me realise football is more than just a game for many. 

It is unfortunate though that higher league football is focussed on the money and when that happens that can affect the pure joy of the sport. 

That is why I think the prosperity of non-league football is crucial to the country. 

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The important role of these teams, which are dotted around England, was raised at the annual Non-League Day. 

It was set up in by James Doe in 2010 as a social media experiment, after being inspired by a pre-season trip to Devon to watch Queens Park Rangers play at Tavistock. 

The celebration has grown to become an annual part of the football calendar, backed by Premier League and Football League clubs, MPs, celebrities and charities, and was celebrated on March 25 this year. 

People who play in non-league teams live and work in their communities and people behind these clubs are volunteers who do it out of sheer dedication. 

Supporters attend matches every week, whatever the weather, and roar on their teams. 

These clubs need to be treasured because they are all about the love of the sport, rather than cold hard cash.