27 March 2026
Not only are we celebrating the 15th annual Non-League Day on 28 March, but the Premier League Stadium Fund is also marking its 25th anniversary.
We were invited by the Premier League to help showcase how the fund has supported our club, an opportunity we were delighted to be part of. As part of this, we welcomed members of the Premier League team, who have produced a feature highlighting the impact of the fund for fans. We also hosted Sky Sports, where Sam Merson went head-to-head with his father, Paul, to see who the better goalscorer is today, not only that we got to host a very special piece of silverware, we are sure Liverpool FC didn’t miss it!
This all-formed part of celebrating what makes non-league football so special and why support with funding is vital. Speaking about Non-League Day, Paul Merson said:
“By coming down to watch, you’ll see the quality of players in the non-league system. You realise when you come and watch just how good they are.
“It’s not expensive, you can bring the kids. You’ll see action; very rarely do you see 0-0, and it’s about giving something back to the community. I’ll be getting down, work permitting.”
At Hanworth, we have benefited significantly from this funding, as one of more than 1,000 clubs to receive support since 2000. Eight separate grants, totaling £100,000, have helped fund energy-efficient LED floodlights, new perimeter and pitch fencing, and some of our spectator accommodation among other projects.
These improvements have enabled the club to maintain and enhance its ground grading, while providing facilities that both we and the local community can be proud of when visiting Rectory Meadow.
The support has also allowed the club to focus its own resources on player and youth development, as well as further facility upgrades. Most notably, last summer the club invested over £800,000 into a new 3G surface and fan zone.
Paul added:
“It’s so important for the Premier League to bring money into the lower leagues. I played here, and I cannot believe how much it has changed, it’s amazing. You’ve got kids playing here now, and that wouldn’t have been possible before. This is what keeps football going.
“I drive past here all the time to take my youngest son training, and whenever I look in, it’s always busy. Even at 9am on a Saturday morning, there are kids playing football here.
“I have the utmost respect for non-league players. Tonight they’ve come to train, and they’ll do the same on Tuesday and Thursday before playing on Saturday. That’s a love of the game at the highest level.”
The Premier League continues to support clubs throughout the football pyramid. This season, the Premier League Stadium Fund celebrates 25 years of investment into facilities across both the men’s and women’s game.
Over that time, the League has invested £220 million to improve the matchday experience, helping clubs become more financially and environmentally sustainable.
The League has also committed £23.6 million to the National League over four years, more than doubling its investment from 2022 to 2025, alongside an additional £3.6 million to the National League Trust and its network of 72 clubs.
In the women’s game, the Premier League is supporting the FA Women’s National League strategy with £2.7 million from 2025 to 2028, with 54 National League teams currently playing at grounds that have benefited from Premier League Stadium Fund investment.
Non-league day is an opportunity for non-league clubs to get new people through the gates and experience non-league football, some for the first time. The initiative’s founder James Doe said “I hope the 15th edition of non-League Day gives top-flight fans a chance to experience the quality of the game at all levels in English football by getting behind their local sides. Non-league grounds are vibrant and welcoming places, so I strongly encourage anyone reading this to find their nearest fixtures and head down this Saturday.”
For the occasion at Hanworth Villa we are putting on some special offers on admission to try and encourage some new faces to visit as we host Ascot United in the Pitching In Isthmian League. You can read more about our non-league day plans here.
We would like to thank Paul and Sam Merson for taking part in this great feature, and of course our thanks to Sky Sports and The Premier League media team for inviting us to help spread the word on Non-League day and of course the Premier League Stadium Improvement Fund.
You can also read the Premier Leagues story here.
