Non-League and Academy football writer

With the 2023/24 non-League season having pretty much ended at the time of writing this piece, I thought that it would be a good time to write a piece that includes my non-League football XI (of 2023/24), from the many games (I saw all of the players mentioned in this piece, live this season) that I saw during the 2023/24 season. Many of the players who I mentioned in this piece, play their football at step 7 of the non-League pyramid. That is because it is the level of non-League football that I attended the most games at, during the 2023/24 season, although there are players included in this XI, who play their football higher up the non-League pyramid.

Formation – 4-2-3-1.

Goalkeeper – Milan Czerwonka (PFC Victoria London): PFC Victoria London goalkeeper Milan Czerwonka is a very commanding and impressive goalkeeper. The 16 year old has very good reflexes, and from the PFC Victoria London games that I saw during the 2023/24 season, his reading of the game was also one of his key attributes as a goalkeeper. Milan was a very important player for a PFC Victoria London side during the 2023/24 season, who won promotion from the Middlesex County Football League Premier Division to step 6 for next season. 

Right-back – Hussein Manea (Pitshanger Dynamo): Hussein Manea is a right-back with a really good balance to his game. The player who made 30 league appearances (Hussein scored three goals) for this season’s Middlesex County Football League Premier Division champions, is a good defender, but he also likes to get forward, as well. Hussein impressed me on every occasion that I saw him play for Pitshanger, during their 2023/24 season. It was a season in which he was key player for Pitshanger.

Central-defender – Isioma Richard (FC Baresi): The first FC Baresi player (I watched the now step 6 side, on a number of occasions last season) included in my team of the season. A commanding central defender, Isioma Richard is a very intelligent defender, who also has really good pace. He put in some excellent defensive performances for the Essex Alliance League Senior Division champions, in 2023/24, and his reading of the game was yet another part of his game which was very impressive. Isioma Richard is also strong in the air, and his performances against Haringey Borough Under 23’s and also in the Essex Alliance League Senior Division League Cup final (against Walthamstow Reserves), were superb. 

Central-defender – Okera Lewis (Larkspur Rovers): The Larkspur Rovers defender had an excellent game against a very good PFC Victoria London side that I was in attendance for, earlier in the year. A player who has played higher up in non-League in the past, his man of the match worthy performance against PFC Victoria London, and then another excellent defensive performance against Kodak (Harrow), was very impressive. Good at anticipating the play, and also at making well timed challenges, Okera Lewis also brought the ball out well from defence, in both the matches against PFC Victoria London and Kodak (Harrow).

Left-back – Abadilla Kousairi (FC Baresi): A talented left-back who likes to get forward up the pitch, and who also covers so much ground on the left side of the pitch, Abadilla Kousairi’s fine balance to his game is very important to the way in which FC Baresi play. With good crossing ability and decision making in the final third as well as in defence, the defender’s one v one defending was also very good, whenever I saw him last season. I named Abadilla as my player of the match against Walthamstow Reserves in the Essex Alliance League Senior Division League Cup final, in May.

Central-midfielder – Mason Spence (Milton Keynes Irish): Former MK Dons player Mason Spence put in a fantastic performance against Dunstable Town in a Spartan South Midlands Football League Premier Division fixture that I was in attendance for, earlier in the year. A classy midfielder, the former Wales youth international took up some really good positions, and he was very skilful and creative on the ball, with good passing and decision making.

Central-midfielder – Zenon Stylianides (FC Romania): A former Spurs academy player, Zenon Stylianides often plays in the CAM role, but he can also play in central midfield. Stylianides is a highly skilful midfield player, and from a good number of FC Romania matches that I saw during the season just gone, he so often was very influential for the step 5 club, who only just missed out on promotion to step 4, for next season. Zenon is excellent at driving forward with the ball at pace, and his weight of pass and vision, is also very good.

Winger/forward  – Lewis Grantham (CSM London): A highly skilful forward/winger, who I saw on two occasions for Essex Alliance League Senior Division Side CSM London, last season, Lewis Grantham is a player who impressed. His performances against Waltham Forest Borough FC and then a very impressive performance against Frenford Development towards the end of the season, impressed me. The player who scored 14 goals for CSM London, a real footballing side, last season, was a key player for the east London club in 2023/24. Grantham’s ability to travel forward with the ball at a good pace, and also his skill/creativity on the ball and eye for goal, are some of his key attributes. I names Lewis as CSM London’s player of the match, in that league game against Frenford Development.

CAM – Marvin Hamilton (FC Baresi): A vastly experienced player in non-League football, 35 year old creative midfielder and Sri Lanka international Marvin Hamilton is a class act on the pitch. With the ability to change a game with a single decisive forward pass, the former Gillingham player once got a hat-trick of assists, in a league game that I saw him involved in for FC Baresi last season. His close ball control in tight spaces, as well as his numerous goals and assists were crucial to FC Baresi winning the league last season. And during the 2023/24 season, Marvin was also on the books of step 4 side Hythe Town, who he played for on occasions last season.

Winger/forward – Ryan Pickles (Camden & Islington United): The Camden & Islington United forward can play in a number of different positions, but he often plays as a second striker. Ryan has so far (Camden & Islington United’s league season is still ongoing) scored 20 goals from 24 league appearances for the north London club in the Middlesex County Football League Premier Division, playing a key part in the newly promoted club’s excellent first season at step 7. A very agile and creative player, who has provided many assists during this season, Ryan likes to get on the ball and drive forward with it at pace, but he is also clinical in and around the penalty area. He has been excellent so far for Camden & Islington United, this season, in both the league and in cup competitions.

Centre-forward – Bilal Butt (Pitshanger Dynamo): With 46 league goals from 31 appearances for Pitshanger Dynamo, this season, experienced centre-forward Bilal Butt must surely have one of the very best goals to games records in non-League football in 2023/24. The former Brentford academy player is a tall centre-forward who has very quick feet (Bilal is a former futsal player), and his clinical ability in front of goal was absolutely key to Pitshanger winning their respective league, in 2023/24. Bilal links the play well, and he often gets into very good goalscoring positions inside the penalty area, and he is also strong in the air. What an incredible season he had, in 2023/24.