Non-League and Academy football writer

George Lutaaya is a very experienced footballer in non-League football, and he has already played for a number of clubs at a good standard of non-League football. The 33 year old skilful and goalscoring winger currently plays for step 5 Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division side Cockfosters FC, and the former New Salamis (George played a very important role in the club’s rise up to step 4 of the non-League system) Hertford Town and Northwood player has been a regular and very important player for the step 5 club, since joining them. Away from the pitch, George is the founder of the non-League platform, Ball Hour. I recently had the pleasure of speaking to George about some of his time in non-League football, so far.

What are some of your earliest footballing memories?

George: My earliest memories of football would probably be playing for a Sunday league team called Edmonton Rangers, which was a fantastic team. I can also remember playing football on the estate that I lived on with my parents, with an old friend of mine. Everyday we used to play football there, on the concrete and on the grass.

Could you talk me through a bit about your footballing background, up until joining Cockfosters FC?

George: Prior to joining Cockfosters, I was at New Salamis. I’d made over 100 appearances for them, over maybe four or five seasons. We went from step 7 to 6, and then step 5 to 4. In the midst of playing for Salamina I was at times at other clubs, and so I was at Hertford Town (when my current manager Gavin Kelsey was in charge), Waltham Abbey and Walthamstow, for a short time. So those were the teams who I also played for, during my time at New Salamis. I’d also previously played for Northwood, VCD Athletic, Cheshunt and Barkingside. It was sad, not only from a footballing perspective, but from a family perspective, with New Salamis folding last season. That progression from step 7 to step 4, that as far as I’m aware, has only really been done by Hashtag United. And also, New Salamis had progressed from Sunday league football, before joining non-League football and getting as far up as they could. So for New Salamis to go, that was quite heartbreaking if I’m being honest with you, as it was always a club that I wanted to do well.

Have you had any footballing influences, such as coaches for example, during your footballing journey?

George: That’s a really good question as bar Gavin Kelsey, there hasn’t been any other real coaching influences. I’d played under Gavin when I was at Hertford Town, and this is now the second time that I’ve played for a club that he’s managed. When I was at Hertford, even before I’d joined the club, he said to me just to enjoy myself on the pitch, and he gave me that freedom of playing my football on the pitch. He also said to me that if I played my game and also did it as well as I could, then the fans would get behind me. With football you can play well and score as many goals as you can, but that freedom of playing football and celebrating with the fans, it really is one in a million. So the words that Gavin told me when I joined Hertford, they’ve never gone unnoticed to me. He is one of the only managers that I said I’d play for again, for more than one club and on more than one occasion, because of the friendship and relationship that we had at Hertford.

From a coaching influence Gavin Kelsey has been one of my biggest influences, to be honest with you.

As a youngster, were there any players who you used to look up to/try and model your game on?

George: I don’t want to give you an endless list of players, but it was definitely a combination of the Brazilian Ronaldo, Samuel Eto’o (he was one of my favourite players) Kaká, David Beckham and Zinedine Zidane. And then with me being a winger who loved to go forward, I tried to add different elements of each of those player’s games. And so with my finishing I tried to emulate Ronaldo and Samuel Eto’o, with their finishing, and then to try and emulate the dribbling side of football and enjoyment, I’d look to Zinedine Zidane and Kaká. So those are the players who standout to me, and who I’ve always aspired to play like.

What has been the overall highlight of your non-League footballing journey, so far?

George: I think that winning the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division, that was definitely the highlight. Don’t get me wrong, getting into the play-offs and winning/getting promoted from that is a very big achievement, but winning the league is special. We didn’t start the season in the best way (with New Salamis), and with all due respect the manager lost the changing room during the early stages of that season, and he just wasn’t the right fit for the club. As players who have been there for such a long time, we noticed that. New Salamis then brought in a former player for the club and club legend in Richard Georgiou, which was a fantastic appointment. And from then on the philosophy of the club regained its image. We started playing exciting football and we went on an incredible winning run. We ended up going to Risborough Rangers, and winning the league at their ground. So winning the league at the team who could also have won the league’s home ground, that was just a fantastic memory, that I’ll never forget.

Could you talk me through your memories so far, of playing for Cockfosters FC? And could you talk me through a bit about the opening stages of the current season, with them?

George: So for a bit of context Gavin Kelsey took over Cockfosters around two seasons ago, and at the time he’d taken over there (I was still at New Salamis) I was still in contact with him. Near the end of my last season with New Salamis, the results were a bit up and down, even though we could potentially have gotten into the play-offs during that season, but things were happening behind the scenes. So I was just thinking what I was going to do during the following season, and after having had a conversation with Gavin we had a really good conversation, and so I joined the club. Last season (2023/24) we kind of underachieved, but the hunger and the drive is still there, and we still have a lot to give. So pushing on to this season, we’ve started off really well, and we still have a game or two in hand.

We lost our first game of the season 2-0 to Kempston Rovers, but we’ve bounced back and then gone on a decent winning run. The changing room at the club is amazing, and I think that it’s the best changing room that there’s been at the club, in my time there. The balance and ability of the players is amazing, as we’ve got a good balance of experienced and younger players in the squad. The management has also given us a lot more freedom in comparison to last season, and so far things have been going really well. We’re just trying to remain as positive as we can and just take things one game at a time. We’re a lot hungrier as a squad this season, and so things are just going well.

What have you made of the very early opening stages of the 2024/25 Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division season as a whole, and what are some of your thoughts on the league season?

George: If I can just look at it from the outside looking in, it has been an exciting season. Everyone is beating everyone in the league, apart from Milton Keynes Irish, who look like the team to beat this season, but Winslow United are also unbeaten so far. We lost 5-2 to Milton Keynes Irish, last season. And they were really, really good. However, the league season is really exciting this season, because if you look at the team that is top to the team that is 13th/12th, things are just very, very tight. Of course some teams are going to drop points and others are going to gain points, so it’s just going to be a very enjoyable and competitive league season.

Who would you say has been the toughest/most difficult team that you have faced, with Cockfosters FC, for their quality?

George: I would definitely put Real Bedford up there, as they won this league last season, and rightly so. They moved the ball really well, and they emulated the style/footballing philosophy that we had at New Salamis, and so I’d definitely say that Real Bedford were the number one team. Also, Milton Keynes Irish are up there as well. Tactically they made it very difficult for us in the away fixture last season, and they were definitely very difficult to play against. So Real Bedford and Milton Keynes Irish are the two sides that really standout.

For those who haven’t seen you play, how would you describe yourself as a player?

George: I would say that I’m a goalscoring winger, who is also hardworking. As a winger I think that I can beat a defender, but my deliveries into the box are fantastic. I’ve had to adjust over time, as I might not be as quick as I was when I was 18. But I’ve got that ability to take on a man and put balls into the penalty area, but most importantly of all score goals and assist goals. 

What are some of your hopes and aims for the remainder of this season with Cockfosters FC?

George: I’m very ambitious, and I’ve won this league before. So for me I just want us to finish as high as possible, and we want to finish in the top four/five in the league. I also just want to get as many goals and assists as I can, to contribute to wins and also how far the club can go throughout the season. But definitely a top four/five finish in the league is the main aim, and to secure a play-off place.