FC United

I woke up at half seven, my phone rang at eight, and by half past nine we were on the motorway heading for Ramsbottom to see FC United get promoted out of the North-West Counties League.

We were outside the bar by the railway station, drinking Boddingtons out of plastic glasses, as the East Lancs football special arrived in a cloud of steam. There were flags and scarves and shirts with a badge, not the name of a company, across the front. When the game kicked off at three the sun was high above the stark mill town chimneys. I stood at the back behind the goal, sheltered by a narrow tin roof. Sport above business, community above commercialism. How it was always supposed to be.

A football team may struggle without money, superstar players or a stadium of its own. Without supporters, it has no reason to exist at all.