IT’S been three years since I fell in love with non-league football, but it feels like I’ve been around it my whole life.

I, like many others, became disillusioned with league football and disliked the rising prices in the game, specifically at Southend United.

Going down to Canvey Island on Saturday, August 23 proved to be the best decision I’ve made in my life. That day saw us take on Enfield Town and we won 2-1.

Admittedly, at first I didn’t know many people but that started to change over the course of a year or two. I’ve come to know many people from the National League South to the Essex Olympian League.

The last two years has seen me visit Leiston and Havant & Waterlooville among others, the latter took three-and-a-half hours on the coach and the team lost 4-0.

I feel I experienced non-league football at its finest back in September 2015. I made the trip to Farnborough, who had recently been relegated, and we came away as 6-2 winners.

Of course though, when I’m not watching Canvey, I try to cover the Essex Senior League by doing Twitter updates and match reports as it helps me gain media experience - this is the area I want to work in after I’ve finished my UAL Level 2 Media course at Seevic College.

I find it remarkable that I can go to some grounds and get treated like royalty in the hope I come back and that’s what makes non-league so different to the EFL. I’d never get the hospitality and support I’ve received at a league club.

I’ve been lucky and grateful that I’ve been offered some fantastic opportunities by clubs in various leagues and now various football organisations.

Football gave me a social life that I’m forever grateful for. My various friends from the non-league game are all great people who want the best for the game and they are the ones I truly count as my friends.

Non-league football has helped me learn a lot of life skills that I never got taught in school. To say it hasn’t changed I actually find rather rude!