NON-LEAGUE football is all I know.

I made my Dagenham & Redbridge debut when I was 16 and they were in the Conference and have been involved in some capacity ever since them really.

I had a six month gap between when I managed Redbridge and left East Thurrock at the end of last season but have represented Ford United and Barking as well.

I have created great memories with great people. I have been celebrating 19 years since Ford’s played Preston North End in the FA Cup this week. There were 140 places between the two teams and those days are what it is all about. We got a standing ovation up there and I have a lot of friends from that time. In today’s age of social media a lot more would have been made of it, I am sure.

I followed Dean Holdsworth into the Redbridge manager’s job in 2008 but left after a season and enjoyed many successful years with Covo (John Coventry) at East Thurrock. I just love football. I wasn’t good enough to play professionally but I played a decent standard before injury cut it short.

But you make such strong bonds in non-league. The difference in the Premier League is you wont have chairmen mowing the grass and painting the lines on the pitch. You get to see how much it means to people. I find the smaller the group then the tighter knit they are.

If you are playing in front of 60,000 it is just a sea of faces but you hear things in non-league you don’t forget. You recognise their voices, especially when they are shouting criticism! I will say that there is no less ambition in non-league football for the people that work in it - whether it be players, management or the people that help behind the scenes. People are proud of their club and it is often small enough for people to be able to help. And there are so many talented people in non-league that I would love to see get a break. It often seems to be the same old names getting the big jobs but if lifts everyone when guys from non-league get the recognition they deserve.