Badshot Lea and Aldershot Town both have home games on Non-League Day this Saturday, and South Western Railway (SWR) have teamed up with Non-League Day founder James Doe to encourage football fans to attend a local fixture.

Doe – who is also a South Western Railway guard at Waterloo Station – started Non-League Day in 2010 to take advantage of the international football break when there are no Premier League or Championship games in England, and encourage football fans across the nation to attend their local non-league fixtures instead.

With the goal of promoting grassroots and community football clubs, Non-League Day champions community spirit by highlighting the importance of lower-tier football clubs that develop talent and sustain the sport through higher leagues.

Research has revealed more than a third (34 per cent) of Brits can’t name a single non-league team.

The average home in England is within an average of eight miles of a local club, and according to those who have attended a non-league match in the past, the best things about going are the affordability (49 per cent), the family-friendly atmosphere (41 per cent) and easy accessibility (33 per cent).

However, a staggering 75 per cent of Brits have never attended a non-league match, despite the fact it takes place on their doorsteps.

Meanwhile, the furthest people have travelled one way for a Premier League match is a lengthy 116.5 miles on average.

It’s not just time that Brits could save by watching their local club play.

When it comes to cost, significant savings can be made by choosing a local fixture over a higher league game.

Premier League fans spend an average of £54 on the ticket alone, while a full day out at a non-league game (including entry, travel and refreshments) costs fans just £20.80 on average.

Lower-league fixtures can deliver the same excitement as a stadium match at a fraction of the cost – as two in three Brits who’ve attended Premier League and non-league games admit the atmosphere at a Premier League game isn’t significantly better than that at a non-league match.

Furthermore, many of football’s biggest stars came from non-league football clubs – including Ian Wright, Jarrod Bowen, Jordan Pickford, Les Ferdinand and Ollie Watkins, a fact 96 per cent of Brits don’t know.

The benefits of supporting local clubs include an increased sense of belonging and local pride (44 per cent), the participation in community events (38 per cent), a sense of shared purpose and team spirit (36 per cent), and contributing to the local economy by supporting businesses (36 per cent).

It also makes for a great day out, with almost one in four (23 per cent) discovering their local non-league club through friends and family. Not to mention, almost one in four (24 per cent) Brits have been inspired to pick up playing after watching a non-league football match.

Doe said: “Since I started Non-League Day 15 years ago, it's been amazing to see support for local teams grow, bringing communities together and inspiring young players.

“Non-league football is volunteer-led, so it’s vital to give these teams support where we can.

“We’d love to see as many people get down and support their local team.”

Kyle Moxham, club kitman at Badshot Lea FC, said: “We’re so excited for this year’s Non-League Day, and hope we can encourage more people in surrounding areas to come and support us.

“There are so many teams like ours that feel a genuine difference when the community comes together to cheer us on.

“Come and watch us this Saturday against Leatherhead.”

Michael Lipscombe, marketing executive at Aldershot Town FC, said: “Non-League Day is hugely important for drumming up local support and we want to encourage people to share their support for our players.

“This Saturday, grab a friend, hop on the train, and come watch us play against Ebbsfleet United.”

Stuart Meek, interim managing director of South Western Railway, said: “As a proud Northallerton Town FC supporter, non-league football has always been a mainstay at weekends for me and my family.

“I’m thrilled that SWR is supporting our colleague James for Non-League Day again this year.

“We love to support our community and bring people together, and that’s exactly what Non-League Day is all about.

“We’re hoping to inspire people across the South West (and the entire country) to hop on a train this weekend, and head down to watch your local team play football.”

On Saturday, March 22, there will be 450 non-league matches taking place across the UK, 51 of which are in the South Western Railway network, including Badshot Lea v Leatherhead and Aldershot Town v Ebbsfleet United.

All matches are easily accessible by train, book your tickets here.