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October international break: Five great non-league grounds to visit

Written by Darren Plant
Last Update: October 10, 2025
October international break: Five great non-league grounds to visit
FC United of Manchester v Exeter City, Manchester, UK - 19 July 2025 General View of Broadhurst Park before the preseason friendly match between FC United of Manchester and Exeter City at Broadhurst Park on 19 July 2025 in Manchester, England Photo by Steve Taylor/PPAUK Manchester Broadhurst Park Greater Manchester England Copyright: xStevexTaylor/PPAUKx PPA-198201

The October international break may be upon us, but that does not mean that football supporters across England do not have options to fill the void left by no Premier League football for two weeks.

While some may support their local EFL sides, non-league football is becoming increasingly popular with supporters who may have become disillusioned by club owners higher up the football pyramid, whether that is down to approach or the rises in ticket prices.

Between October 7 and October 11, there are a range of grounds – attractive, quirky or historical – that are worth visiting this week, and we bring you five suggestions below.

Keys Park – Home of Hednesford Town

Hardcore football fans will remember Hednesford Town through their run to the FA Cup fourth round in 1996-97 before they lost 3-2 to eventual finalists Middlesbrough at Riverside Stadium.

However, backed by ambitious local owners Craig and Amanda Gwilt from 2024 onwards, Keys Park has become one of the best grounds in non-league football, partly through installing what has been described as a “world-leading pitch” which ‘evolves beyond the technology installed at Everton's Hill-Dickinson Stadium‘ and is surrounded by recently-installed LED advertising boards.

 

Off the pitch, Keys Park, with a capacity of 6,039 – is already up to EFL standard and such money has been invested into the playing side that the hope is that the Pitmen can eventually reach that level. On Tuesday night, it is third-placed Hednesford versus second-placed Stockton Town in the Northern Premier League as they each attempt to stay in the hunt for promotion to the National League North.

APEC Taxis Stadium – Home of Runcorn Linnets

Visiting the APECS Taxis Stadium would not usually be on a list of grounds to experience, but football supporters with nothing to do this weekend may never have a more anticipated Runcorn Linnets fixture to witness.

For the first time in their history, the Yellows – who play at the eighth tier of English football in the Northern Premier League Division One West – will be participating in the FA Cup fourth qualifying round for the very first time when they face National League North outfit Buxton.

Runcorn Linnets moved into the ground, which has a capacity of 1,600, in 2010, several years after ground-sharing with Witton Albion, and the facility possesses a state-of-the-art hybrid grass pitch that can be used by local sporting groups and teams. The stadium is also surrounded by several full-sized pitches, adding to its community feel.

If Runcorn Linnets and Buxton play out a draw on Saturday, the replay will be staged three days later at Silverland. Buxton's home ground is the highest football ground above sea level in England, standing at 310 metres (1,020 feet).

Drewitt-Barlow Stadium – Home of Maldon and Tiptree FC

FA Cup fourth qualifying round ties are a regular theme of this article and the Drewitt-Barlow Stadium is another that will be staging an eagerly-anticipated tie between Maldon and Tiptree FC and Flackwell Heath.

This is an all-eighth-tier tie that gives these two teams a chance to set up a glamour tie against an EFL side in the next round, but football supporters may also see value in visiting a ground that has recently undergone improvements.

Maldon and Tiptree were taken over in February and renovations have been taking place ever since, with plans being put in place in April to build a new 200-seater stand and a safe-standing terrace.

 

Parkside – Home of Aveley

The third and final FA Cup-themed ground that you could visit is Aveley's 3,500-capacity Parkside ground that will stage the game with Gateshead.

Aveley ground-share with the ambitious Hashtag United, while this game brings particular intrigue through National League outfit Gateshead having been upset by Hednesford Town – who were then an eighth-tier side – in front of the BBC cameras at this stage of the competition last year.

Broadhurst Park – Home of FC United of Manchester

Returning to the Northern Premier League and FC United of Manchester play host to Hebburn Town at Broadhurst Park on Saturday afternoon.

The ground has been open for the last decade as FC United – formed by supporters disillusioned by how the Glazer Family were running Manchester United – attempt to progress up the football league ladder.

Possessing a capacity of 4,400 and easily accessible on Manchester's tram network, the foundations have been laid for FC United to go through the levels, and they currently sit in sixth place in the table with the best defensive record in the division, statistics that may change depending on the midweek fixtures.

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Darren Plant

Darren is a writer and tipster across a wide array of sports including football, golf, darts and boxing. He counts Keegan Bradley's US PGA Championship win in 2011 as his greatest-ever bet. Darren is also a Chelsea and Hednesford Town fan, as well as a keen golfer and darts player.

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