Grassroots clubs are increasingly catering to more discerning “foodie” palates – with the traditional pie often being left on the shelf by fans in favour of other half time sustenance
Non-league footie fans are ditching stodgy pie-based terrace snacks in favour of trendy jerk chicken and plantain, stone-baked pizza, and Vietnamese street food treats.
Grassroots clubs including Tooting and Mitcham, AFC Wimbledon, and AFC Croydon Athletic are among the lower league outfits increasingly catering to more discerning “foodie” palates.
“Terrors” fans at south-London outfit Tooting and Mitcham can snap up £13 a pop boneless Jerk chicken, plantain, and rice meals from The Shak Caribbean food shop during games rather than burgers and pies.
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Similarly, at nearby Croydon Athletic fans can munch on jerk chicken with waffles and coleslaw plus optional hot sauce for £10 as well as traditional burger and pie offerings.
And at Cray Wanderers in southeast London, chefs at London’s oldest football club are also dishing up Jerk chicken burgers for an affordable £7 a pop.
But Caribbean cuisine is not the only munch making inroads into non-league football. At AFC Wimbledon fans can enjoy servings of Vietnamese street food, stone-baked pizza, and trendy skin-on fries.
Last night Dons diehard Sheryl Young, 53, told us: “I love the food offering at non-league football. When I go to Tooting and Mitcham, I can tuck into Jerk chicken with plantain and rice.
“While at Wimbledon we can choose from Vietnamese street food, stone-baked pizza, and those skin-on fries which I love. Not everyone wants a stodgy pie or burger – I certainly don’t.”
Croydon Athletic supporter, George Czubak, 38, added: “To be fair the hot sauce on the Jerk chicken was a bit hot for me to say the least but I muddled through.
“It’s lovely to try something new and a bit healthier while watching some great football at the same time.”
But some fear the move to trying exotic new dishes could lead to a loss of tradition if burger and pie-based snacks end up getting wiped from matchday menus.
Writing online one sceptical fan, warned: “Goal gets scored; those chicken wings go flying.”
Another, said: “Christ, with the temperatures out ‘ere at the minute that’s getting cold in about two seconds.” And a third pie-loving purist, added: “Wtf who eats this in the stadium?”
Non-league footie fans are not the only supporters woofing down tasty jerk chicken dishes – even if some outfits are independents rather than official club offerings.
At Crystal Palace, Eagles diehards have long been regular diners at the Original Tasty Jerk Ltd situated next to Selhurst Park where a small jerk chicken costs £9 plus £2 for a plantain and £1.50 a dumpling.
The restaurant – which was named as one of the 30 best places to eat anywhere in the world by the Observer newspaper in 2023 – is known for sending plumes of smoke bellowing across the Selhurst Park on matchdays.
And at Arsenal Juss Jerk serves up a Juss Jerk Chicken Meal with rice and peas or rice and plantain from £13 just yards from the Emirates stadium.
Outside the capital scores of topflight teams are cooking up an array of dishes featuring cuisines from all over the world.
Toffees fans can enjoy a £20 a pop Salt and Pepper sharing platter at Everton’s new Hill Dickinson stadium while Preston North End regulars can munch on Butter Chicken Tikka and rice for just £6.
Barnsley fans can snap up Chinese chicken skewers on a flatbread for just £6.95.
And at Forest Green Rovers in Nailsworth, Gloucestershire, known as ‘the world’s greenest football club’, bosses are serving up a choice of 100 per cent vegan food including a Keralan cauliflower, chickpea, and onion bhaji pasties.
Meanwhile moneybags Premier League sides are also selling posh nosh although many dishes are part of pricey hospitality packages.
At Newcastle, Toon fans can sign up for a small plates’ menu followed by a main of Middle Eastern Lamb and Crumble desert as part of their £650 plus VAT Rooftops hospitality package.
And at Aston Villa’s “Lower Grounds” venue, street food hospitality package options include Chips with Curry Sauce and Loaded Nachos for £190 including match ticket.
Liverpool serve up Cajun Chicken Burgers as part of their Anfield Code £299 a pop VIP tickets.
And at Burnley’s Jimmy McIlroy hospitality suite fans can feast on a street food buffet including a BFC Chicken and Fish Hotdog, Belgian Waffles plus desert choices and half-time samosas for £120 a ticket.
Lastly Notts Forest fans can choose from options including a buffet featuring a charcuterie, wraps, Korean chicken plus cake and pie choices as part of their Vault Experience priced at £175 plus VAT.
