The Premier League has announced an increased investment package of £12.6m to support the National League over the next three years.

A sum of £9m is available to support the 72 National League Clubs with running costs and sustainability. Afurther £3.6m will be available via the Premier League and Professional Footballers’ Association’s partnershipto support the National League Trust and the network of club community organisations like the Maidenhead United FC Community Trust.

Marking the news, the Premier League Trophy visited Maidenhead United as local schoolchildren participatedin a special Premier League Primary Stars training session on the pitch at York Road Stadium.

Players from the club’s 52 junior teams, launched in 2019 with support from the National League Trust, also assembled at the ground for photographs with the Trophy.

The new Premier League investment is in addition to the Premier League’s Stadium Fund which has made£33m available over the next three years to help clubsacross the football pyramid to transform matchday experiences and improve sustainability.   

Funding for maintenance and new infrastructure is available to clubs playing in steps 1 to 6 of the National League, including those promoted into the English Football League, as well as for the Women’s football pyramid. 

Maidenhead United have received more than £300,000 in funding for stadium improvements from the Premier League since 2003, with grants contributing to the construction of covered seating areas, a new accessibility entrance and updated turnstiles and floodlights. 

The club’s historic York Road Stadium has been home to The Magpies since 1871, the oldest ground used continuously by the same club.

Premier League Chief Executive Richard Masterssaid: “The continued success of Premier League football over the past thirty years enables us to provide unprecedented investment in communities and wider football. As we look to the future, we are committed to investing more than ever, to help develop the game and provide opportunities to people of all ages.” 

“We are pleased to increase the financial support offered to clubs playing in the National League and to support the fantastic work they deliver in their communities alongside the National League Trust.” 

Mark Ives, General Manager of the National League, added: “We welcome the ongoing support of the Premier League and this new investment will provide a timely boost of vital funding to our clubs. This is brilliant news for our competition and its future.

“Fans and communities are at the heart of everything we do. The Premier League’s increased funding package for the National League Trust means even more resource for our club foundations to continue and expand their roles in local communities.” 

Last season, the Premier League supported National League clubs with £5m to help them with their continued recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Community Captain recognition for Nick Bradshaw 

During the Premier League Trophy’s visit to York Road, lifelong fan of the club Nick Bradshaw was named as Maidenhead United FC’s Community Captain in recognition of his work as a volunteer combatting loneliness and providing support to vulnerable residents in the local community. 

The club have commended Nick in particular recognition of his support of the late Levi Niemann, a remarkable resident of Maidenhead, who first becameknown to the club through the Magpies Community Care Helpline operated during the pandemic.

Nick formed a friendship with Levi, who was registered as blind in 2012, helping him to live more independently and even to achieve a lifetime ambition to skydive to raise funds for Guide Dogs UK.

Nick was presented with a Premier League pennant and special captain’s armband by Maidenhead United captain Alan Massey.

“A captain is someone who shows leadership and commitment and uses their ability to help others, which means Nick is a more than deserving recipient of this prestigious Premier League award,” said Massey.

“Nick is an incredible example of the relationship the club is proud to have within the community and it is testament to the hard work of everyone at the Community Trust. 

The Community Captain accolade is being given to more than 100 members of the public who have made an outstanding contribution to their club and local community, as part of the Premier League’s 30th anniversary celebrations. 

Jon Adams, Chief Executive, Maidenhead United said: “We are thrilled that Maidenhead United FC has been included within the Premier League Trophy Tour. The club has been the beneficiary of funding from the Premier League through the National League over several years. This funding has been vital to the development of our extensive community programme, enabling us to support the development of grassroots football and extend the range of activities available in the local area to support those most in need within our community.” 

Across England and Wales, Premier League investment supports the community organisations of all 92 Premier League and English Football League clubs, plus the 68 National League clubs.  

Over the next three years, the League will continue its world-leading levels of support by contributing £1.6 billion to communities and the wider game. During the Trophy Tour, the League will be announcing new financial commitments to benefit fans and communities.

Paul Holleran has confirmed that Alex Prosser will join up with Stourbridge for a month's loan deal. 

The centre midfielder, who has made 7 appearances for the Brakes this season, will spend the next 28 days with the Glassboys who currently occupy the final relegation space in the Southern Premier Division Central, and will be available for their bottom half clash with Bedford Town tomorrow.

We wish Alex the best of luck with this loan move. 

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As we hit full flow on the 2022/23 season, we are delighted to be sponsored once again by Rugby-based, family-run heating and plumbing specialists Custom Heat. 

After initially sponsoring Leamington F.C. just as the pandemic hit, we have another chance to partner with Custom Heat this season, as we expect to welcome incredible crowds throughout the year.

With heating and utilities a major factor in the rising cost of living, Custom Heat continues to offer affordable and highly cost effective care plans and servicing, to keep your boiler in tip top condition as the football season plunges us into the colder months. 

You’ll see their logo and board around the ground and in our programme, and we look forward to welcoming several of their growing local engineering workforce along to support the Brakes this season. 

Lincoln Smith, Managing Director, said “We’re all about supporting local, and Leamington F.C. is at the heart of this community and we’re excited to be there for the 2022/2023 season.”

We continue to look for sponsors to support a range of initiatives at the club, and Custom heat join a growing line up of local, regional and national businesses all helping to keep this incredible club going. 

There are lots of other ways you can support, including the Brakes lottery and shopping via the smile.amazon.co.uk site.

The National League has been in discussions with BT Sport on the timing restriction on Clubs placing their highlights online and the difficulties this can cause some Clubs.

Yesterday BT Sport confirmed they are in agreement for the restriction to be amended so that Clubs can upload their highlights immediately following the BT Sport National League highlights show, rather than the current restriction.

Whilst the timing of the BT Sport highlights show may vary – they are typically scheduled at 10pm, finishing at 10.30pm, with this being the case for the forthcoming weeks.

Should there be any amends to the timings we will ensure they are sent to the Clubs.

Should there not be a weekend highlights show, highlights cannot be uploaded until after the blackout in accordance with Article 48.

In relation to midweek highlights, these can be shown immediately following the completion of the game.

This amendment is effective immediately and the League are grateful to BT Sport for this concession.

Brakes are set to host AFC Telford United in the Second Qualifying Round of the FA Youth Cup.

The tie will take place at Your Co-op Community Stadium on Wednesday 28 September with a 7:30pm kick off. Entry will be £3 adults and £1 concessions.