Ahead of Non-League Day, football writer Adrian Kajumba explains Levi Colwill's connection with a team in the seventh tier of English football.
Levi Colwill has never played for a non-league club, but will forever be grateful for the life and career-shaping experiences he has gained while following the one that is close to his heart.
As Non-League Day approaches on Saturday 22 March, a date in the football calendar set aside to shine a light on the grassroots game, Chelsea defender Colwill can already vouch for its importance, having seen it first hand.
Southampton-born Colwill grew up watching local side Sholing FC, supporting his four uncles Barry, Byron, Daniel Mason and Marvin McLean who have etched their names into the club’s history during their careers.
An 11-year-old Colwill was a mascot for Sholing’s FA 2014 Vase Final victory at Wembley Stadium, declaring he would one day return to play there, as he has impressively now managed to do for club and country.
The England centre-back then further strengthened his families’ ties with the Hampshire-based, Southern League side last summer.
Having first informed Sholing of his desire to formally help them a year earlier, Colwill’s wish became reality when he was announced as an associate director of the club in June 2024.
In conjunction with the club and under the banner of the LSC [Levi Samuels Colwill] Project, he has since launched the LSC Academy and will be funding free training sessions ahead of Sholing first-team matches next season, two initiatives aimed at increasing opportunities for local youngsters to play football.
Colwill opened Sholing’s new stand last summer, sponsors the first-team shirts and is also helping fund their new 3G pitch.
Colwill, whose younger brother Jayvon also plays for Sholing, supports them in person too.
He visits the club and attends matches home and away as often as his busy schedule allows, happily giving his time to fans wanting a photo.
Last April, he was in the crowd for Sholing’s trip to Surrey side Walton & Hersham alongside his fellow Chelsea and England team-mate Cole Palmer.
Some familiar faces in attendance at Walton & Hersham today… 🔵 pic.twitter.com/HbyKCMHHc8
— Walton & Hersham FC (@waltonhershamfc) April 13, 2024
"The club is very close to my heart," Colwill told Premier League Productions.
"[It’s] a place where I’ve learnt a lot of things as a person, as a player, from my family here. It's a place that I love a lot.
"People always mention my leadership qualities but that comes from grassroots football. Being there with my uncles when they’ve won or lost and [seeing] how they speak to each other.
"I’ve always wanted to help the community out. That’s been my number one goal and still is.
"The community is what I need to try and bring into the club and also give back to because they’ve done a lot for me."
Sholing CEO Paul Knott said: "He is doing things that are perceived as things somebody would do at the end of their career.
"He is trying to build something here for the future for him and his family. For somebody at 22 to recognise that, it speaks volumes. He is helping us massively."
Sholing have also been helped by the Premier League.
They have been beneficiaries of the Premier League's Stadium Fund, which awards grants to eligible clubs to support the improvement of their stadium facilities for players, supporters and officials.
Sholing used their grant to build new changing rooms which opened in 2020.
Knott told Premier League Productions: "The changing-room facilities we have got now, they’re fantastic and without them we wouldn’t be able to get to where we are now."
Knott added: "We want to be a sustainable community football club and when we’re ready organically, which is something Levi is keen on supporting, then we will look at going up to the next level."
