HeadlinesBriefing favicon HeadlinesBriefing.com

Tony Incenzo Completes 54-Year Non-League Groundhopping Quest

BBC Sport Football •
×

Tony Incenzo has completed a 54-year journey to visit every ground in the English non-league system, achieving a remarkable feat in football fandom. The 62-year-old groundhopper attended his final match at Fulwood Amateurs on Easter Monday, marking the culmination of a quest that began in 1972 when he watched his first non-league game.

Incenzo's adventure spans over 2,000 non-league grounds across England's steps five to 10 of football, including clubs that have since dissolved. His passion extends beyond non-league, having watched matches at all 92 stadiums in the top five tiers of English football, 42 grounds in Scotland, and numerous venues across Europe and worldwide. His total stadium count now stands at 2,689 across 5,804 matches.

What makes Incenzo's achievement extraordinary is his dedication to maintaining his Queens Park Rangers season ticket since 1973 while pursuing his groundhopping dream. He meticulously plans his travels to fit around QPR fixtures, often managing to attend multiple matches across a weekend. His scrapbook, filled with stamps and signatures from every home club, serves as a testament to his unwavering commitment to experiencing football at every level.