Why the National League is so far from the league

However, one of the unique features of the fifth tier of English football is the sheer amount of travel involved.

With teams based in Cornwall, Cumbria, Essex and Tyneside, it’s impossible to avoid spending long hours on the team bus heading to away matches.

Across the division, each team will make an average of eight road trips this season covering more than 400 miles.

Unsurprisingly, Truro are making the most of all but two of their opponents, who require a round trip of at least 400 miles, the longest of all being the trip they made to Gateshead last month.

At the other end of the scale, Tamworth, in Staffordshire, can consider themselves lucky, having made just one trip to Cornwall as their only monster trip this season.

There is no funding for flight or rail travel during these away days, so players and managers will be hoping to avoid a Friday of long delays stranded on England’s motorway network.

“My wake-up call was when we played at home on Saturday and then on Sunday morning we were heading to Southend to play on Bank Holiday Monday,” Grayson said.

“One Friday we went to Aldershot from Hartlepool and it took over 11 hours due to accidents on the motorway. I got to India faster when I was traveling there!”

“Long travel can be detrimental but don’t use it as an excuse. Often times in all leagues, you travel in the right direction and then go and get beaten, whereas sometimes you have a more brutal trip and poor preparation and you end up with one of the best games of the season.

“Of course, you want to do it like the Premier League clubs, whether by flying or taking the train, but these players keep at it.

“It gives you a special bond and camaraderie with the players while you’re sitting on the bus for a long time, and you’ll have more time to get to know people in a different way through playing cards, talking, games and whatever else.”