The Semi-Pro Footballer

The real life behind non-league football.

The Semi-Pro Footballer is Khale Da Costa’s honest account of climbing the non-league pyramid from the lower levels to Step 1.

This is not just a story about goals and matchdays. It is about the parts of semi-professional football people rarely see: rejection, injuries, contracts and deals, money, long journeys, changing rooms, managers, confidence, football politics, balancing work with football and learning when to keep pushing and when to change direction.

From Ware, Hendon and Concord Rangers to St Albans, Tonbridge Angels, Dover Athletic, Braintree Town, Chelmsford City and beyond, Khale shares the experiences, mistakes and lessons that shaped his career.

For young footballers, non-league players, parents, coaches and anyone interested in what life below the professional game is really like.

Ambition. Sacrifice. Rejection. Resilience. The journey nobody sees.