Meet 'non-league dad' and his 18-month-old groundhopping son

Marley's groundhopping with his father Danny Pickering has included preliminary rounds of the FA Cup

Ever heard of the groundhopping 18-month-old?

His name is Marley and three weeks after being born he was taken by his father Danny Pickering to his first game.

He has since gone to 60 more matches, has sat in his push chair pitch-side in the rain and toddled about grounds right across Leicestershire, with local village team Barwell being their team.

"The players know and they come over. Even the parents of players come say hello, ask how he has been and play with him," Pickering told BBC Radio Leicester.

"He is probably socialising more than me."

Pin badges have been collected to mark each new ground, which even include a few international venues, while Pickering has chronicled it all on social media as 'non-league dad'.

'Making memories'

Danny Pickering says his son Marley "seems to like" their regular non-league days out

Seventh-tier side Barwell is the local club that Pickering has long followed.

The first game his own father took him to was to see the Canaries in action almost 30 years ago, and it was their local derby at Coalville that Marley first attended.

Pickering says following non-league football "has always been his thing" and that taking Marley to matches has helped him as father.

"I just wanted to to get out of house at the weekend to give his mum a break," he said.

"I could also build my relationship, it wasn't just us three in the house playing or reading books, it is me and him and time.

"It's built my confidence with him and being a dad while making memories."

Now with a second child on the way, Pickering expects his match-day experience will get a whole lot busier

"I can try take two, but might have my hands full," he said.