A couple of British institutions have evolved to become pretty special.

If there are two exports that the UK still excels at, even in these complicated trade-deal times, it's football and comedy. Although actually the real, enduring successes are the stages they play on. The British comedy circuit and the English football pyramid are two enviable networks that have evolved gradually over decades, but now feature every size of club imaginable, from tiny-village concerns to mighty city stadiums.

The good thing about both set-ups is that even the newest, rawest and - let's face it - rubbishest act or athlete can start at the very lowest rung and see a pathway to the top. Then get bitter and twisted when someone less talented makes it instead, obviously, but that's the gamble you take, jumping onto those stages. Getting anywhere near the bright lights would be life-changing, but most players and performers hopefully just appreciate the rollercoaster journey.

They're both accessible worlds. Nowadays the English Premier League is such a big deal that even the least clued-up punter could have a bet on the weekend's fixtures and stand nearly as good a chance as a dedicated fan. That's partly because the standard is so high throughout: a newly-promoted Brentford will often shock an Arsenal, or draw with Liverpool. And it's the same in comedy clubs, that range of quality: how many times have you emerged from a clubnight and heard 'I really liked that second act,' or something along those lines? There's something for everyone.

Growing up in Britain does also give us an enduring tolerance for things that perhaps aren't as efficient as in other nations - we're looking at you, trains - which is why the circuit and pyramid work so well, with their varied levels of performance. As a people, we do tend to appreciate the honesty of flawed triers, rather than the unrelatable smugness of perfection.

In football, it is perfectly acceptable to passionately support a team who consistently fail, for example, and for their worst player to be your cult hero, because he gives your group of pals such entertainment every week. And in comedy, a lot of people would much prefer to see a hit-and-miss new material night, a half-written work-in-progress show or a local clubnight where the compere is a bit crap and half the bill is made up of open-mic acts, than an expensive, edge-free, 'shiny-floor' theatre show.

With all that in mind, it can be a bit frustrating when people dismiss comedy and football, having only really experienced a tiny aspect of it. True, Premier League stars can seem rich and remote, but lower down the leagues it's a very different story: the game is cheaper, more relaxed, and the players are a lot more relatable. And people are often put off by the stand-up they see on TV, the banter-fuelled panel shows or the offensive gags that get all the headlines, but delve a bit deeper in the listings and there's a wealth of weird and wonderful stuff going on.

So, yes, support your local club, whatever level they're at.