Leicester City Provide The Answer

The question being: 'What can clubs do to promote reserve/under-21 football as an affordable, family-friendly evening out?'

I left this particular blog half-finished last week because I wasn't quite sure where it was going.

The general theme was one of disappointment that clubs seemed to be doing their utmost to push reserve team games into the margins through lack of publicity, an assortment of kick-off times and matches being played at training grounds or local non-league clubs.

The recent Under-21 derby between Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United was a case in point, being played as it was on a Friday afternoon at Hillsborough when an evening kick-off would have attracted a healthy crowd.

It was my own club, Coventry City, who pioneered under Jimmy Hill the notion of marketing reserve team games to a family audience and many clubs followed suit over the years.

Being able to get close to the action and see the odd star player (either dropped to the stiffs or returning from injury) was a small but significant part of a club's community ethos.

Obviously the game has changed and the notion of a 'reserve' team, at the higher levels, has disappeared. But why push even the Under-21's into the margins, playing games at the training ground in the middle of the afternoon and making it difficult for people to attend?

So where do Leicester City come in? Well, the Foxes have been selling a package of tickets for a series of Under-21 games at the King Power Stadium this season, all with 7pm kick-offs and designed for families to enjoy an inexpensive night out.

The result: A gate of 1,200 for the first game against Sunderland and then over 2,000 for Monday night's match against Liverpool.

A win-win situation given that the players on show got to experience real match conditions and a taste of playing in front of a supportive crowd.