Getting Ready for the Oldest Derby

This picture was taken at Sandygate, the home of Hallam FC and the world's oldest ground, as the 'Countrymen' took on a young Sheffield Wednesday side on Monday evening.

As well as gearing up for the new season in the Northern Counties East League, Hallam are preparing to face Sheffield FC on Sunday in a fixture that has huge significance in the game's history.

Sheffield FC, the world's first football club, play at the Coach & Horses ground in nearby Dronfield (with the pub of the same name next door coming highly recommended) and are pulling out all the stops this weekend with two first team fixtures and a special legends match to celebrate the first ever derby match played between the two clubs, at Sandygate in 1860.

As well as the game against Hallam, Sheffield are taking on Austrian lower league side ASK-PSV Salzburg on Saturday at 3pm while Borussia Dortmund are also bringing over a fans and legends team for a fixture on Sunday against a Sheffield FC Select side prior to the derby game which kicks off at 3:30pm.

Tickets for the event are priced at £7 for adults and £2 for concessions.

http://www.sheffieldfc.com/news/derby-festival-just-around-corner

A Week of Champions League Football in Glasgow

Scottish champions Glasgow City embark on their UEFA Women's Champions League campaign in August and will also act as hosts for their four-team group with six fixtures scheduled within the space of as many days.

Glasgow take on FC Union Nove Zamky (9 August, 7:45pm), Glentoran of Northern Ireland (11th, 7:45pm) and FC Zhilstroy-1 (14th, 4:00pm) with all their games being played at Airdrie's Excelsior Stadium.

Admission to all of these fixtures is priced at £5 and £2 while the three games between the other teams in the group are free for all spectators. Full details of times and venues for these are on the Glasgow City Ladies
website.

http://www.glasgowcityladiesfc.co.uk/

Affordable Football aims to bring you the special offers, reduced ticket prices and family deals that make catching a match anywhere in the country more affordable. You can tweet us @affordablefooty or email affordablefootball@yahoo.com if your club are doing something worth hearing about.

Fifth Annual Non League Day

This year's Non League Day is scheduled to take place on Saturday September 6 when the international fixtures take place.

Last year, the fourth staging of the event really caught the attention with hundreds of clubs cutting prices, putting on special offers for fans of local league clubs, 'pay what you can' fixtures, fun days and more while there was also plenty of media attention from Radio 5 Live especially.

Speaking to the Non League Paper last week about the 2014 Non League Day (which is scheduled for 6 September), founder James Doe also confirmed that Prostate Cancer UK will be the official charity partner for this year's event. 

The Non League Day Twitter feed and website is the place to go to keep up with all of the things going on but all over the country clubs are pulling out all the stops to attract new fans through the gate on a weekend where there are no Premier League or Championship games so check out the official website of your local team to see what is happening.

Popularity of 'Pay What You Can' Set to Spread

Shildon AFC hosted a 'Pay What You Can' fixture on Saturday afternoon after securing a friendly against SPL newcomers Hamilton Academical at late notice and that should be the first of many such games up and down the country over the next nine months or so.

It was interesting in the first year of Affordable Football to see the spread of teams who put on a 'Pay What You Can/Want' event, from Brentford in League One to some of the smallest non-league clubs. After a very successful fixture Albion Rovers then took the idea even further of course and extended it to season tickets.

Speaking to the Non League Paper last week about the 2014 Non League Day (which is scheduled for 6 September), founder James Doe said: 'We want to push the idea of 'Pay What You Want' because that's worked well for clubs in the past.' 

It takes plenty of hard work to put on a successful event, the timing needs to be right both to maximise the number of people who can attend and also allow for publicity to take effect. This season may see a few twists in the ways clubs use it and we'll try and keep up to date with those on the blog and also on Twitter.

The First Game of the Season!

It's always good to get to your first game of a new season. This was taken at Dronfield Town versus Sheffield FC on Tuesday evening where the warm weather made for an enjoyable evening at Dronfield's smartly-kept ground tucked away behind Coal Aston Cricket Club.

The Northern Counties East League side host a Chesterfield XI on Friday 1 August at 7:45pm with admission priced at £4 and £2 and they have also tweeted me to say that season tickets are available for £50 and £25.

Nelson FC & Basingstoke Town

Situated amongst a host of Football League and Premier League clubs, Lancashire’s Nelson FC have come up with a great offer for season ticket holders of any of the 92 clubs in the top four divisions.

The ‘Premier Season Ticket’ allowing entry to all 21 of the club’s home league games in the North West Counties Football League in 2014/15 for just £45.

Nelson were originally intending to target the offer at season ticket holders of Burnley and Accrington Stanley but, wisely given the sheer number of clubs in the area, have extended it to all Football League and Premier League teams.

It means that attending just nine games at Victoria Park would cost the equivalent of just £5 per match.

Meanwhile, Basingstoke have announced an innovative sponsorship deal with Sky’s Soccer AM programme which will see the club’s ground renamed after the show.

The Dragons hope that regular exposure on Saturday mornings across the nation will give a boost to numbers through the game and raise the profile of the club.

In the short term it means free entry for fans at the pre-season friendly against Woking on Saturday 2 August when the sponsorship deal is launched officialy.

Affordable Football aims to bring you the special offers, reduced ticket prices and family deals that make catching a match anywhere in the country more affordable. You can tweet us @affordablefooty or email affordablefootball@yahoo.com if your club are doing something worth hearing about.

The Toolstation Cup - Battle of the Leagues!

The first ever Toolstation Cup takes place this Saturday (26 July 3pm) at the home of Staveley Miners Welfare near Chesterfield and brings together two teams from leagues sponsored by Toolstation.

Bristol Manor FC of the Western League and Knaresborough Town FC of the Northern Counties East League will meet in what should be a well-contested tune up for the new season.

Best of all admission is free with donations greatly appreciated for Asthma UK and the RNLI Flood Rescue.

Thanks to the Non-League Paper where an article on this fixture appeared last Sunday.

Affordable Football aims to bring you the special offers, reduced ticket prices and family deals that make catching a match anywhere in the country more affordable. You can tweet us @affordablefooty or email affordablefootball@yahoo.com if your club are doing something worth hearing about.

(Nearly) A Year of Affordable Football

Approaching the anniversary of the first post on this blog I just wanted to say thank you to anyone who has ever read it, forwarded me details of offers and deals that I haven't seen or, most importantly, been to a match on the back of something they have read either here or on Twitter.

The nature of the site is that this coming season will see me write about more of the same (in a good way hopefully!) as clubs continue to innovate and communicate with their supporters in a bid to get more people through the gate.

At the end of July last year for instance I wrote about some forthcoming offers in the Capital One Cup where the sponsors were running a 2-4-1 ticket scheme. This year all games in the 1st Round are eligible for a 'Kids for a Quid' offer which allows an adult to buy up to five under-18's tickets for £1 each.

On Holiday in Guernsey? Catch a Friendly

One of the most interesting stories in non-league football over the past couple of years has been the emergence of Guernsey FC into the pyramid and their success in the face of some unique challenges that the club face, namely the stretch of water that separates them from all of their opponents!

A full history of the club can be found on the official website but if you are holidaying on the island over the next few weeks then their are four pre-season matches to take in, beginning with the visit of Havant & Waterlooville this Saturday.

Tickets for all those games are priced at £5 and £1 for under-16's.

Five Friendlies For a Fiver (Or Less) This Weekend

A (relatively) random selection of friendly matches taking place this weekend at which adult admission is £5 or less. Please tweet @affordablefooty with any others that your club are involved in and/or games you will be attending.

All Chester FC home matches in pre-season are priced at £5 with under-18’s going free. Crewe Alexandra are the visitors this Saturday.

£5 is also the going rate for Dover Athletic’s friendly fixtures (including games against Colchester United and Gillingham) and they host Margate in an all-Kent affair at Crabble on Saturday afternoon. Under-11’s and season ticket holders go free.

One of the most interesting non-league stories of the past couple of years has been Guernsey FC’s emergence in the Pyramid and the unique challenges they have faced. If you are holidaying on the island this summer then all home friendlies are priced at £5 and £1 for Under-16’s. Havant & Waterlooville are the visitors for a Saturday evening kick-off.

Phoenix club Hinckley AFC continue preparations for their first season by taking on Bedworth United on Saturday afternoon. Prices are £3/£2 and free for Under-16’s

And to kick it all off, Shildon AFC host Stranraer on Friday night where you will pay £4/£2 and free for under-12’s with paying adult. Stranraer also head to Blyth Spartans the following day.

Today's Lesson is...Free Season Tickets at Morecambe FC

Morecambe FC manager Jim Bentley was the guest at two local schools last week to promote the club's offer, in partnership with Centrica Energy, of a a free season ticket for all Year 11 pupils in the local area for the upcoming 2014/15 season.

The Shrimps envisage handing out around 1,200 vouchers over the coming weeks and are hoping that a significant number of these are used in return for a season of free football at the Globe Arena.

It's an excellent offer and one aimed at an age group that can sometimes be forgotten about as clubs look to build their younger fanbase.

Also in League Two, Carlisle United featured on these pages a couple of times last season and have launched a loyalty card for the new campaign in a bid to reward those without season tickets who are still regular match-goers. If a supporter attends 10 matches then they will receive £10 off their next ticket purchase.

A Quickfire Double Bill as Blades host Huddersfield and Fenerbahce

The chance to meet Fenerbahce in a pre-season friendly at Bramall Lane means Sheffield United are playing two friendlies in the space of three days at the end of July.

Huddersfield come to town on Tuesday 29 with the Turkish giants there on Thursday 31. Individual tickets for the games are more than reasonably priced at £7 for adults and £3 for concessions but a joint ticket can be purchased costing £12/£5.

Blades Board member and Fenerbahçe fan, Selahattin Baki, has been instrumental in arranging the fixture with a contribution from the gate receipts going towards the Turkish Mining Disaster Fund.

"Sheffield United, as the team of working people, Sheffield, as the city of working people, can relate to the tragedy in Soma, I can't be more grateful for the support," Baki told the official SUFC website.

Affordable Football aims to bring you the special offers, reduced ticket prices and family deals that make catching a match anywhere in the country more affordable. You can tweet us @affordablefooty or email affordablefootball@yahoo.com if your club are doing something worth hearing about.
 

Tranmere Rovers, Accrington Stanley & Corinthian Casuals

League Two football may be on the cards for Tranmere Rovers' supporters this coming season but the Merseyside club have reduced their matchday prices for the coming campaign.

Adult prices now start at £15 for the Kop Stand with Seniors and Young Person's (17-22) priced at £9.

Speaking to his club's official website, chief executive Jeremy Butler said: "We were already one of the cheapest clubs in the region and now we’re even better value for money for supporters."

Accrington Stanley's innovative attempts to build their fan base have been featured here on Affordable Football over the past year and this week the club announced a new initiative that will see Season Tickets offered for free to all Year 6 pupils at 37 schools in the borough of Hyndburn.

"I’m sure a lot of their parents have a soft spot for the club," said boss James Beattie. 

"Hopefully this is the first step towards bringing the local community through the turnstiles at the Store First Stadium."

Details on the official websites of both clubs.

This weekend, meanwhile, in addition to the 4-team tournament taking place at Gretna FC which we highlighted earlier in the week there is a similar event being hosted by Corinthian Casuals.

The Geoff Harvey Memorial Vase, featuring four Ryman League teams, kicks off at 11am on Saturday and all four matches can be seen for £12.

Affordable Football aims to bring you the special offers, reduced ticket prices and family deals that make catching a match anywhere in the country more affordable. You can tweet us @affordablefooty or email affordablefootball@yahoo.com if your club are doing something worth hearing about.


 

A Perfect Marriage of Football and Affordability!

Continuing our look at clubs who have risen from the ashes, Gretna FC (2008) established themselves in the newly-formed Lowland Football League last season.

The rapid rise and fall of the previous club to bear the town's name has been well documented but there are firmer foundations behind the current set-up.

The club are wholly owned by members of the Gretna Supporters Society and for £10 a year that privilege is open to all.

Having groundshared for a short period at nearby Annan, Gretna returned to Raydale Park in 2009 and the club were part of a community group who purchased the site in 2011.

This weekend (12 and 13 July) at their home ground Gretna host the Raydale Cup 2014 which offers the chance to watch four matches over the weekend for just £10 adults and £3 for children.

The hosts are taking on Annan Athletic on Saturday while Stirling Albion match up against Workington Reds with the respective winners and losers then meeting on Sunday.

Affordable Football aims to bring you the special offers, reduced ticket prices and family deals that make catching a match anywhere in the country more affordable. You can tweet us @affordablefooty or email affordablefootball@yahoo.com if your club are doing something worth hearing about.

http://www.gretnasupporterssociety.co.uk/

Easy as 1-2-3 to Watch Watford v Udinese

For a pre-season taste of football that will be hard to beat price-wise then have a look at Watford FC's offer for their friendly against sister club Udinese on Saturday 2 August.

Ticket prices are just £1 (for under-16's), £2 for other concessions and £3 for adults and whatever tempo the game is played at it will surely represent great value for money for a family day out.

An added bonus is that the net profits made from the game will go to The Royal British Legion.

http://www.watfordfc.com/news/article/140802-watford-v-udinese-tickets-1709835.aspx

Fans Still Feel Good At Portsmouth FC

Only the second ever post here on Affordable Football came after the opening day of the 2013/14 season and reflected on the excellent attendance at Portsmouth's home match against Oxford United, their first competitive fixture as a fan-owned club.

We commented at the time that '18,181 packed out Fratton Park and, although their team suffered a heavy defeat, the majority did so because they felt a genuine part of their club and community.'

And, with a price freeze in place for 2014/15 (until 12 July), that spirit shows no sign of abating as chief executive Mark Catlin explained to the official club website: "With only just over a week to go until the end of the early bird period, we are already approaching 8,000 season tickets sold, of which almost 1,500 are new sales.

"We are well on course to exceed last season’s total of 10,600 and are confident that, given the level of demand for this coming season, we will playing to a sold out stadium on a regular basis."

Affordable Football aims to bring you the special offers, reduced ticket prices and family deals that make catching a match anywhere in the country more affordable. You can tweet us @affordablefooty or email affordablefootball@yahoo.com if your club are doing something worth hearing about.

Hinckley AFC The Latest To Rise From The Ashes

A short while ago I looked at season tickets for the reformed and resurgent AFC Rushden & Diamonds whose £99 offer for a whole campaign of football at the Dog & Duck ground is still valid for the duration of the World Cup .

During pre-season the Diamonds will also take part in the Supporters Direct Shield for a second successive year with the trophy, for clubs where fans are the owners, being contested for a fourth time.

Their opponents are Hinckley AFC, a club that has been brought back to life by supporters in the Leicestershire town after the demise of Hinckley United last year and which aims to be a community-owned club run for the benefit of the local community.

Although across the border in Leicestershire, Hinckley is home to a number of Coventry City fans and my club was actually linked with a move there as the rent dispute over the Ricoh Arena began to escalate. Given events this week in the courts it may be that Sky Blues fans need the advice of Supporters Direct on forming a new club sooner rather than later…

Anyway, back to the present and prices for the SD Shield match on Wednesday 30 July are £4 adults, £2 concessions and free for under-8’s.

Hinckley themselves are hosting Conference North side Tamworth on Tuesday 15 July with prices £4/£2 and free for under-16’s. Season tickets for the new club are available for £76 for adults.

Full details on the AFC Rushden & Diamonds and Hinckley AFC websites and also more about the work of Supporters Direct at http://www.supporters-direct.org/

Affordable Football aims to bring you the special offers, reduced ticket prices and family deals that make catching a match anywhere in the country more affordable. You can tweet us @affordablefooty or email affordablefootball@yahoo.com if your club are doing something worth hearing about.

Update - Friendlies & Hartlepool United

Hartlepool United's 'Follow Your Hart' campaign, with adult season tickets priced at £180, has been a great success and with the early bird deadline just days away the club have reached the 2,000 mark for summer sales.

Colin Cooper has been busy in the transfer market over the past few weeks and if he can coax a good season out of the old warhorse that is Marlon Harewood then an exciting campaign may be in store for those who have put their faith in Hartlepool's well-priced offer.

Pre-season wise, FC Halifax Town have friendlies against four Football League teams in the shape of Barnsley, Rochdale, Preston North End and Notts County and adult tickets for each game are priced at £8.

AFC Fylde take on Rochdale, Wrexham and a Bolton Wanderers XI before the campaign begins in earnest and adult tickets for those games are £6 each.

Exeter City have a joint ticket available for their games against Swansea City and local rivals Torquay United from £12 for adults.

Full details on the various club websites.