Whatever The Weather...Get Down To Gigg Lane

I was in Greater Manchester on Saturday afternoon and can attest to the kind of weather that saw Bury's League Two fixture against Southend United abandoned during the first half.

After what the club call some 'slightly sketchy' communication after the decision was made, the Shakers have decided to throw open the doors of Gigg Lane to everyone for the re-arranged fixture on Tuesday 21 April at 7:45pm.

That's right, its free entry for all for what promises to be a vital match at the top end of the table and I'd urge as many people as possible to go along, contribute to the bucket collection that will be taking place to help with the cost of an academy trip to Holland and perhaps buy a programme or at least a cup of tea.

As Bury point out, they will bear additional costs, including Southend's additional travel requirements.

http://www.buryfc.co.uk/news/article/statement-abandoned-southend-game-2368431.aspx

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On a similar theme and in a similar area, Ashton United have halved admission costs for their re-arranged match against Witton Albion in the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League Premier Division, which will take place at Hurst Cross on the same evening.

Adults can gain entry for £5, concession for £3 with chairman Terry Hollis calling it 'the right thing to do.'

Non League Day 2015

Preparations are already underway for Non League Day 2015 which will take place on Saturday 10th October, during an international break which will mean no Premier League and Championship fixtures.

The last two seasons in particular have seen NLD really take off with widespread media coverage and clubs at all levels of the Non-League game offering initiatives ranging from reduced price admission and 'Pay What You Want' entry down to free beer and, in the case of Bungay Town in 2014, handing out free mushrooms to everyone attending.

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: Potters Bar Town

I did a short piece back in August on Potters Bar Town and their decision to offer free season tickets for the current campaign.

A recent piece on the City AM shows how well the scheme has done and the benefits it has brought to the club.

No Fools, Just Affordable Football For April!

A look at the first part of the month...

Wednesday 1st: The latest in Norwich City’s successful hosting of Under-21 games at Carrow Road with free admission for all. Everton are the visitors for a 7pm kick-off.

Friday 3rd: Two ‘Kids for a Quid’ offers in League One for Good Friday as Gillingham host Fleetwood Town and Yeovil Town take on Chesterfield.

Saturday 4th: Under-18’s tickets purchased in advance for Aberdeen FC’s games against Partick Thistle today and Inverness on Wednesday 8th are priced at £5.

Monday 6th: An Easter Monday special at Sholing FC as they host Bashley with a 1pm kick-off in the . The game is a ‘Pay What You Want’ affair with a minimum donation of £1 and free entry for kids.

Thursday 9th: England's Women take on China at Manchester City's Academy Stadium, kick-off 7:30pm. Admission is priced at £5 for Adults, £2.50 for Concessions and a Family Ticket is available at £10.

Saturday 11th: Reading FC warm up for their FA Cup semi-final date with Arsenal by hosting Blackburn Rovers at the Madejski Stadium and the game is just part of a big community day that has been promoted with the #ryansroyals as the home side will be wearing a special shirt, designed by 14-year-old Ryan

Tickets for the Reading game are priced at £10 Adults and £5 for Concessions and they are the same for Sheffield Wednesday’s home clash with Charlton Athletic on the same day as the Owls aim to top their season-high crowd of 29,848.

Coventry City’s home game against Colchester United on the same day is ‘Kids for a Quid’.

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: Hitchin Town FC

Hitchin Town FC's battle to remain at their historic Top Field home has featured on Affordable Football this season with a 'Pay What You Want' fixture following on from a march through the town that was supported by well over 1,000 people.

And the campaign has been successful, as a recent statement on the official club website confirms, with a 25-year lease now in place until 2039.

http://www.hitchintownfc.co.uk/articles/weekly_articles/20150315572789550354.shtml

As an aside, Slough Town are the visitors to Top Field this coming Saturday for what has been designated as 'Ladies Day' with all female fans able to attend the match for free.

Wingate & Finchley FC, Great Yarmouth Town FC

Lots of initiatives and offers at the moment as the season enters its final straight. Please check to see if your local club are doing anything, especially this coming weekend when the international break means there are no Premier League or Championship matches.

With both sides aiming to make the Ryman League Premier Division play-offs this season, Wingate & Finchley’s game against Dulwich Hamlet this Saturday (please note 1pm kick-off) should be an exciting affair and it also forms part of Wingate's annual community day.

The game has been designated as ‘pay-what-you-want’ day while the club will also be raising money via a bucket collection for The Noah’s Ark Hospice, who provide support for children and young people with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions and their families in North London.

http://wingatefinchley.com/news2014-1.php

And, at a venue I know well from many happy family holidays, Great Yarmouth Town take on Haverhill Borough this coming Saturday (28th March, 3pm) in the Thurlow Nunn Eastern Counties League, both sides harbouring promotion hopes.

The Bloaters have also decided to make the game a 'Pay What You Want' fixture in a bid to boost numbers through the gate of the Wellesley Recreation Ground (with its fine old stand dating from 1892) and strengthen community relations.

http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/greatyarmouthtown/news/pay-what-you-want-sat-28th-march-1401262.html

Thanks also to the excellent Cold End blog for details of a charity day at Hertford Town on Saturday.

Free Football At Braintree Town This Tuesday

There will be no admission fee at all as Braintree Town take on AFC Telford in the Vanarama Conference Premier this Tuesday night (7:45pm) with the club's sponsors helping out with an excellent initiative.

Chairman Lee Harding told the official club website: "We know times are hard for a lot of people at the moment and that many follow the Club, but are unable to afford the cost. 

"To say thank you to all our regular supporters and help those that would like to come along, we've decided to make the game free to all-comers and hope that the town and district will get behind the team for what is a big game for us."

http://www.braintreetownfc.org.uk/news.html

Currently playing at the Miles Smith Stadium, the Iron have hopes of moving into a new facility in the future while keeping the club on a firm financial footing and trying to gain a place in the Football League.

They will certainly go into the Telford game on a high after winning 5-1 at Torquay last time out.

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 Big Night For Hendon FC

Proud members of the Isthmian League since 1963 and having always played in the top division of that competition, Hendon FC have been ground-sharing since leaving their Claremont Road home in September 2008, currently at the Earlsmead home of Harrow Borough.

But the Greens are in the process of upgrading their new home at Silver Jubilee Park and are able to play their first competitive game there this coming Thursday against Corinthian Casuals in the London Senior Cup (they are unable to currently host games at SJP in the league or other cups).

Admission prices have been reduced for the occasion with Adults £5 and Under-16's £1. Kick-off is at 7:45pm and more info on the club can be found on the official Hendon FC website.

A quick line on Hendon's opponents in their first game as the Corinthian Casuals, who still strive to 'promote fair play and sportsmanship' while playing competitively as amateurs at the highest possible level, held a 'Pay What You Want' day yesterday (Saturday 21st March) for their home match against Herne Bay.

 http://www.corinthian-casuals.com/

Saturday Update: A Good Day For Jeff & Hartlepool!

Hartlepool United's potential 'Great Escape' from the League Two trapdoor is well and truly on after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Mansfield Town on Saturday afternoon, a result that had Jeff Stelling in raptures as plenty of videos on social media have been showing over the past few hours!

In the wake of back-to-back away wins at Morecambe and Oxford, Hartlepool decided to cut prices for the game to a maximum of £12 for adults and were rewarded with a gate of 4,166 with 317 travelling up from Mansfield making it 3,849 supporting the hosts.

3,289 had attended the last Saturday home fixture against Burton Albion, 3,129 of them home fans.

Cambridge are next up at The Vic, on Saturday 28th March, more offers in the pipeline?

#RyansRoyals - Reduced Prices For A Special Day At Reading FC

Good times indeed at the Madejski Stadium as the Royals prepare for an historic FA Cup Semi-Final date with Arsenal in April and also prepare for a very special Community Day at their home league fixture against Blackburn one week before the trip to Wembley.

For the Rovers visit, on Saturday 11 April at 3pm, Reading will wear a special shirt that has been designed by 14-year-old supporter Ryan Duval as part of a project with The Avenue School.

Ticket prices have been reduced to £10 for Adults and £5 for Concessions which, combined with the feelgood factor of the cup run should ensure a sell-out crowd.

There's lots of information about the Community Project and #RyansRoyals on the official Reading FC website.
http://www.readingfc.co.uk/news/article/ryansroyals-blackburn-tickets-190315-2344425.aspx

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.

Big Game, Small Prices At Hartlepool United This Weekend

Two excellent away victories in the space of four days, at Morecambe and then Oxford United, have sparked hopes of a great escape for Hartlepool United who looked dead and buried at the foot of League Two when Ronnie Moore took over as manager before Christmas.

But the experienced former Rotherham United and Tranmere Rovers manager has got a number of teams (including Tranmere) very worried about an upturn in form that sees Hartlepool just four points from safety ahead of Saturday's home game against Mansfield Town.

And to try and boost the attendance and atmosphere at Victoria Park for the 3pm kick-off, ticket prices have been reduced to £12 Adults and £6 Concessions for seats and £10/£5 for the terraces.

Sportingly, the offer applies to Stags supporters making the journey up and tickets are available up until kick-off.

http://www.hartlepoolunited.co.uk/news/article/hartlepool-slash-ticket-prices-for-crunch-game-with-mansfield-town-2344323.aspx

'Pay What You Want' At The Seaside This Saturday!

Three 'Pay What You Want' games take place in various Non-League divisions this Saturday (21st March) and all three are by the seaside if you fancy a game of football and a stroll along the front as well.

In the Vanarama Conference South, Weston-Super-Mare AFC take on Concord Rangers. The club bar will be open from 11am with entry to the stadium from 1pm. To help the club gauge reaction to the 'Pay What You Want' initiative and gather information for future offers/promotions, entry will be through the Club function room where supporters will complete a quick Q&A.

http://westonsmareafc.co.uk/pay-want/

Worthing FC of the Ryman League Division One South host Folkestone Invicta at Woodside Road. The club want to see as many shirts of different colours as possible and there will be half-time penalty contest with prizes on offer.

http://www.worthingfootballclub.co.uk/club/News/view/878243

And Scarborough Athletic host Bamber Bridge in the Evo-Stik Division One North. The Seadogs are continuing their battle to return to Scarborough itself but are currently playing matches at Bridlington Town's Queensgate home.

Club director Nick Finch said: "Following the match abandonment we handed out tickets to allow all supporters access into the rescheduled game. However, we are aware that fans may not have kept hold of their tickets from the original fixture given the length of time between the two games."

"The Board has therefore decided to run a 'Pay What You Can' scheme, to give those who do not normally attend Scarborough Athletic games a chance to enjoy this fixture for as little or as much as they wish to spend. It also allows those who attended previously from Scarborough and Bamber Bridge the chance to enter for free or to make a contribution to cover the costs of putting the re-arranged fixture on."

http://www.scarboroughathletic.com/news/2015-03-18/pay-what-you-want-bamber-bridge

A Champions League Final Ticket For 10 Euros

If anyone fancies watching the biggest game in the European women's club football calendar and taking in the sights of Berlin at the same time then tickets are now on sale for the UEFA Women's Champions League final which takes place on Saturday 14th May at the Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Sportpark, with a 6pm kick-off (local time).

Individual tickets cost €10 each, while group tickets (11 people or more), family tickets (3 people or more), senior, student and disabled admission is €6 per person.

Thanks to the excellent She Kicks website for this story. Links are on there to the official Hertha Berlin website for purchasing tickets.

An all-British final in the UWCL remains a possibility as the competition resumes at the Quarter-Final stage next weekend.

Bristol Academy host FFC Frankfurt in their first-leg on Saturday 21 March at Ashton Gate (kick-off 2pm). Tickets are £10 for Adults, £1 for Kids and £5 for Seniors/Under 22's.

Glasgow City take on PSG the following day at Airdrie's Excelsior Stadium (kick-off 4:05pm). Tickets are £10 for Adults and £5 for Under-16's.

If both sides make it through then they have also been kept apart at the Semi-Final stage.

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 Second Half: Ten Games For The Rest Of March

A very busy period of football with full midweek cards, rescheduled matches, the start of the WSL season and international action towards the end of the Month.

Here are ten interesting and affordable fixtures to look out for.

Tuesday 17th: Stirling Albion have a rearranged fixture against Stranraer at the Forthbank Stadium and have reduced adult admission to £5 with all other categories (over 65s, students, under 17s) admitted free of charge. Under 12s already go free at all home games.

Tuesday 17th: Alfreton Town take on Lincoln City in the Vanarama Conference and all tickets for the game have been reduced to £10 for Adults and concessions and £2 for Under-15's.

Friday 20th: Wolves host Derby County in an important Championship fixture and, with the game being televised live, all tickets in all areas of the ground are half-price at Molineux for this one meaning adults can gain admission from £11.50.

Saturday 21st: Weston-Super-Mare AFC look to boost their links to the local community and encourage more people to come through the gate. They have designated their home clash with Concord Rangers in the Conference South as a 'Pay What You Want' fixture with a minimum entry contribution for non season ticket holders of £1.

Saturday 21st: It is also a 'Pay What You Like' day at Worthing FC of the Ryman League South Division as the Rebels host Folkestone Invicta at Woodside Road

Sunday 22nd: Glasgow City host Paris St Germain in the Quarter-Finals of the UEFA Women's Champions League at the Excelsior Stadium home of Airdrie FC. Tickets are priced at £10 for Adults and £5 for Under-16's.

Monday 23rd: Nuneaton Town host a Euro Under-17 Qualifier between Norway and Romania at Liberty Way (kick-off 3pm) with free entry for all age groups. The ground also stages Romania v Slovenia on Saturday 21st at 7pm and the club have a special offer for schools, local football teams and voluntary groups working with children to join them at the games with a gift for all group bookings. See the official website for more details.

http://www.nuneatontownfc.com/news/boro-host-euro-qualifiers--free-entry-1393769.html

Wednesday 25th: Barnet FC’s The Hive hosts England Under-20’s as they meet Mexico in an international friendly kicking off at 7:45pm. Tickets are priced at £3 for Adults and £1.50 for Concessions.

Saturday 28th: An addition to our International Football article is an England Under-18 fixture against Switzerland at Walsall’s Banks’s Stadium (kick-off 5:30pm) with tickets priced at £3 for Adults and £1.50 for concessions.

Sunday 29th: England Under-20's take on the USA at Plymouth Argyle's Home Park ground. Kick-off is at 3pm and admission is £3 for Adults and £1.50 for concessions.

Bath City & Weston-Super-Mare

After the success of last season's event when a crowd of 1,374 came through the gate, Bath City FC stage their Community Day this Saturday (14th March) when they entertain Concord Rangers in the Vanarama Conference South.

For spectators it is 'Pay What You Want' admission and the RUH Forever Friends Appeal will benefit with 10% of the money raised.

The club are encouraging supporters of all clubs to attend in replica shirts with prizes on offer for both the furthest away in the UK and also the furthest away in the world.

http://www.bathcityfc.com/news14.htm#0503

Concord Rangers also provide the opposition at Weston-Super-Mare one week later (21 March) with the home side also trialling a 'Pay What You Want' initiative with a minimum entry fee of £1.

To get feedback from fans, entrance to the stadium will be via the club function room where a quick Q&A will be handed to spectators. Completion of that will also give entry to a draw where a free season ticket for next season can be won.

Commercial Director Neil Keeling told the club website: "Since I took over the reins on the commercial side I’ve been looking at ways in which we can re-connect with the local community. I think a lot of potential fans are massively put off by high ticket prices in football and even at our level in the Conference South.

"This initiative has been trialled at Brentford and Albion Rovers in Scotland with great success. I think it’s an ideal time for such an initiative and basically we can see how it goes, let’s see if we can generate more interest and support. Which in turn will hope to retain and encourage a new or even old generation of fan."

http://westonsmareafc.co.uk/pay-want/

First Ever FA Women's Cup Final At Wembley

Following on from the success of the England versus Germany friendly international held at Wembley recently, where a crowd of more than 45,000 enjoyed the day, this season's FA Women's Cup Final will be held at the national stadium for the first ever time.

The game will take place on Saturday 1 August at 3pm, with live television coverage on the BBC and early-bird tickets are on sale until 05 May priced at £10 for adults and £3 for children with a family ticket £25 and discounts for groups.

http://ticketing.thefa.com/

The competition is currently at the Fifth Round stage which sees the entry of the clubs from the top division of the FA Women's Super League enter the fray. The eight ties (with 2012 FA Cup winners against reigning league champions Liverpool probably the pick) will take on Sunday 22 March at 2pm.

International Football In March

While England's senior team resume their Euro 2016 qualifiers in March and also travel to Italy for a high-profile friendly, a number of the age-group sides are off around the country.

The Under-17's have a trio of Elite Round Qualifiers as they look to seal a place in this summer's European Championships in Bulgaria.

They take on Norway (Saturday 21 March, 3pm) and Romania (Thursday 26 March, 7pm) at Burton Albion, in close proximity to the England team base at St George's Park. Chesterfield's Proact Stadium hosts the match against Slovenia on Monday 23rd March at 7pm.

The Under-20's, meanwhile, have friendly matches lined up against Mexico (Barnet FC, Wednesday 25th March at 7:45pm) and the USA (Plymouth Argyle, Sunday 29th March at 3pm).

Tickets for all of the above games are priced at £3 for Adults and £1.50 for Concessions and are available from the individual clubs.

And Middlesbrough's Riverside Stadium hosts an attractive England Under-21 friendly international against Germany on Monday 30th March at 7:45pm with both sides beginning their preparations for this summer's European Championships.

Tickets have been selling well and are priced at £10 for Adults, £1 for Over-65's and Under-18's.

On the senior front, Scotland take on Northern Ireland in a friendly at Hampden Park on Wednesday 25th at 7:45pm as they prepare for the visit of Gibraltar in a Euro qualifier the following Sunday. West and East stand tickets are available for £15 Adults and £5 for Under-16's.

West Didsbury & Chorlton AFC, Saturday 7th March 2015

This picture was taken on Saturday afternoon at the Recreation Ground home of West Didsbury & Chorlton AFC in Manchester as they hosted Bootle in the North West Counties Football League Premier Division.

The two sides provided a hard-fought contest that was more than worth the £5 entrance fee (£3 concessions and free for under-12's with a lot of youngsters present and kicking around a ball of their own).

West have home games coming up in March against Alsager Town (14th), Colne (21st), Bacup & Rossendale Borough (24th) and Squires Gate (31st).

Good news too from Frome Town on Saturday where a 'Pay What You Want' offer designed to get 500 people through the gate for the home game against Hungerford was successful with a crowd of 512 at the Blindmans Brewery Stadium.

Salisbury FC

Just under a year ago I wrote about a crowd of 2,217 at the game between Salisbury City and Kidderminster Harriers in the Football Conference after weeks of hard work by Salisbury officials, supporters and players to promote the club.

http://affordablefootball.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/bogof-at-brentford-oxford-united-and.html

Fast forward to March 2015 and a phoenix club called Salisbury FC are fighting to start next season in the Raymond McEnhill Stadium after the demise of City in the summer of 2014. The stadium was given to the city of Salisbury in 1997 but the trustees have so far been unwilling to discuss use with the men behind the new club.

A petition that aims to change that situation is available to sign at Change.org

Pay What You Want & £99 Season Tickets at Sutton United

Sutton United host Hayes & Yeading United at Gander Green Lane this Saturday (7th March) in the Conference South and the club have made it a 'Pay What You Want' fixture with the aim of repeating last season's successful initiative against Basingstoke.
Top comedian, and Sutton fan, Tim Vine will again be in attendance while the club's chosen charity, St Raphael's Hospice in North Cheam, will also be present.

Longer-term, the club have announced a number of initiatives that they hope will boost their supporter base and strengthen links with the local community such as the installation of a new 3G pitch.

Ticket-wise, the first 1,000 applicants for 2015/16 are able to purchase a season ticket for £99 (£4.71 per game). Reductions are in place for Concessions (£75), Teens (£20) and Kids (£10).

http://www.suttonunited.net/seasontickets

Also this Saturday, 'Operation 500' at Frome Town aims to get a biggest crowd of the season through the gate for the home game against Hungerford Town in the Evo-Stik League Southern Premier Division by means of a 'Pay What You Want' offer.

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.

Oakwell, Tuesday 3rd March 2015

This picture was taken ahead of Barnsley's League One clash with Coventry City at Oakwell on Tuesday night when home season ticket holders were able to bring a guest for just £5, boosting the attendance to a healthy 9,567 which is the Tykes biggest since a local derby against Doncaster Rovers at the beginning of January.

The stadium itself may be relatively unremarkable (although the old Main Stand remains) but the approach to the ground, through the tight-knit local streets and the amount of people walking down the hill from the town centre do stir up a sense of tradition of a journey that has been made by many generations of families over the years.

349 Sky Blues supporters braved the weather to follow their team, watched for the first time by new manager Tony Mowbray. The club have put together a Mowbray Match Package for the final seven home games of the season which are priced at £99 for adults in the standard zone of the Ricoh Arena.

UEFA Women's Champions League Quarter-Finals

After securing their places in the UWCL last eight back in November, the anticipation has been building for both Glasgow City and Bristol Academy ahead of their upcoming Quarter-Final ties.

Glasgow City host Paris St Germain in the first-leg on Sunday 22 March, 4:05pm at Airdrie's Excelsior Stadium with tickets priced at £10 for adults and £5 for Under-16's.

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

The day before, Saturday 21 March, 2pm, Bristol Academy host FFC Frankfurt at Ashton Gate with tickets priced at £10 for adults, £1 for kids and £5 for seniors and Under-22's.

A 2-4-1 offer for BAWFC season ticket holders is available but not online.

http://www.bristolacademywfc.co.uk/news/champions_league_tickets.html

March also sees the big kick-off of the Women's Super League season while in early April, Manchester City's Academy Stadium hosts England's friendly match against China.

Cammell Laird 1907 & Eastleigh FC

One that I noticed slightly too late to write about before the match, Cammell Laird 1907 FC operated a 'Pay What You Want' offer for Saturday's home game against Wigan Robin Park in the North West Counties Football League Division One where a 4-1 victory kept the home side clear at the top of the table.

Founded as Cammell Laird Institute, the club changed its name from Cammell Laird in 2014, rising from the ashes as a Phoenix club after Cammell Laird FC voluntarily quit the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League at the end of last season.

Lairds' Chairman Frank Games told the club website beforehand: "We've not tried this sort of thing in the recent past, but we are hoping to generate a bit of interest, and will certainly consider running it again next season if it proves to be successful."

In the Vanarama Conference, meanwhile, a slightly different but equally welcome approach as Eastleigh FC’s community sponsor, Compass Vehicle Leasing, purchased 2,000 tickets for the televised home game against Macclesfield and then handed them to local junior teams.

The result, on the day that the club’s new stand was officially opened, was a record attendance of 4,126 and a thumping 4-0 victory for the hosts.