Sandygate, Sheffield On Tuesday Evening

Hallam FC and AFC Emley sharing a 2-2 draw at Sandygate in Sheffield on Tuesday evening.

108 were in attendance at The Oldest Football Ground in the World and hopefully plenty more will come through the gate on Saturday 10th October, Non League Day 2015, when Hallam host Hemsworth Miners Welfare in the Northern Counties East Football League.

Keep up to date with the club on Twitter for more details.

Ten Offers For Non League Day 2015

Still just under two weeks to Non League Day 2015 but plenty of clubs have already outlined what they are doing to mark the occasion.

In no particular order here are 10 offers that we have come across so far.
Macclesfield Town are live on BT Sport against Kidderminster Harriers (12:30pm) and all Under-18's and Students in full-time education can gain free admission to the Moss Rose.

AFC Totton have reduced prices for their Southern League home game against Tiverton Town to £5 Adults, £3 Concessions and £1 Children.

Runcorn Linnets take on Silsden in the North West Counties Football League and season ticket holders from Premier League and Championship clubs can attend for half-price (£3) as can members of the Armed Forces on production of ID.

Paget Rangers are aiming to break their attendance record (currently standing at 155 since the club was reformed) with £1 admission for the game against Knowle in the Midland Football League.

In the same league, Highgate United host Continental Star and admission has been reduced by 50% to £3 Adults, £1.50 Concessions. Bring a mate and double the gate!

In the Ryman League, Barkingside FC take on Maldon & Tiptree and have a number of offers in place for the game including 'Pay What You Want' for Adults and free entry for Kids.

Turn up at Brightlingsea Regent before 2pm when they entertain Soham Town Rangers, also in the Ryman League, and Adults will be admitted for £5.

Trafford FC of the Northern Premier League are offering free admission to Armed Forces, Emergency Services & NHS workers as well as local schools and clubs when they take on Radcliffe Borough.

There is half-price entry for Premier League and Football League season ticket holders as well as residents of the SE16 postcode when Fisher FC of the Southern Counties East league host Sevenoaks Town.

Back to the Northern Premier League and season ticket holders at professional clubs can gain entry to Osset Town against Witton Albion for the Concession price of £3.50.

I'll be tweeting and retweeting as many offers as I can @AffordableFooty while the official Non League Day Twitter feed can be found here.

Will The WSL Title Be Decided On Sunday?

Chelsea Ladies could be crowned champions of the Women's Super League this weekend if win away to defending champions Liverpool and Manchester City fail to beat Bristol Academy earlier on Sunday afternoon.

A landmark season for the women's game has seen crowds increase in the wake of England's excellent World Cup and this weekend promises to be an exciting one in both WSL1 and 2 with relegation and promotion issues possibly being decided as well.

Liverpool host Chelsea at the Select Security Stadium in Widnes at 7pm on Sunday. The Reds' players were busy handing out free tickets to schools this week while admission on the night is priced at £5 for Adults and £2.50 for Children and Seniors.

A full list of fixtures is available at the FA WSL website but when the season ends at the top level of the women's game there will still be plenty going on as the Premier League season is still in its early weeks while the Continental Tyres Cup final is scheduled for Rotherham's New York Stadium on Sunday 1 November (tickets priced at £5 Adults, £2.50 children and £10 for a family ticket).

Trafford FC

My Dad had an enjoyable evening on Tuesday as Trafford FC and Kendal Town shared the spoils in the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League First Division North and spotted in the programme that the Shawe View club are celebrating Non League Day in a big way.

Radcliffe Borough are the visitors on Saturday 10th October and there will be free admission for Armed & Emergency Services and NHS Workers as well as free admission for all local schools and clubs.

In addition there will be free hot dogs and drinks for kids and drinks at the bar will be 'buy one, get one free'.

Founded in 1990 as North Trafford, Trafford have progressed from the Mid-Cheshire League to their present position and continue to try, amidst a lot of local competition in the Manchester area, and be a focal point in their community.

Paget Rangers FC, Barkingside FC

Two for Non League Day 2015 with plenty more to come I'm sure.

Currently members of the Midland Football League, Paget Rangers are looking to progress back through the divisions after being reformed in 2011.

Prior to the beginning of the current campaign, the Bears introduced free admission for Under-16's with a paying Adult (£3) while Over-65's admission is priced at £2. Season ticket holders at Premier League and Football League clubs, meanwhile, can gain entry for just £1 in 2015/16.

And for Non League Day 2015, when Knowle are the visitors to the Trevor Brown Memorial Ground in Sutton Coldfield for a league fixture, admission for all is just £1 with the club hoping to attract a record crowd.

In the Ryman League, meanwhile, Barkingside FC host Maldon & Tiptree on the same day (10 October) at Cricklefields, Ilford Sports Centre, with Adults able to 'Pay What You Want' for admission while children and members of the Armed Forces and Local Emergency Services can attend for free.

Drinks and refreshments will be half-price and anyone buying a programme can come back two days later to watch the game against Cheshunt (Mon 12th, 7:45pm) for half-price as well.

Dulwich Hamlet FC, Bristol Manor Farm FC

Two snippets which have both come from this week's edition of the excellent Non League Paper.

Dulwich Hamlet are away from home on Non League Day 2015 so will mark the occasion one week earlier (Saturday 3rd October) when they entertain VCD Athletic at Champion Hill in the Ryman Premier League.

Admission will be 'Pay What You Want' for the game and both Cooltan Arts, a local mental health charity, and the British Heart Foundation will benefit from the contributions.

Hamlet attracted a stunning crowd of 2,856 when they hosted a 'Pay What You Want' game last season.

Also, from the paper's Groundhopper diary comes news of Bristol Manor Farm FC of the Toolstation Western League where not only can Bristol Rovers and City season ticket holders gain half-price admission on league matchdays but anyone travelling to a game by train and alighting at the nearby Sea Mills station can do too.

The next home fixture is scheduled for Tuesday 29th September against Sherborne Town at 7:30pm.

#FloodlightFootball Offer At Gillingham FC

An excellent start to the season at Priestfield and the Gills are looking to boost the feel-good factor with the introduction of a new Floodlight Football offer for midweek games.

Starting with the visit of Fleetwood on Tuesday 29th September, tickets will be priced at £15 Adults, £10 Concessions and £5 Under-18's.

Fixtures against Scunthorpe United (Tuesday 20th October) and Rochdale (Tuesday 24th November) will also be priced similarly.

And the Gills have reduced prices for the Johnstone's Paint Trophy tie against Luton Town on Tuesday 6th October to £10 Adults, £5 Under-18's and Over-65's and £1 Under-12's.

Next Week's Affordable Football

Look out for more Capital One Cup ties and also a number of interesting WSL1 and 2 fixtures over the weekend of the 26th and 27th.

Monday 21st: Manchester United Under-21's take on Everton at Leigh Sports Village and supporters can register in advance for free admission to this 7pm kick-off while there is also free football at the Boleyn Ground where West Ham United's Under-21's host Newcastle United.

Tuesday 22nd: The next stage of the Capital One Cup takes place and Fulham host Stoke City at Craven Cottage with tickets purchased in advance priced at £10 Adults and £1 for Juniors.

Wednesday 23rd: Norwich City host West Bromwich Albion in the Capital One Cup 3rd Round and although both teams will obviously make changes from their strongest sides it still represents a good chance to watch an all-Premier League tie for just £10 Adults and Over-65's and £1 for Under-17's.

Thursday 24th September: The first of two Premier League International Cup games in two days to be played at the Adams Park home of Wycombe Wanderers FC. Celtic take on Benfica before Friday's fixture between FC Porto and Schalke 04. Tickets are priced at £3 Adults and £1 Under-18's.

Saturday 26th: Currently in 4th and 3rd places respectively in WSL1, Sunderland and Arsenal Ladies still retain hopes of a top two finish and qualification for the Champions League. They meet in Sunderland's final home game of the season at the Hetton Centre, kick-off 6:30pm. Tickets purchased online are priced at £4 Adults and £2 Children.

Clarity On Prices And Honesty On Attendances Help Coventry City

The announcement of the attendance at each of Coventry City's three home league games to date this season has brought a ripple of applause around the Ricoh Arena.

Figures of 13,131, 11,511 and 12,967 may not seem much and 'your ground's too big for you' still rings out regularly from opposition fans but the crowds represent the first step on the Sky Blues' road back to a stronger future.

Suspicion still remains strong when it comes to the club's owners but an important decision on ticket prices was made during the summer with early-bird season tickets competitively priced and matchday tickets costing no more than £20 for Adults.

Secondly, the club announced that attendances of over 11,000 were needed to help manager Tony Mowbray compete in the transfer market, hence the applause that has broken out when that figure has been exceeded.

Mowbray has made a number of signings, permanent and on loan with the temporary arrivals all being well-thought of at their own Premier League (and Championship in the case of Middlesbrough's Bryn Morris) clubs.

So, a positive move in two senses with the price initiative having been praised by national supporters' groups.

Barnsley And Doncaster Rovers

Reciprocal price deals have made some headway in the Premier League and the reduction in some away ticket prices has led to the strange situation where it can cost significantly more to be a visiting fan in the Championship or below.

Well done then to Barnsley and Doncaster Rovers for agreeing such a deal and for a long-established local derby to boot when attendances could generally be expected to be higher than for a normal league game.

When Rovers host Barnsley on 3rd October and for the reverse fixture at Oakwell on Saturday 20th February prices will be £20 Adults, £14 Seniors, £10 Young Adult (17-21), £5 Under-17 and £1 Under-12.

As Barnsley FC chief executive Ben Mansford told his club's official website: "Fair play to both clubs for making this reciprocal ticket offer possible and thanks to the team at Doncaster Rovers for playing their part."

http://www.barnsleyfc.co.uk/news/article/reds-and-rovers-commit-to-lowering-ticket-prices-with-reciprocal-offer-2673777.aspx

Football For A Fiver At Stevenage FC

Stevenage host Dagenham & Redbridge in the 2nd Round of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy on Wednesday 7th October at 7:45pm and, if purchased in advance, all tickets in all areas of The Lamex are priced at £5.

http://www.stevenagefc.com/news/article/football-for-a-fiver-v-dagenham-redbridge-in-the-jpt-2679601.aspx

Lots of other clubs are offering £10 Adult tickets and Kids for a Quid deals when they host games in the next stage of the JPT so have a look at what your local team are doing.

Non League Day 2015

With one international break now over the build-up begins to Non League Day 2015 which is scheduled this year for the next gap in the Premier League and Championship schedules and takes place on 10 October.

A huge amount of effort will be made by clubs up and down the country to offer reduced or 'pay what you want' admission and there should also be one or two more unusual offers such as the free mushrooms at Bungay Town!

http://www.nonleagueday.co.uk/

Premier League International Cup At Wycombe Wanderers

Wycombe Wanderers will host four matches in this season's Premier League International Cup tournament for Under-21 teams from the UK and Europe, starting on Wednesday night (9th September, 7pm) when Borussia Moenchengladbach and Athletic Club Bilbao face each other.

Tickets will be available on the evening for £3 Adults and £1 Under 18's.

Adams Park is also the host for matches between Celtic and Benfica (Thu 24th Sep), FC Porto v Schalke 04 (Fri 25th Sep) and PSV Eindhoven and Villareal (Tue 27th Oct).

http://www.wycombewanderers.co.uk/news/article/ticket-details-moenchengladbach-vs-bilbao-adams-park-0909-2669971.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.

This Week's Affordable Football

Follow us on Twitter to keep up with all of the latest ticket offers that I come across.

Monday 7th: Shrewsbury Town play host as England Under-20’s meet the Czech Republic. Kick-off is at 7:30pm and tickets cost £3 for Adults and £1.50 for Concessions.

There's Under-21 action at Vicarage Road at 7pm when Watford take on Sheffield United. It's free for season ticket holders, otherwise £3 and £1.

Tuesday 8th: Chesterfield FC have restored their reserve team for the new season and they kick-off the season in the Final Third Development League against Doncaster Rovers. There is free entry at the Proact Stadium for this 2pm kick-off.

Blackpool host Morecambe in a Lancashire Senior Cup tie at Bloomfield Road, kick-off 2pm. Admission is free for season ticket holders otherwise its £2 and £1.

Wednesday 9th: Manchester United are in Lancashire Senior Cup action against Rochdale at the home of Hyde United, kick-off 7pm. Admission is £5 Adults, £3 Seniors, £2 Under-16's and free for Under-12's.

Friday 11th: The First Qualifying Round of the FA Cup begins wih ties between Northwich Victoria and AFC Blackpool and Frome Town and Chippenham. 116 matches in all are taking place over the weekend with the winners picking up £3,000 each from the prize pool.

Saturday 12th: No admission details at the time of writing but Stoke City Under-21's are scheduled to be in action at the Britannia Stadium against Fulham (2pm) while the Under-21 derby between Wolves and West Brom is set for 3pm at Molineux. Keep an eye, however, on the official club websites with these two matches as they could be subject to late changes.

Sunday 13th: Yeovil Town Ladies play their second game of the season at Yeovil Town's Huish Park and it is an attractive looking clash with Everton in WSL2. Tickets are priced at £4 Adults and £2.50 Concessions.

#Fishwick For A Fiver At Burnley FC

Burnley FC are using their home game against MK Dons on Tuesday 15th September as a testing ground for allowing home supporters to occupy part of the David Fishwick Stand at Turf Moor on a more regular basis.

To that end, Clarets fans can sit in the Fishwick For A Fiver against the Dons and it is proving a popular offer as almost half of the available tickets had been sold within 48 hours of the deal being announced.

http://www.burnleyfootballclub.com/news/article/fishwick-for-a-fiver-off-to-a-flyer-2667581.aspx

Two More For The Weekend

Following on from the previous article with offers for the international break weekend...

Halesowen Town host Darlington at The Grove on Saturday afternoon (3pm) and are offering half-price admission of £5 for season ticket holders from any Premier League or Football League club.

And the same applies to Canvey Island when they entertain Hendon at the same time.

Aveley FC, Tividale FC, Hyde United

Although Non League Day 2015 is not taking place during this weekend's international break, a number of clubs are still doing something to attract new supporters with no fixtures in the Premier League and Championship.

Check out your local side to see what is happening (that could be in the Football League as well, Stevenage for instance are offering £10 tickets to season tickets of Premier League and Championship clubs).

Here are three to set the ball rolling.

Aveley FC have started the season well in the Ryman League Division North and the table-toppers host 4th-placed AFC Hornchurch on Friday night at Mill Field.

And, to kick off the weekend it's 'Football for a Fiver' with ticket prices reduced accordingly.

Into the Midlands and Tividale FC, who I will always associate with Brian James' 'Journey To Wembley' book from the late 1970's where he began his road from the qualifying rounds of the FA Cup to the final, are in action against Gresley FC.

It's a 3pm kick-off on Saturday in the Northern Premier League Division One South and season ticket holders from Aston Villa, Birmingham City, West Bromwich Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers can gain entrance at the concessionary rate of £4.

And on a similar theme, Hyde United are looking forward after a couple of hard years on the pitch.

The Tigers are now a community-owned club and are welcoming Premier League and Football League season ticket holders to the home game against Mickleover Sports (Saturday 3pm) for half price, just £5.

Berwick Rangers FC

Apologies for missing this before the game actually took place but a belated mention to the Berwick Rangers Supporters Trust for their sponsorship of Saturday's League Two fixture with Arbroath at Shielfield which allowed free admission for fans.

721 took advantage of the offer which represented a healthy increase on the previous home league game while the Trust also raised £1,670 from collections at what sounded like an entertaining 2-2 draw and hopefully a good percentage of those attending will be back when Queens Park are the visitors this coming Saturday.


http://www.berwickrangers.org/over-700-attend-berwick-rangers-v-arbroath-game/