Busy Start To November

A busy start to November with plenty of opportunity to catch matches up and down the country.

 

Both the FA Youth Cup and the FA Cup itself have reached the First Round Proper stage with clubs from Leagues One and Two entering the fray.

 

In the FA Youth Cup that means plenty of opportunity to watch games under the lights at a club’s main ground.

 

The full draw is available on the FA website but, for example, there are matches at Bramall Lane on Tuesday 1st November at 7pm as Sheffield United host Crewe (admission free for season ticket holders, £3 Adults and £1 Concessions) and Roots Hall the following evening at 7:30pm when Southend United take on Leyton Orient (admission £3 Adults and £1 Concessions/Under-16’s).

 

In the senior competition, boosted by the recent announcement of a lucrative new overseas television deal which will hopefully see prize money in the early stages of the cup be improved, a number of clubs have reduced prices to a maximum of £10 for their First Round home ties.

 

Oldham Athletic against Doncaster Rovers, for example, on Saturday 5th November at 3pm, is priced at £10 Adults, £5 Concessions and £1 Under-12’s.

 

Stockport County, meanwhile, want to pack Edgeley Park for the game against Woking on the same afternoon after reaching the First Round for the first time since 2012. Admission prices have been reduced to £10 Adults, £7 Concessions and £4 for 6-17-Year-Olds.

 

It’s a positive move to reflect a positive mood at the Hatters, chairman Richard Park telling the official club website: "The fact we can reduce prices to this level also demonstrates that the club is moving into profitability for the first time in many years.  We have a positive cash flow, which means we can plan for the future with a lot more confidence.  As a Board we've taken some difficult decisions but the journey we began two years ago, towards a sustainable and debt-free football club, is well on course.”

Bonfire Night weekend also sees the final day of the FA WSL season with a special ticket offer in place to watch the two North-East clubs in the competition, Durham WFC and Sunderland Ladies in action at 2pm and 6pm respectively, priced at £6 Adults and £3 Concessions.

 

Saturday 5th also sees free football at Sholing FC as they entertain Brockenhurst in the Wessex Premier League and at Chipstead FC for the game against Walton Casuals.