Leamington FC, Rushall Olympic

Leamington FC, in its current guise, were formed in 2000, twelve years after the final game of football in the town was played at the Windmill Ground.

Living in Rugby as a youngster my main haunts were Highfield Road and Butlin Road, home to VS Rugby, but I did make the occasional visit to watch AP Leamington (as they were then known as the works team of Automotive Products).

Based at the New Windmill Ground, progress since 2000 has seen the club reach as high as the Conference North before relegation back to the Southern Premier League in 2015.

A return to that level could be on the cards this season as Leamington are currently top of the table and to capitalise on the feel-good factor the game at home to St Ives Town on 14th January 2017 has been designated as a ‘Pay What You Want’ fixture with the aim of thanking existing supporters and attracting new ones.

Rushall Olympic are based just outside Walsall and, as is the lot of Midlands clubs in the pyramid, face some lengthy trips in the Northern Premier League.

Proudly in existence since 1893, the Pics celebrate their club with a Community & Youth Development Day on 2nd January for the visit of Coalville Town (kick off 3pm).

All youth team players and their families will be given free admission before 2pm and general prices have been reduced to £5 Adults, £3 Concessions and free for accompanied Under-12's.

Boxing Day is Derby Day

One of the best things about Non-League football in England is surely the fact that the festive period sees so many local derbies taking place up and down the country.

Healthy rivalries that rarely overstep the mark allow for clubs to meet, often twice in the space of a few days, and reap the benefits at the gate of bumper attendances.

That stretches from the National League at the top down throughout the pyramid so, for instance and as a purely personal choice, there is an eagerly-awaited clash at the Wellesley Recreation Ground in Great Yarmouth where the Bloaters take on Gorleston Town in an 11am kick-off on Boxing Day, allowing enough time for a good breakfast and a walk along the sea front to shake off the excesses of the previous day.

BOXING DAY DERBY IS BACK!!!

⚽️ @The_Bloaters vs @gorlestonfc
🗓26/12/16 (Boxing Day)
⌚️️11am Kick off
📍The Wellesley

Not to be missed! pic.twitter.com/ggfZjdlA33

— Great Yarmouth Town (@The_Bloaters) 29 November 2016

With Great Yarmouth having been promoted back to the top-flight of the Eastern Counties Premier League last season it means the rivalry has been renewed and the game has received plenty of build-up on social media amongst two sets of players and officials who know each other well.

Wherever you are heading off to over the next few days, enjoy your football and a very Merry Christmas from Affordable Football to anyone who reads the blog or follows on Twitter.

Scunthorpe United, Luton Town

Two clubs entering 2017 in a positive frame of mind are the Iron and the Hatters as they aim for promotion from their respective divisions.

Scunthorpe United are surprise leaders of League One in many eyes but their form throughout the current campaign is a continuation of the upward curve they experienced towards the end of last season under new manager Graham Alexander.

A veteran of 1,000 matches as a player, Alexander cuts an impressive figure in the game and has already guided Fleetwood Town to promotion in his short managerial career.

Scunthorpe are a club who always try and involve themselves in the local community and don’t exist in isolation. That came to the fore last season when they strongly backed the ‘Save Our Steel’ campaign.

For the visit of Bury on Saturday 7 January, a local promotion is in place (one of the four that are allowed to Football League clubs throughout the course of a campaign) which means that tickets are priced at £10 Adults, £5 Concessions (65+, Under-21, Student), £1 for Under-18's and free for Under-12's.

Fifth in League Two at the time of writing, Luton Town’s future looks good on the pitch under another young manager in the shape of Nathan Jones and also off it as plans have been submitted for a new stadium at Power Court in the centre of the town.

There are quite a few hurdles left to jump (and talk of the Hatters playing at a new ground has been around as long as I can remember) but this looks like a project that can genuinely play a part in a wider regeneration attempt rather than benefit the football club and no-one else.

Luton have also made the headlines this season after receiving a £15,000 fine from the Football League for fielding weakened teams in the Football League Trophy.

This ridiculous state of affairs has come about despite Premier League and Championship clubs being invited into the competition to blood their youngsters (and also give the likes of Peter Crouch and Charlie Adam a run-out), despite Luton actually qualifying for the next stage and despite the fact that fielding the same players throughout the league season would have earned the Hatters a reward.

They have done the only sensible thing in the face of such madness and reduced prices to just £5 for Adults and Concessions and free for Under-16's for the visit of Chesterfield in the last 16 on Tuesday 10 January, kick-off 7:45pm.

Affordable Football: Coming Up

December 22: Free football at Leigh Sports Village when Manchester United Under-23's meet Middlesbrough in the Premier League International Cup, kick-off 7pm and also at Aldershot Town as Chelsea U-23's play Swansea City in the same competition (kick-off 7.05pm).

December 24: There is Christmas Eve action in Scotland and Montrose, who host Stirling Albion in a 1pm kick-off in League Two, are offering 'Pay What You Want' admission to the game.

December 31: Pay What You Want at Folkestone Invicta for the Ryman Premier game against Grays Athletic, kick-off 1pm. 

January 7: FA Cup Third Round weekend and all tickets for Watford against Burton Albion are priced at £10 Adults and £5 Concessions. 

January 7: Staying with the FA Cup, £10 Adult tickets are also available at Huddersfield Town where Port Vale are the visitors and prices at Bristol City for the game against Fleetwood are £10 Adults, £5 Concessions. 

January 7: Flying high at the top of League One, Scunthorpe United have reduced prices for home supporters when they entertain Bury. Tickets will cost £10 Adults, £5 Concessions (65+,U-21, Student), £1 Under-18 and free for Under-12’s.

January 9: A Manchester derby at Under-23 level with United and City meeting at Leigh Sports Village. Free admission is available for the 7pm kick-off. 

January 10: Tickets are priced at £5 for Adults and free for Under-16's as Luton Town host Chesterfield in the Football League Trophy at Kenilworth Road.

January 10: The FA Youth Cup enters the 4th Round stage in the new year and there is a London derby at Loftus Road between Queens Park Rangers and Tottenham Hotspur. Tickets are priced at £3 Adults, £1 Concessions and free for accompanied Under-8's for the 7pm kick-off.

January 14: Crawley Town host Hartlepool United in League Two and tickets are available on a 'Pay What You Can' basis with a minimum price of £1. 

January 30: Another free admission game at Leigh Sports Village when Manchester United Under-23's take on Everton in Premier League 2.

New Year’s Eve: Start the Party at Folkestone Invicta

The final day of 2016 sees a full programme of fixtures up and down the country and, at Non-League level in England certainly, there will be a host of local derbies to look forward to.

It is also a time to look back on the year, hoping for better in some cases and celebrating achievements in others.

Both Folkestone Invicta and Grays Athletic have plenty to be optimistic about as they prepare for a New Year’s Eve meeting at the Fullicks Stadium, kick-off 1pm.

For the hosts, 2016 was the year they finally broke a hoodoo on gaining promotion to the Ryman League Premier Division that had seen Invicta lose in the play-offs on four successive occasions.

Breaking that run in style they clinched the Division One South title as early as Good Friday with a 6-0 victory against Walton & Hersham.

On New Year’s Eve, as a thank you to supporters, Folkestone have made it ‘Pay What You Want’ admission for the visit of Grays Athletic, who recently celebrated becoming wholly supporter-owned and run.

West Didsbury & Chorlton FC

A merry Christmas to everyone at West Didsbury & Chorlton of the North West Counties Football League where my dad is a regular visitor and always receives a warm welcome.

This picture was taken ahead of Saturday's game against Winsford United where there was a free drink on offer to anyone making a donation to Chorlton & Didsbury Food Bank.

Since then West have reached the semi-finals of the Manchester Premier Cup where they will meet FC United of Manchester in early February.

Next home game at Brookburn Road is a South Manchester derby against Maine Road on 27th December at 3pm. Admission prices are £5 Adults, £3 Concessions and free for Under-12's.

Five for the Weekend

Some matches that may be of interest over the weekend.

Beginning at Aldershot Town on Friday evening where Chelsea Under-23's take on Dinamo Zagreb in the Premier League International Cup. There is free admission to this game for all spectators, kick-off is at 7:05pm.

No apologies for repeating that two Non-League clubs are pulling out all the stops to divert people away from the shops, Banbury United and Mickleover Sports of the Southern and Northern Premier Leagues respectively.

Currently 7th in the table, Banbury welcome bottom club Cinderford Town for a 3pm kick-off with admission reduced to £5 for Adults and Concessions and free for Under-16's.

The Puritans are also hosting a Christmas Funday with a free gift for all children, a choir and a visit from the pantomime.

In Derbyshire, fellow mid-table dwellers Ashton United are the visitors to Mickleover's Don Amott Arena where admission is £5 for Adults and free for Under-16's and Concessions.

The Christmas theme continues here with a free selection box of chocolates for the children.

Also on Saturday afternoon, with Merseyside eagerly awaiting Monday night's derby clash, Liverpool fans can watch their Under-18's in FA Youth Cup action against Crystal Palace at Tranmere's Prenton Park.

Admission is £4 Adults, £1 Concessions and free for LFC members and season ticket holders on production of their cards. Kick-off is at 3pm. 

And in Scotland where Spartans FC host BSC Glasgow in the Lowland League, admission to Ainslie Park will be free for spectators who 'donate at the gate' with items that will go to the less fortunate at Christmas time, in partnership with Granton Baptist Church’s Basics Bank and the Trussell Trust North Edinburgh Food Bank

Banbury United FC, Mickleover Sports FC

The last Saturday of football before Christmas is usually an occasion for lower than usual attendances although the calendar this season means that there is still a match-free Saturday, in the shape of Christmas Eve (in England although there are quite a few matches taking place in Scotland), in which to cram in some last-minute shopping.

Two Non-League clubs pulling out all the stops to divert people away from the shops are Banbury United and Mickleover Sports of the Southern and Northern Premier Leagues respectively.

Currently 7th in the table, Banbury welcome bottom club Cinderford Town for a 3pm kick-off with admission reduced to £5 for Adults and Concessions and free for Under-16's.

The Puritans are also hosting a Christmas Funday with a free gift for all children, a choir and a visit from the pantomime.

In Derbyshire, fellow mid-table dwellers Ashton United are the visitors to Mickleover's Don Amott Arena where admission is £5 for Adults and free for Under-16's and Concessions.

The Christmas theme continues here with a free selection box of chocolates for the children.

Watch Manchester United Three Times For Free Before Christmas

Three opportunities to catch a free match involving the Red Devils before Christmas, starting this coming Monday evening when Old Trafford plays host to the FA Youth Cup Third Round tie against Southampton.

At a stage of the competition where some other Premier League clubs have opted to play their home ties elsewhere it is good to see the doors of the famous old stadium being thrown open for a 7pm kick-off (turnstiles open at 6pm) and with no need to obtain a ticket beforehand.

The excellent Leigh Sports Village facility also plays host to two matches in the Premier League International Cup.

United Under-23's host Sparta Prague at 7pm on Thursday 15th December before playing Middlesbrough the following Thursday, 22nd December, again at 7pm.

Admission is free to both games, more details can be found here - Leigh Sports Village 

Pay What You Can at Crawley Town FC

Pay What You Want, or Pay What You Can, tends to be a Non-League affair in England although it has been done at Brentford in the past and also at Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the Scottish Premiership.

The initiative perhaps lends itself to people paying cash at a turnstile or gate rather than buying tickets in advance but that shouldn’t stop a pat on the back to Crawley Town for trying it out when Hartlepool United visit the Checkatrade Stadium for a League Two fixture on Saturday 17th January.

A minimum price of £1 has been set and all areas of the stadium are available apart from those held by season ticket holders.

Tickets can be purchased in advance at the box office or by phone and turnstiles will be open on the day for both home and away supporters to pay what they can.

Operations Director Kelly Derham told the official Crawley Town website: “We are delighted to be staging our first Pay What You Can game.

“January is traditionally a time when money is tight for everyone. The Hartlepool game is one of three fixtures in the month with Portsmouth the following week arguably our most attractive home game of the season.”

As I have written before on the blog, smaller clubs in Leagues One and Two face testing times as they balance the demands of maintaining full-time squads and the associated costs that come with that against a trend whereby the Championship is increasingly looking like a Premier League 2.

That task may be even harder for clubs such as Crawley who have risen so far in the past ten years but who are now looking to maintain their Football League place against a backdrop of attendances that have dipped below 2,000 at times this season.

Let's hope the 'Pay What You Can' offer can boost those numbers in January and increase awareness in the town of the efforts that the local club are making.

Vanarama Big Day Out 3

The third of the affordable finals at Wembley Stadium, alongside the FA Women's Cup Final and Non-League Finals Day, the Big Day Out is the flagship event of the Vanarama National League as the two winning play-off semi-finalists battle it out for the prize of promotion to League Two.

I attended last season's game between Grimsby Town and Forest Green Rovers and had a very enjoyable day out in the London sunshine as the Mariners celebrated their return to the Football League.

The 'early-bird' ticket offer, which runs from December 12 to February 28, is designed to attract neutral supporters to what is hoped to be a celebration of the Non-League game and tickets during this period are priced at £20 Adults, £10 Seniors (Over 60) and free for accompanied Under-16's (1 per paying adult or senior, additional tickets £5).

Tickets then go off-sale until the two competing clubs are confirmed. Although prices rise at this time, anyone buying during the early-bird period whose team subsequently makes the final will be allocated a seat with their own club's supporters.

More details at the official National League website.

Five for the Weekend

A selection of matches that may be of interest over the course of the weekend.

On Friday night, Portsmouth host Newcastle United in the FA Youth Cup, under the lights at Fratton Park for a 7pm kick-off. Admission is priced at £4 Adults and £2 Seniors, Special Concessions and anyone aged 22 and under.

Not too far away, Aldershot Town will host the Premier League 2 clash between Chelsea and Manchester United Under-23's. Admission to the 7:05pm kick-off is priced at £3 Adults and £1 Concessions.

The FA Trophy is the main event on the Non-League scene this weekend and National League high-fliers Forest Green Rovers are in action at home to Truro City. Ticket prices have been reduced and Adult standing tickets purchased before the day of the game will cost £8. Under-11's go free.

Stretching the weekend out until Monday evening and Gillingham are the visitors to the Macron Stadium for a televised League One clash for which Bolton Wanderers have made all home tickets available for £5.

On the same evening there is free admission at Old Trafford for Manchester United against Southampton in the FA Youth Cup, kick-off 7pm.

Turnstiles will open from 6pm and there is no need to obtain tickets in advance. Fair play to United for this as a number of the bigger clubs, drawn at home in Third Round of the Youth Cup have opted to play their ties away from their main stadiums.