New Year Honours

The gong goes to Racing Club Warwick with free admission to Townsend Meadow for the game at home to Uttoxeter Town on Monday 2nd at 3pm.

A name that is familiar to me from growing up in Rugby, partly as their match reports used to feature in the Coventry Pink and also, perhaps, because the Racing Club name sounded quite exotic, The Racers are a thriving community club with all levels of football on offer.

Mentions also to Ilkeston Town for free football on Saturday 7th against AFC Rushden & Diamonds and Havant & Waterlooville where admission is £5 for the National League South clash with Braintree Town on the same afternoon.

There is also League Two football for a fiver on consecutive Saturdays, the 7th and the 14th, with Salford City reducing prices for the visits of Northampton Town and Sutton United.

Free Blog Photos

If At First

I wrote recently about 2022 having been a special year for Worsbrough Bridge Athletic FC as they celebrate 100 years in existence.

That was ahead of a scheduled 'Pay What You Can' game against Retford today, Saturday 17th December, which unfortunately fell foul of the cold weather.

The Briggers have kept the offer in place for the visit of Campion AFC on Friday 30th.

Similarly, Abingdon United had planned to have the first of two 'Pay What You Like' games today but the clash with Cirencester Town was frozen off.

They try again on the 27th against Clanfield with a free hot drink and mince pie for all spectators.

There is also some free football on offer here...

🤩 𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘 𝗙𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗩𝗘 𝗙𝗢𝗢𝗧𝗕𝗔𝗟𝗟
We're excited to announce our Quarter Final of the Worcestershire Senior Cup against neighbours @Alvechurch1st is FREE entry!

🗓️ Thursday 29th December
⏰ 7:45pm kick off
🏟️ The Trico Stadium, B97 4AU

➡️ https://t.co/s5UIM0N4MO pic.twitter.com/4fTXseuK9B

— Redditch United (@RedditchUtd) December 13, 2022

Work In Progress

 

Building work ongoing at Lesser Hampden a couple of weeks ago as Queen's Park FC prepare for their move to the stadium in the new year.

Having moved rapidly through the leagues in the last couple of years, following the historic decision in 2019 to end their amateur status, top-flight football is realistically on the cards next season.

While work at Lesser Hampden has been ongoing, the club have been ground-sharing with Stenhousemuir but made a temporary return to the main Hampden Park ground at the weekend when nearly 2,000 fans from local school and community groups were part of the crowd watching a comprehensive victory over Hamilton.

Queen's Park remain at the national stadium this Saturday for an SPFL Trust Trophy tie against Montrose for which prices have been reduced to £10 for adults and £5 for concessions (65+) and under 16's.

Hallam FC Versus North Ferriby

 On the 3rd March 2020, I watched Hallam FC and North Ferriby play out a 1-1 draw at Sandygate, writing at the time 'there was a warm welcome at the world's oldest ground, £5 adult admission and a good atmosphere in the bar as supporters of both sides mixed.'

Just a week later, of course, and the 2019/20 season was stopped in its tracks, the result of the game included on the excellent NCEFL website for historical purposes only.

Both clubs continue to thrive as part of their local communities and now ply their trade a division higher, in the NCEFL Premier where North Ferriby currently sit at the top of the table.

They meet at Sandygate this coming Saturday (scheduled for 3pm but keep an eye for any changes with the England match and freezing temperatures forecast for Sheffield). The prices and the atmosphere will be the same as way back then!

Bargain At The Briggers

2022 has been a special year for Worsbrough Bridge Athletic FC as they celebrate 100 years in existence.

Currently playing in the Northern Counties East League Division One, The Briggers have survived many ups and down over the years, from floods to stadium disputes, but are looking ahead with confidence to a future as a vital part of the local community.

Their commitment to keeping it affordable is shown by this recent tweet.

🗣️ 𝗔𝗡𝗡𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗖𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧

As a key part of the community & with the cost of living affecting us all & Christmas creeping up, The Briggers want to give something back.

So on Saturday 17 December v @Retford_FC it will be PAY WHAT YOU CAN AFFORD at the @Pinto_Property Stadium. pic.twitter.com/6uos8TMTBI

— Worsbrough Bridge AFC (@WorsbroughBFC) November 27, 2022

Ring Out The Belles

Ahead of Fulham Women's return to Craven Cottage a few weeks ago, the excellent HammyEnd blog wrote about why it was such an important occasion , especially given the rich history of the club in their previous guise when they were one of the early trailblazers for women's football and the long path back from when Fulham Ladies were dissolved in 2010.

Would we have been in a position to celebrate England's Wembley success at the Euros this summer without clubs such as Fulham and Doncaster Belles and the opportunities they strived to provide at a time when so many avenues remained closed?

Now known as Doncaster Rovers Belles, the six times FA Cup winners have had to rebuild themselves after being squeezed out of the top divisions of the game in recent seasons and now looking to gain promotion into the third tier of the women's football pyramid.

Chief executive Russ Green told the official club website recently: “The Belles were pioneering, incredibly successful across the decades and we are all incredibly proud to be a part of such a historic club. While more recent times have been difficult, we are back on strong foundations and determined to regain our place among the elite in this country."

The Belles will play Lincoln City Women at the Eco-Power Stadium on Sunday 11 December with all school children across the city offered the chance to watch the game for free when accompanied by a paying adult.

General tickets are priced at £5 adults and £1 for under-17's with reductions for Doncaster Rovers and Doncaster Rugby League FC season ticket holders.