National League Promotion Final

Prior to the pandemic, my dad and I had a good run of attending the National League Promotion Final at Wembley Stadium, attracted by an Early Bird ticket offer that allowed you to sit in a really nice part of the ground at a reduced price.

We saw emotional returns to the Football League for Grimsby Town and Tranmere Rovers, the celebrations after these matches showing just how much it meant to the supporters and officials involved with those famous old clubs.

For fans of the two teams who actually make it to the final, Wembley isn't perhaps the ideal choice given that ticket prices for their respective ends have been much higher and because of the short window to arrange travel as well.

But for the neutral, the National League offer of £20 for adults, £10 for concessions and free for Under 16's (one per adult/concession, additional tickets £5 each), which runs until 23rd April is a good one.

Take A Seat

Take a seat this coming Saturday in the oldest stand in world football, dating back to 1892, at the Wellesley Recreation Ground, home of Great Yarmouth Town FC.

Admission for an important game at the top of the Thurlow Nunn Eastern Counties League First Division, against Stanway Pegasus, is on a Pay What You Want basis.

In the area on Friday evening? The Premier League 2 Under-21 game between Norwich City and West Ham United at Carrow Road (kick-off 7pm) has free tickets available.

Game On!

 

'Game on' - Probably the two most welcome words in football across the UK at this moment as leagues and clubs battle the elements to get season's finished and promotion/relegation issues sorted as soon as they can.

This was the scene at Turriff United on Saturday, their Highland League fixture against Strathspey Thistle going ahead despite heavy overnight rain as some sunny spells and a strong wind helped the pitch survive for 90 minutes.

The hosts will have been pleased with that as they ran out 7-1 winners against the league's bottom club.

Another thrilling Highland League title race is being played out as I write and, if you're ever in the area, there a host of beautiful backdrops to football in the region.

Up For The (Senior) Cup

 

Good to see the finals of this season's Sheffield FA Senior Cups taking place at Hillsborough with the Women's final on Sunday 28th April and the Men's on Tuesday 30th.

Both matches kick off at 7.30pm and on-the-night admission to each game will be priced at £10 adults and £5 concessions.

For balance, here's a picture of Bramall Lane as well...

Sheffield United Under-21's host Nottingham Forest in the Premier League Cup on Tuesday 9th April at 7pm. Tickets are £3/£1 for non-season ticket holders.

At this time of the season there are usually plenty of Under-21 games scheduled for main stadiums, such as free tickets for Norwich City versus West Ham at Carrow Road on April 12th.

The Premier League website has a good fixture guide to upcoming Under-21 games in all competitions.

Easter At Whitby & More For April

                         

Monday 1st: An Easter special in the United Counties League where Newark & Sherwood United host Lincoln United at 12.30pm before Southwell City against Newark Town at 4pm. A combined ticket for both games is available, costing £8 adults and £6 concessions. 

Monday 1st: 'Pay what you want' at Whitby Town FC for the Northern Premier League game at home to Morpeth Town.

Thursday 4th: England Women's U23's host Sweden at AFC Telford United in a 6.30pm kick-off. Tickets are priced at £5/£3 and £1 for Under 12's. 

Friday 5th: Centenary Shield action at Walsall FC where England Schoolboys take on their Republic of Ireland counterparts. Tickets are priced at £8/£5.

Sunday 7th: Cardiff City Women are back at the CCS for the home game against Wrexham (5.10pm kick-off). Tickets are £5/£1.

Thursday 11th: Molineux hosts the Premier League U17 Cup final between Wolves and Chelsea. Tickets for non-Wolves season-ticket holders are £3/£2.

Friday 12th: More Centenary Shield football, this time it is England against Scotland at Chesterfield FC with tickets again £8/£5.

Cumbrian Cheer

There's a very positive piece on Carlisle United in the latest edition of When Saturday Comes, not perhaps what you would expect with the team sitting at the foot of League One and set for an immediate return to the division they only left last season.

But the club's new(ish) owners have been open, engaging and forward-thinking in their time in Cumbria to date, have plans in place to redevelop Brunton Park and also turn the potential disadvantage of their relative isolation into a selling point as the focal point of an entire county.

Next Saturday (23rd March) is #OneCarlisleOneCommunity day with adult and senior tickets available from £10 for the visit of Stevebage, if purchased in advance.

Focus On The Royals

Not those ones but Sutton Coldfield Town (there's a good BBC piece here on the town's royal status) of the Northern Premier League Midland Division.

This coming Saturday (16th March) brings a home game against Quorn at Coles Lane, the club's home since 1920 and the turnstiles are being thrown open to allow free entry to all spectators for the 3pm kick-off.

Also this Saturday, and also in the Northern Premier League (West), Bootle FC are offering 'pay what you want' admission for the visit of Clitheroe

For something slightly different (and potentially a chance to watch two matches in one day), Hendon FC hosts the semi-final of the FA Inter-League Cup on Saturday at 6:45pm between the Arthurian League and the Herts Senior County League. Admission is free for this one.

Updated: Wednesday 13th Bridging the gap nicely between the previous piece on Non-League Day and the title of this one, Basingstoke Town FC are offering reduced price admission to Reading FC season ticket holders for their home game on NLD, with 50% of the proceeds from the initiative being donated to the fan groups currently looking to save their own Royals.

Non-League Day 2024

Just over two weeks to go until this year's Non-League Day (Saturday 23rd March), a celebration of semi-professional and grassroots football and one that has spread outside the UK to the Netherlands and Spain among others.

Keep up to date with everything that is going on by visiting Non-League Day online, where you can use the match finder to see what games are on near you.

The man behind NLD is James Doe, who also writes the wonderful London Football Guide where details of matches in and around the capital are published every week and where I'm sure there will be a bumper edition for next weekend.

Here are just some of the initiatives that I have seen...

Premier League and EFL season ticket holders are being offered free or reduced price admission at Bilston Town, Brackley Town, Redditch United, Slimbridge AFC, Sutton Common Rovers and Wealdstone FC among others. 

The Wealdstone offer is also available to anyone going to the England versus Brazil game at Wembley later on Saturday evening.

It is 'pay what you want' at Hendon FC, there's 30% off tickets purchased online at Stalybridge Celtic, half-price admission at Barton Town FC and completely free entry at Potters Bar Town.

League Two For £2 (X2)

Clearly aware that I'd backed them to be relegated from League Two this season, Crawley Town are looking up towards the play-off places rather than nervously over their shoulders as we enter the final straight of the campaign.

Always active in their ticket offers throughout the time I've been writing this blog, the Red Devils are repeating their 2@£2 offer which means that tickets for both the visit of Doncaster Rovers on 29 March and Colchester United on 13 April are priced at just £2 in all areas of the ground.

Speaking to the official club website, General Manager Tom Allman said: "The players and management have already commented internally on how much they’re looking forward to playing in front of a big crowd and we hope that the fans can play their part, as they did at last year's fixtures, in what is shaping up to be two huge fixtures in our season."

March Matches

 March

Tuesday 5th/Wednesday 6th: Free Inter-Services football at Aldershot Town as the RAF take on their Army counterparts. The women's game is a 7pm kick-off on Tuesday, the men's at the same time the following night.

Sunday 10th: Crystal Palace Women host Sheffield United at Selhurst Park in a 12pm kick-off. U-16 tickets are priced at £2 and one adult can go free with each under 16.

Tuesday 19th: The Wales 'C' squad, made up of players from the Cymru Premier, take on their England counterparts (drawn from the National Leagues) in Llanelli. Adance tickets are priced at £8/£3.

Friday 22nd: Wales U21's take on Lithuania in Newport at 6pm. Online prices for the Euro qualifier are £4/£2.

Saturday 23rd: Non-League Day returns with a host of special admission offers up and down the country in a celebration of the game outside of the top leagues. I'll post more about this in the next week or so.

Saturday 23rd: In the EFL there are £10 tickets available in advance at Carlisle United as their home game with Stevenage marks #OneCarlisleOneCommunity day at Brunton Park.

Sunday 24th: Glasgow moves to Edinburgh as Rangers Women and Partick Thistle Women meet at Tynecastle in the final of the Sky Sports Cup Final. Tickets are available now and cost £8 adults, £1 for concessions and £15 for a family of four. 

Sunday 24th: At Ewood Park it is Blackburn Rovers Women against Southampton at 2pm with tickets costing £2 for under-17's and £3 for students.

Tuesday 26th: England men's under-21's take on Luxembourg in a Euro qualifier at Bolton Wanderers. £10 adult tickets (£5 concessions) are available to BWFC season ticket holders and members and also to groups of 10 or more

Something For The Weekend

Non-League Day 2024 takes place in March but there is always great value football happening somewhere near you every weekend of the season...

This Saturday special BOGOF offer! As we not at home on @nonleaguedayuk we are running some offers in March, starting with this against @CorinthianCas.
Buy One Get One Free!
Bring a mate, a neighbour, your postman to enjoy some @IsthmianLeague football. https://t.co/OVrg2geWfJ pic.twitter.com/CRgSkLGW0f

— Hanworth Villa FC (@HanworthVillaFC) February 28, 2024

No April Fool

Just a nice bit of working together in the United Counties League where two Easter Monday fixtures have been scheduled so that spectators can watch both, with a discounted, combined ticket also available for £8 adults and £6 concessions.

Newark & Sherwood United host Lincoln United at 12.30pm before Southwell City, entertain Newark Town at 4pm.

At The Heart Of It

 

The players prepare for the second-half at Handsworth FC on Saturday after a goalless first 45 minutes in the Northern Counties East Premier Division game against Frickley Athletic.

If you're looking for the very definition of a community club then an afternoon at Olivers Mount is what you need.

Just a fiver for adults and free for under-16's, a busy clubhouse bar, warm welcome on the gate and a spotlight given to the mascots for the senior game, many of whom will be back at the ground today (Sunday) for various age-group matches.

Both Handsworth and Frickley currently sit in mid-table and that was reflected in a cagey affair that the hosts gradually took control of, a glancing header breaking the deadlock early on in the second-half.

Frickley hadn't offered too much by the time a downpour influenced my decision to leave a few minutes early.

Inevitably, that meant that when I checked my phone while on the 52 bus back through Sheffield I learned that the visitors had indeed earned a point with a late equaliser!

Boundary Changes

Good to see some positivity back at Oldham Athletic in recent times under the chairmanship of Frank Rothwell, currently in the midst of fundraising huge amounts for Alzheimer's Research UK.

The last time I was at Boundary Park was in the inaugural season of the Premier League as Bobby Gould's Coventry edged past the Latics by a single goal.

Many years later and Oldham's ambitions are currently concerned with reaching the National League play-offs and taking that first step back towards their previously dizzy heights.

With Chairman Frank due back in town ahead of the home game against Kidderminster Harriers on Saturday 24th February, all tickets for the game have been priced at just £1 with proceeds going to his chosen charity and the option to donate more when buying your seat for the match.

Wembley In Sight

 

For the 16 teams left in the FA Vase with Fifth Round Proper ties taking place this coming Saturday, 10th February.

After a dismal weekend for both United and Wednesday, supporters of Sheffield's two big clubs may be looking forward to taking refuge in the welcoming surroundings of Sandygate, home of Hallam FC of the Northern Counties East League.

The Countrymen have made great strides, on and off the pitch, over the past few years and another big crowd will be in attendance for their last sixteen game at home to Lincoln United.

Tickets have been on sale in recent weeks, to help with spectator flows, but on the gate admission will also be available at just £6 adults, £4 concessions.

Coming Up

February

Friday 2nd: FA Youth Cup at the Coventry Building Society Arena as the Sky Blues youngsters take on Millwall in a 5th Round tie. Admission for the 7pm kick-off is £5 adults, £1 for under 18's on the gate. At Kenilworth Road it is Luton Town Under-21's against Colchester United in the Premier League Cup (7pm, £5/£3).

Thursday 8th: Selhurst Park for Palace against Chelsea in the FA Youth Cup. Tickets for this one are priced at £5 adults and £1 for under 18's and over 65's. Kick-off is 7pm.

Saturday 24th: The annual Dagenham & Redbridge FC Diversity Day takes place. Advance tickets for the home game against FC Halifax Town are available from as little as 50p and £2.50 for adults.

March

Saturday 23rd: Non-League Day returns with a host of special admission offers up and down the country in a celebration of the game outside of the top leagues.

Sunday 24th: Glasgow moves to Edinburgh as Rangers Women and Partick Thistle Women meet at Tynecastle in the final of the Sky Sports Cup Final. Tickets are available now and cost £8 adults, £1 for concessions and £15 for a family of four.

Tuesday 26th: England men's under-21's take on Luxembourg in a Euro qualifier at Bolton Wanderers. £10 adult tickets (£5 concessions) are available to BWFC season ticket holders and members and also to groups of 10 or more

April

Friday 5th: Centenary Shield action at Walsall FC where England Schoolboys take on their Republic of Ireland counterparts. Tickets are priced at £8/£5.

Friday 12th: More Centenary Shield football, this time it is England against Scotland at Chesterfield FC with tickets again £8/£5.

Saturday, 3pm

Whether you're watching your team in person, or following it from afar, 3pm on a Saturday remains a special time for football supporters.

I'm writing this as my team, Coventry City, play at Sheffield Wednesday, just a couple of miles down the road from where I live.

My status in the ticket-buying pecking order for the Sky Blues these days meant that the away allocation had been snapped up before they went on general sale. 

Despite some kind offers from Owls fans that I know, I opted to stay at home although I will be there on Friday evening when the teams meet again, this time in the FA Cup.

Ticket prices for that game are £15 adults, £10 senior/under 21's and £5 for under 17's.

If you fancy visiting another couple of famous northern grounds next week then Blackburn Rovers Under-21's have a Premier League International Cup tie against Sparta Prague at Ewood Park on Thursday (7pm, £5/£3, under 12's free) while Manchester United Under-21's host Norwich City in Premier League on Saturday at Old Trafford (3pm, £3/£1.50).

With plenty of games once again called off, many others will have been kicking their heels today but spare a thought for those who normally spend their Saturday afternoons at Marske United or Nuneaton Borough with both of those clubs having had to withdraw from their respective leagues in recent weeks.

Beat The Blues

The third Monday in January is seen as the most depressing day of the year, the holiday season now a few weeks behind us and quite a long way to go until the first signs of spring in the air.

But Redditch United of the Southern League are looking to get people out of the house and into the fresh air on Monday 15th with free admission for the visit of Hitchin Town.

Weathering The Storm

Testing times for a number of clubs across the UK as the bad weather brings with it damage to grounds and lots of postponed fixtures, with the corresponding drop in vital income that brings.

Carlton Town FC of the Northern Premier League are repairing after the recent storms and, as well as a fundraising quiz taking place on Tuesday 23rd, have reduced prices for this Wednesday evening's Nottinghamshire Senior Cup Semi-Final against Basford United to £8 adults, £6 concessions and kids for a quid.

Happy New Year

To all connected to the following sites, which have been invaluable to me in writing this blog and are all well worth a visit.

The London Football Guide - James Doe is the man behind Non-League Day and set up TLFG to provide a comprehensive guide to football (at all levels) in the capital and its suburbs. On a weekly basis he runs through all of the fixtures of note and is also happy to answer queries from anyone coming to London and looking to catch a match.

With its focus on a similar patch geographically, The Cold End combines news and match previews with reports, highlights and some great photographs of Non-League football in London, Hertfordshire & Beyond.

Football in Berkshire is an excellent not for profit site that doesn't leave a stone unturned when reporting on football at all levels in the county.

Women’s football features regularly on these pages and the excellent She Kicks website has features, stats and regular fixture updates covering all levels of the game in the UK with Scottish Women's Football performing a similar function in its area.

The official FA site also has an easy-to-navigate fixture list with ticket info and links.

Non-League Matters is a good resource for fixtures, tables and stats from all levels of the game below the Football League and the Forum part of the site has a section where special ticket offers, free and reduced admission and ‘Pay What You Want’ fixtures can be publicised.

The Northern Counties East Football League is my local Step 5 league and the home of Hallam FC who have featured regularly on the site. The NCEFL website is an excellent resource for results and fixtures.

I've always enjoyed Neil Jensen's writings in the Non-League Paper (the print edition of which is a great source for upcoming fixtures) but they are just the tip of the iceberg of his wonderful Game of the People website which has features and views on football in all corners of the globe.

Groundhopper 2000 showcases Stephen Lang's excellent photographs of the game in the Scottish borders while Scottish Football Fixtures does exactly what it says on the tin with a comprehensive guide to matches taking place north of the border.