Have a Gander

The first time I became aware of Sutton United was in trying circumstances for a Coventry City supporter, listening to the radio commentary of a famous FA Cup giantkilling in 1989, Barrie Williams, Matt Hanlan and all.

But that win is just part of the club's long history since its formation in 1898 and with well over a century of football now under their belts at Gander Green Lane.

During the lifetime of this particular blog, Sutton have made it into the EFL for the first time and subsequently returned to the National League but have always been proactive with ticket offers.

That continued last season with the 'Pack the Lane' game against Truro City which attracted the biggest crowd of the campaign and a similar deal is in place for the visit of Solihull Moors on Saturday 14 November (during the second international window).

Tickets are priced at £2 general admission for adults and over-14's (£5 in the main and family stands) with all under-14's tickets at £1.

High Stakes At The Valley

An article on the BBC Sport website on Tuesday about 40 years of the play-offs brought back some childhood memories of a radio commentary I recall listening to as Charlton Athletic faced Leeds United in 1987.

I can't remember which of the three games between the sides it was but what was unusual, aside from the need for a replay after a draw over two legs, was that Charlton were battling to save their place in Division One against a Leeds side looking to go back to the top-flight.

Although long since gone from the play-off structure in the EFL, this season does see a similar situation arise in the WSL and Charlton are once again involved.

This time the Addicks have everything to gain as, after finishing third in WSL2 this season, they can benefit from the expansion of the top division (with Birmingham City and Crystal Palace already promoted automatically) by beating WSL's bottom club Leicester City in a one-off tie at The Valley.

Tickets for the game, which kicks-off at 12.30pm on Saturday 23rd May, are priced at £7 for adults, £5 for over 65's and £2 for under-18's.

Take it to the Bridge

Spotted on the 'Special Offers and Promotions' page of the Non-League Matters forum, Uxbridge FC are not only offering free admission to their home pre-season friendlies this summer but have kept the price of season tickets at an incredible £50 for adults, £5 for concessions, £1 for 16-18 year olds and free for under-16's.

A fantastic offer for football at any level, let alone step 3 of the pyramid (Uxbridge were promoted in 2024/25 and finished 9th in the Southern Premier south division last season, their highest ever placing) and one that also allows season ticket holders to watch Southall FC, groundsharers at Honeycroft next season, for just £1 per game.

Pre-season friendlies start on Saturday 4th July against North Greenford United and will, I'm sure, feature on the brilliant London Football Guide nearer the time.

See Benfica at Wembley

Special offers this coming Saturday for a Combined Counties Football League clash between Wembley FC and Sport London e Benfica, a club affiliated with the Portuguese giants.

Adult entry at Vale Farm for a 3pm kick-off is priced at £5 but admission is free for students (with a free pint also on offer, children with a paying adult and other concessions.

After the Euros

With excitement building towards Sunday's game between England and Spain, and after an uplifting month of football in Switzerland, Friday was a good day to release the 2025/26 fixtures for the WSL and WSL 2 as clubs in England look to get a boost in numbers coming through the turnstiles.

Arsenal's success in attracting supporters to their matches was highlighted at the end of last season after an average of nearly 29,000 fans per game came to watch the new European champions.

All Arsenal home fixtures this time around will be played at the Emirates Stadium and the club have produced a detailed guide to pricing structures for the new campaign, one in which they will also take part in the Fan Choice Pilot which allows for alcohol to be consumed at your seat in certain parts of the ground.

A new Category C price category has been introduced for particular matches, including the season opener against London City Lionesses on Saturday 6 September at 1.30pm.

That means early bird tickets purchased by the end of Friday 1 August start from £11.50 for adults with various discounts for concessions.

Liverpool also have an early bird offer in place for their first three home matches, including the Anfield clash with Everton on the opening weekend with tickets priced at £10 adults and £3.50 for juniors until August 8.

Burnham, Dereham...West Ham

Just a few years away now from celebrating their 150th anniversary, Burnham FC of the Combined Counties League look to have a thriving set-up at the 1878 Stadium in Buckinghamshire.

Pre-season friendlies have been arranged at home to Corinthian Casuals on Wednesday 2 July, London Samurai Rovers (Sat 5th), Binfield FC (Wed 9th), Marlow FC (Sat 12th) and Bedfont FC on Saturday 19th with free admission for each game.

Norfolk club Dereham Town are gearing up for the new season in the Eastern Counties League, with season tickets under £100, and are also offering free entry to their pre-season matches at Aldiss Park.

Five home games are scheduled between the 8th and 24th of July.

And, on a slightly different tangent, a mention of the pre-season friendly between West Ham United and Lille that will take place at the London Stadium on Saturday 9 August.

I've written before that the blog doesn't exist in a vacuum and it only takes a quick glance at a Hammers forum to see plenty of weariness regarding the stadium, it's suitability for watching football and the matchday experience.

But, taken purely on its own terms, tickets for the Lille game do offer the chance of a decently-priced family day out in the school holidays as they are available from £10 for adults and £5 for under-18's.

Cottage Industry

Two good chances to catch a match at Craven Cottage before the season ends...the under-21 Premier League International Cup is at the semi-final stage with Lyon coming to London on Tuesday 22 April at 7pm. Tickets are priced at £3 adults and £1 for concessions.

And Fulham FC Women take on Sport London e Benfica on Sunday 4 May at 2:30pm with tickets priced at £5 adults and £1 for juniors. 

This time of year is a good one for under-21 matches being played at main club grounds as the weather improves. The official Premier League website has a good fixtures page that covers both Premier League 2 and the Professional Development League.

Way Out West (London)

Two good opportunities to visit Premier League grounds coming up later this month with Brentford FC Women back at the Gtech Community Stadium on Sunday 23rd, kick-off 3pm for their game against Bromley.

Tickets are priced at just £2 adults and are free for under-18's.

On Monday 17th, Fulham's under-21s will play their Premier League International Cup tie against Sporting Lisbon at Craven Cottage. Ticket details to be announced in due course for a 7pm kick-off but hopefully an inexpensive chance to be at the famous old ground.

Both of these games are sure to feature in what will be a bumper London Football Guide that week as Non-League Day founder James Doe highlights what will be a packed schedule.

Keep up to date using the Coming Up tab at the top of the home page as well.

Update: Tickets for the Fulham game are priced at £3 adults, £1 concessions.

It's Only National League (But I Like It)

The Stones are in town, Wealdstone FC that is of the National League and their home game against Braintree on Wednesday 23 October has been dedicated to the club's Community Foundation.

An independent registered charity, the Wealdstone FC Foundation does some brilliant work in the local community.

All tickets for the Braintree game have been reduced to £5, for both home and away supporters, and all proceeds will be donated to the Foundation.

There is also some free football at a favourite National League ground of mine, Altrincham FC's J.Davidson Stadium, when Alty take on Blackburn Rovers' Premier League 2 side in the new National League Cup on Tuesday 8 October at 7:30pm.

Any Publicity Is...

If the old saying is true then Barnet FC have had plenty of good publicity this week, the after-match comments of their manager Dean Brennan following the midweek win against Altrincham having reached a worldwide audience.

Having finished second in the National League last season, the Bees are again in the play-off places in the early weeks of the new campaign and Brennan, far from 'losing it' as some of the headlines would have it, seems to be a popular figure at the club and one willing to engage with supporters.

The club have moved quickly on the back of this week's events to offer football for a fiver when AFC Fylde are the visitors to The Hive on Saturday 28th September, so come and see what the fuss is all about!

A Brentford Bargain

Brentford Women will take on Clapton Community at the Gtech Community Stadium on Sunday 29th September, 3pm, and tickets for the game are just £2 for adults and free for under-18's. 

Also coming up this month, Exeter City Women versus Oxford United at St James Park on Sunday 15th, 1pm. Tickets priced at £5/£3 if purchased in advance.

And Cambridge United Women against Dulwich Hamlet at the Abbey Stadium on Sunday 22nd, 2pm. Under-18's free, adult tickets £5.

Updated 8th September: Another good chance to watch a game at Brentford comes in the next round of the Carabao Cup, on Tue 17th Sep, against Leyton Orient.

Adult tickets are priced at £10, concessions £7 and juniors are £5 or free with every full paying adult or concession.

Pre-season: A Vote Winner in Uxbridge

Lots of positivity surrounding Uxbridge FC this summer, and rightly so as the club, formed in 1871, have made a huge effort to strengthen their community ties and offer themselves as a welcoming, focal point for local people.

Season ticket prices have been cut to just £50 for adults and £5 for concessions with matchday entry priced at £5/£1 and free for under-16's.

Not only that but pre-season friendlies are free admission for people to come and sample the atmosphere at Honeycroft.

Uxbridge will, I'm sure, feature regularly on the brilliant London Football Guide over the coming season. 

Happy Birthday...

Happy returns to The London Football Guide which is twelve today and, fittingly, this week's guide covers an international break given James' founding of Non-League Day which generally takes place when the top divisions are not in action.

This season's official NLD is not until 23 March but there are still usually some good offers out there for season ticket holders at Premier League or EFL clubs whose teams are not in action. 

What a Backdrop!

I couldn't resist putting this tweet from Fisher FC onto the main blog page, ahead of Tuesday night's 'Pay What You Want' home game where, if you're there, you should be rewarded with a backdrop like this.

⚽️⚫️⚪️🔦🔦🔦🔦🔦⚪️⚫️⚽️
We are back in action on Tuesday night in our last game under the lights this season.
It’s Pay What You Want on the gate!

🆚 @Sutton_Athletic
🗓️ 18th Apr
🕰️ 7:45
🏆 @SCEFLeague Premier
🏟️ St Paul’s Stadium
📍 SE16 6NT
📕 Programme
🍺 🍔 ☕️ pic.twitter.com/A2R6Ej3DXS

— Fisher FC (@FisherFC) April 16, 2023

Welling There

The first international break of the new season is almost upon us, a season of course in which there will be an extended period of no top-flight football in England and Scotland during the World Cup.

Plenty of opportunities to come, then, to watch matches lower down the pyramid and Welling United are looking to pack Park View Road for their National League South home game against Havant & Waterlooville on Saturday 24th September.

Tickets are priced at £10 for adults if purchased before the day of the game, alongside the promotion already in place for September fixtures which sees all adult female, concession and under 18 tickets priced at £5. Accompanied under 11's are free.

Update Reduced prices too at Maidenhead United on Saturday 24th for their televised National League clash with Gateshead.

Kick-off at York Road is at 3pm and all adult tickets are a fiver with under 17's free. 

The Hares Are Off And Running

The first FA Cup prices I saw on twitter for this season's Extra Preliminary Round ties were those for the tie between Harefield United FC and Lordswood FC on Saturday 6 August, a 3pm kick-off at Preston Park.

Admission will cost £7 for adults, £3 concessions and free for under 16's, prices that apply to all home matches for the Hares this season.

Founded in 1868, the club proudly claim to be the oldest in Middlesex and seemingly have a thriving set-up at all levels.

They have a good social media presence but also, no doubt thanks to a dedicated volunteer or two, a really informative and up-to-date website with all of the details you could wish to know, from the history of the club to getting to the ground on a matchday.

208 Extra Preliminary Round ties will be taking place over the course of next weekend.

Opening Day At The O's

You don't often see clubs putting on a ticket promotion for the first game of the season but it makes sense in many ways, the weather is more likely to be good and optimism should be in the air for a good campaign ahead.

Leyton Orient are doing just that for the League Two opener against newly-promoted Grimsby Town on Saturday 30 July, match tickets when they go on sale in a couple of weeks will be half-price.

As the club themselves say, it is 'the perfect opportunity to introduce friends and family to Orient' and with the main source of ticket income for the O's perhaps more likely to come from season cards then it is not really a gamble to reduce individual prices in the hope of converting a few more people to what looks to be a friendly and inclusive matchday experience.

A Football Pioneer

The Egri Erbstein Tournament, to be held this summer at the home of Corinthian Casuals, celebrates the Hungarian coach who masterminded the great Torino team of the 1940's after surviving the Holocaust, before being killed in the Superga air crash of 1949.

Erno Egri Erbstein's former club Budapesti Atletikai Klub were reformed in 2018 and, together with the Casuals, formed the tournament to honour him.

Both clubs will be in action on July 23 and 24 together with the world's oldest club Sheffield FC and Fall River Marksmen of the USA.

More details at the tournament website.

Tickets for the weekend, covering all four matches are priced at £15 for adults, day tickets cost £10 for adults, £5 concessions and just £1 for under 18's.

The Bromley Boys

After making history with their FA Trophy victory at Wembley on Sunday, Bromley FC have launched a fantastic offer for the new season of National League football at Hayes Lane.

To mark the 97 minutes that were played against Wrexham at the weekend, season tickets will be priced at £97 for the same number of hours, starting at 12pm on Friday 27th May and ending at 1pm on Tuesday 31st.

More details on the club website.

Festive Footy for a Fiver (X2)

A great bit of collaboration between Bromley FC and Southend United as they prepare for a double-header of meetings over the holiday period.

Bromley's upward progression of recent years means they will head into Christmas with genuine hopes of being in the Football League next year.

They host the Shrimpers on Boxing Day in a 5.20pm kick-off and all adult tickets have been priced at £5 with accompanied Under-16s getting for a pound.

Getting back into the Football League at the first time of asking may be beyond Southend this season but supporters will be hoping that rock bottom was reached in October when a heavy home defeat left them in the relegation zone and saw manager Phil Brown leave the club amidst protests against chairman Ron Martin.

Legendary non-league figure John Still has recently been appointed to a Head of Football role, working alongside head coach Kevin Maher and football strategist Stan Collymore.

Southend have reciprocated Bromley's prices for the return fixture on 2nd January.