Big Break

I had been looking to write a few lines about the upcoming international break, an extended one as the August and September windows have been combined this season.

That means a longer gap in the action at the top levels of the game, a slightly messy scenario in Leagues One and Two in England due to postponements, but plenty of opportunity to get out to games lower down.

I'm sure a number of clubs will be making an effort to get more spectators through the turnstiles over these couple of weeks and, linking together this piece and that on students earlier in the month, Basford United have cut the price of their family ticket (covering up to 2 adults and 2 children) to £10 for the visit of St Ives Town on Saturday 26 September while students with a valid ID can come in for free.

Notts Landing

2025/26 marks the 125th anniversary of Basford United FC and they will be kicking things off with a friendly against Hucknall Town on 2nd July for which admission will be free.

Further pre-season home games have been arranged, against Eastwood CFC on Tuesday 8th, Newark & Sherwood United on Monday 14th (both games (£5/£3/£1), Matlock Town on Saturday 19th, Notts County on Friday 25th and Ilkeston Town on Saturday 2nd August.

Admission to the final three matches is priced at £8/£5 and £1 but visiting supporters of the clubs involved can come in for a fiver on production of a valid season ticket.

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.

Nottingham Switch for Continental Cup Final

I was at Bramall Lane for last season’s Continental Cup Final (the competition open to teams in the top two tiers of the women’s game in England) and it was a family-friendly occasion as Manchester City defeated Arsenal on penalties in unseasonal February sunshine.

Tickets were well-priced but the attendance was disappointingly low at just 2,424.

A year on and it will be interesting to see what effect a positive World Cup and some high-profile Women’s Super League fixtures, together with a switch of venue, has when this season’s final is played at the City Ground at 5.30pm on Saturday 29th February.

Perhaps unsurprisingly the semi-finals will be contested between what is increasingly becoming the ‘big four’ in the women’s game with Arsenal hosting Manchester City and Chelsea travelling to Manchester United at the end of the month.

Early-bird tickets are available until 7th February, priced at £7.50 for Adults (£10 after). Concessions tickets are £1.

AFC:123 At Notts County

There have been plenty of new dawns at Notts County and I wrote positively about the arrival of Alan Hardy when he took over at Meadow Lane so I won't predict a brighter future for the Magpies just yet but Danish brothers Alexander and Christoffer Reedtz have made a positive impression in their short time at the club.

Their initial investment has allowed manager Neal Ardley to steady the ship following a calamitous relegation out of the Football League last season, a host of new arrivals gradually finding their feet in the National League prior to Saturday's defeat at Bromley.

And in the longer term the owners hope to benefit by using their analysis company Football Radar in identifying potential signings.

This Saturday's fixture with AFC Fylde has been designated as a way of saying thanks to the local community for their efforts in keeping the club alive and tickets are priced at just £3 Adults, £2 for those aged 18-21 and Over 65 and £1 for Under 18's (Under 7's free).

Clipstone FC

90 years of football is being celebrated in 2018 at Clipstone FC, the Nottinghamshire club starting life as Clipstone Combine in 1928 and having played at their present home, the Lido Ground, since winning promotion to the Notts Alliance League in the 1950's.

The pit may have long gone from the village but a classy new logo was unveiled for the present campaign that incorporate both the year of formation and the headstocks that still dominate the Clipstone landscape.

Now members of the East Midlands Counties League, the Cobras are planning a big 90th anniversary celebration at the game against Belper United on Saturday 24th November and have been given permission by the league to offer free admission to all on the day.

Something Different At The City Ground

Good times on the banks of the River Trent and not just because Nottingham Forest have been moving purposely up the Championship table in recent weeks.

Season tickets were very competitively priced in the summer, with a new price band introduced for 18-23 year-olds of just £100, and attendances have been very healthy indeed.

The City Ground will also host two other matches in the next few weeks, both with an admirable purpose but which should be competitive on the pitch.

On Sunday 28th October Nottingham Forest Ladies will take on the senior Jamaican national team, the Reggae Girlz, in a 3pm kick-off which is intended to celebrate the Windrush generation and of Caribbean culture in Nottingham and the Midlands.

Tickets are priced at £5 for Adults and free for Under 16's.

On Thursday 8th November, at 7pm, the British Army Football Association will meet the German Bundeswehr (Armed Forces) in a Game of Remembrance to mark the centenary of Armistice Day.

Entry for two Adults and two Children costs £10 with Concessions tickets priced at £2.50.

Full details for both matches are available on the official NFFC website.

Forest Aim To Get Out The Youth Vote!

Amidst some very positive feedback generally about the 2018/19 season ticket pricing policy at Nottingham Forest (on the back of average attendances approaching 25,000 in the current campaign) is the Reds’ introduction of a new price band for 18-23 year-olds.

They will pay just £100 in all areas of the City Ground, a reduction of between £150 and £230 depending on age.

Given that these are the lads and lasses who will follow their team around the country (and maybe make some noise at home matches) I think it’s a smart move to try and make the game more affordable for them and a fair one too given that those aged under 25 may be striking out on their own but with lower earning potential (quite sharply in the case of 18-20’s and the Minimum Wage).

Snippets I’ve seen elsewhere on this theme include Shrewsbury Town, who have extended their 19-21 price bracket to 19-23.

CEO Brian Caldwell told the official club website: “Realistically people aren’t earning a lot of money when they are under-24, so I think we are being fair with that.”

And MK Dons have extended their Under 21 season ticket price to Under 25’s as they ‘recognise the competing pressures to watch live football, from both personal finances to lifestyles.'

Notts County: One Year Celebrated with £2 Tickets

What a year it has been for Notts County FC since the Magpies were taken over by local businessman Alan Hardy, last weekend's FA Cup win at Brentford and a promotion place in League Two showcasing the work of Kevin Nolan, the man he, perhaps surprisingly, brought in as manager at the same time as Hardy became chairman and owner at Meadow Lane.

An upturn on the pitch has been matched by progress off it with attendances increasing.

The two things often go together, of course, but there is no doubt that increased engagement with the local community has brought back a feeling that supporters are once again connected to their club.

Mr Hardy is at the helm of that, very visible on Twitter where he doesn't shy away from anything, most notably when taking the hugely difficult decision that he could not continue to fund the Notts County Ladies team.

Anyway, to mark one year of progress, all tickets for the game against Crewe Alexandra on Saturday 3 February are priced at just £2.

£10 Tickets At Notts County On Saturday

Notts County have featured many times on the Affordable Football pages in the past but, a little like Hartlepool United who I wrote about last week, it has mainly been in adversity as the Magpies have attempted to drum up support for a big relegation clash.

Different times at Meadow Lane at the moment, of course, under the stewardship of owner Alan Hardy and manager Kevin Nolan.

The Magpies stayed on top of the League Two table with Saturday's 3-1 victory against Cheltenham and they will be looking to maintain their excellent home form when Colchester United are the visitors this coming Saturday (November 25).

Ticket prices have been reduced to £10 Adults, Under-18's £5, Under-12's £1 and Under-7's free while season ticket holders can bring a friend for free.

Before then a Notts County XI visit Radford FC on Wednesday evening (22nd, 7.45pm) to celebrate the opening of a new clubhouse.

Admission to the game is priced at £5/£3 and free for accompanied Under-16's.

Twelfth Man for Twelve Pounds at Notts County FC

New Notts County owner Alan Hardy has been hugely busy since taking control of the Meadow Lane club, parting company with John Sheridan as manager and appointing Kevin Nolan in his place.

One of the reasons given for Sheridan’s departure was for an 'appalling' rant at a fourth official which certainly points to the new man at the helm wanting to do things differently from the football norm.

Off the field there was also an instant impact to Mr. Hardy’s decision to cap ticket prices at £20 for the first match of his reign.

A Nottinghamshire derby against Mansfield, with a big travelling support, provided the perfect occasion to generate some momentum and a crowd of over 11,000 responded.

The offer was repeated for the next home fixture against Crawley and more than 5,000 watched a vital 2-1 victory for the hosts.

Next up, Notts host Cheltenham in League Two on Saturday 11 February and tickets have been reduced to £12 for Adults, 60+ and 18-21’s, £5 for Under-18’s, £3 for accompanied Under-16’s (in the family stand) and free for Under-12’s.

Alan Hardy told the official club website: “With excellent vocal support in our recent matches against Mansfield and Crawley, we have seen the players respond with two very impressive displays.

“We want the same again against Cheltenham which, when you look at the league table, is the biggest game of our season so far.

“The supporters play a huge part in our success and, by offering £12 tickets, I hope to see them turn up in their droves to help the players earn what would be a massive three points.”

Notts County featured quite regularly on these pages in Shaun Derry’s early days as manager when there were a number of positive initiatives on matchday and season ticket prices.

As my own club Coventry City have shown, however, when there is upheaval off the field then sometimes the smaller details become easy to forget and engagement with supporters gets lost in the fog of what is happening elsewhere.

I don’t know if that has been the case at Meadow Lane but it is certainly a fresh start under Alan Hardy and one that will hopefully usher in a period of slow but steady progression for the Magpies.

A Pre-Ashes Bargain In Nottingham On Wednesday

Having made history by competing in the first ever Women's FA Cup Final at Wembley on Saturday, Notts County Ladies return to league matters on Wednesday night when they entertain Bristol Academy at Meadow Lane (7:30pm).

The city should be buzzing with excitement with the 4th Ashes Test due to start at Trent Bridge the following morning and anyone lucky enough to be going to the England v Australia clash will be able to watch the WSL fixture for just £1 by showing their ticket at the turnstile.

Arnold Town FC

Another Nottinghamshire club doing good things in their local community with the help of a very active supporters club.

The Eagles are members of the East Midlands Counties League and for 2015/16 they have reduced the minimum price of season tickets to £50 for Adults, £30 for Concessions and free for Under-16's.

But, as a detailed explanation on the website that deals with the commercial side of the club makes clear, anything that people can pay over and above those figures will be crucial to the future wellbeing of ATFC.

Basford United Football Club

Exciting times for Basford United after they won both the Midland Football League and the Notts Senior Cup last season.

That means Evo-Stik Northern Premier South division football is on offer in 2015/16 and the club have priced season tickets at just £95 for Adults, £45 for Concessions and £150 for a family ticket covering 2 adults and no limit on children.

Over the next three weeks, Basford have six home pre-season friendlies, none of which will cost more than £5 for an adult to attend. Three of the fixtures are priced at £3 Adults and £1 Concessions and Under-16's while this Saturday's match against Thurnby Nirvana has a £1 admission cost for all.

Notts County: Get Back on The Bench For Next Season

One season ticket initiative that featured quite a bit on these pages over the summer was Notts County's 'The Bench' with its attempts to make buying a season ticket more than just a straightforward transaction between a buyer and a seller.

As well as reducing prices to their lowest level since 2010, the Magpies involved those fans buying a season ticket with plenty of extras such as a copy of the Matchday Magazine at each home game and an exclusive pre-match email from manager Shaun Derry.

The club were understandably proud to be recognised at the recent Football Business Awards and are now looking for feedback to make 'The Bench' even better for next season.

Special Ticket Offer & Reduced FA Cup Prices at Mansfield Town

The Stags host Concord Rangers of the Vanarama Conference South in the First Round of the FA Cup on Saturday 8th November and will be hoping to kickstart a run that could again see them rubbing shoulders with the likes of Liverpool in later stages of the competition.

A home game against the Reds of Anfield in January 2013 had no problems selling out in record time but to try and boost the gate against Concord, Mansfield have reduced prices to £10 for adults and £5 for concessions.

Fair play to their opponents too as they have to agree on the prices charged for an FA Cup tie.

Mansfield chairman John Radford also launched a ticket offer this week, picking out three home games both from before and after Christmas for reduced prices which supporters can attend any of for just £7 each.

The matches in question are Cheltenham Town (Sat 13 Dec), Exeter City (Sat 17 Jan) and Northampton Town (Sat 14 Feb).

Prices Reduced at Notts County this Saturday

Notts County featured a couple of times on these pages over the summer with their innovative season ticket promotion which aimed not just to sell supporters a ticket but to make them feel part of the club, for instance inviting one fan who came into the ticket office to pay being given a behind the scenes tour of the ground.

Central to the drive to recruit new season ticket holders was that manager Shaun Derry was fully behind the initiative and went out of his way to involve supporters as well.

After pulling off a 'great escape' from relegation after Derry's arrival, this season sees County aiming higher and an eight-game unbeaten run has everyone at Meadow Lane in good spirits

Crawley Town are the visitors this coming weekend (Saturday 18th at 3pm) and Notts have reduced all adult and concessions tickets to £12 with Under-16's just £2.

Season Ticket Update: Bradford & Notts County

An update on two of the League One clubs whose season ticket initiatives we have highlighted here on Affordable Football.

Bradford City have been ahead of the game in many ways in offering season tickets at consistently low prices over the past few years and have done so again for 2014/15 with over 3,500 sold to date.

The cost has been frozen for the third consecutive season and prices are clear and straightforward at £199 for adults, £149 for concessions and £99 for juniors if purchased before the end of May. For adults that means League One football at less than £9 a game.

Notts County, meanwhile, have introduced The Bench for next season as a means of making supporters feel more involved at Meadow Lane when they buy a season ticket (prices of which have been reduced to a four-year low).

A good example of how that is working in practice is on the official club website with lapsed season ticket holder Steve Saunders invited behind the scenes when buying his ticket.

A Place on 'The Bench' and a Bank Holiday Breakout at Notts County

Shaun Derry's arrival as manager of Notts County, the club he supported as a youngster, has generated some optimism at Meadow Lane that the Magpies can escape from the League One relegation zone.

A trio of vital wins against sides in and around them in the table, Carlisle, Crewe Alexandra and Colchester United in recent games have taken County out of the bottom four and the club have aimed to capitalise on the feelgood factor with reduced ticket prices for the home fixture against Crawley Town on Easter Monday.

Under the banner of 'Bank Holiday Breakout' as the Magpies plot their 'Great Escape', prices have been cut to £12 for adults and £2 for under-16's.

Looking further ahead, County have reduced prices for next season to their lowest rate since 2010 and will not have season ticket holders but ‘The Bench’ whereby supporters will be able to play a more interactive part of their club.

Full details can be seen on the official club website but it’s an innovative piece of marketing and one that should hold on to the core support that makes a club like Notts such an integral part of the fabric of English football.

It also needs a manager who is aware of his wider duties and Derry certainly seems to be throwing himself into the project with gusto.

It’s hard to imagine his (until recently) counterpart across the river, Billy Davies, agreeing to answer questions from a fan in the pre-match press call or picking his motivational message of the match!

Forest Held But A Healthy Crowd

Nottingham Forest’s game against Bournemouth on Saturday, promoted as a ‘Kids For A Quid’ fixture at the start of half-term, saw an attendance of 28,070 at the City Ground, just shy of the season’s best to date which came, unsurprisingly, in the local clash with Derby County at the end of September.

There are always a few grumbles from season ticket holders and regulars when a club runs a promotion like this with comments on Twitter from Forest supporters about ‘17-year-old’s pretending to be under 16’ and ’15-year-old Man U fans’ and perhaps the blanket nature of the offer means a lot of people taking advantage of it who won’t be back for the rest of the season.

Ultimately, however, a crowd of over 28,000 for one of Forest’s lower-profile Championship games cannot be argued with and if only a small percentage of first-timers come back again or spent some money in the club shop then it would have been worthwhile.

Some of the comments, about people gaining discounted entry which they were perhaps not entitled to, reminded me of Coventry City’s game against Oldham in the 1991/92 season which the Sky Blues billed as ‘Ladies Day’ with all women entitled to free entry. Long before David Walliams had the idea for a sketch it was rumoured that some of those taking advantage may not have been all that they seemed!

Sheffield United, the bottom club in League One at the start of the day, also drew a healthy attendance of over 18,545 (a season’s best) with an offer for their game against Port Vale for season ticket holders to bring a friend for free.

Rewarding season ticket holders for their loyalty is part of the balance that needs to be struck when offering one-off deals to others. I blogged earlier in the season about Aston Villa’s ‘Villa Cash’ scheme which operates on a similar line to the supermarket loyalty cards we are all so familiar with now.