Stick To The Script

A new series of 'Welcome to Wrexham' would perhaps be an anti-climax if this season's National League title had been won at a canter.

Every good sporting script needs a rival and Notts County are playing their part well although a defeat and a draw in their last two games have allowed Wrexham to open up a four-point gap at the time of writing.

Very much a club on the up themselves, Notts have completely re-engaged with their fanbase since being brought by Christoffer and Alexander Reedtz in 2019, initiatives such as 'football for a fiver' being a part of that and leading to some huge crowds at Meadow Lane.

The upcoming visit of Scunthorpe United on Saturday 25 March has been designated as Community Day, the Notts County Foundation having donated 1,000 tickets to local football teams and schools, and all ticket prices have been reduced, to £10 for adults, £5 for 65 and over and under 22's and £1 for under 16's.

Talking of Wrexham, the Racecourse Ground will host Wrexham AFC Women on Sunday 26 March (2pm) as they mark their title victory with a home game against Connah's Quay Nomads for which tickets are priced at just £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).

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.

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.

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 Nervous Monday (But Reduced Prices) At Blues, Notts County & Bristol Rovers

Three big games at the foot of their respective divisions await Birmingham City, Notts County and Bristol Rovers on Easter Monday and all three clubs are looking to drum up home support with a variety of ticket deals.

Birmingham City host Blackburn Rovers at St Andrew’s with Lee Clark’s side just one point above the relegation zone in the Championship following Saturday’s narrow defeat at Nottingham Forest.

Three separate offers are in place for this game. Adult tickets are priced at just £10, season ticket holders can bring a friend for £5 (not available at cash turnstiles on the day of the game) and a package of tickets for the final three home games of the season, against Blackburn, Wigan Athletic and Leeds United is priced at just £30 for adults.

Notts County slipped back into the League One drop zone with a loss at Bristol City on Good Friday but Shaun Derry’s side have been showing signs of life in recent weeks. Their Easter Monday clash against Crawley at Meadow Lane has been dubbed the ‘Bank Holiday Breakout’ by the club with adult tickets priced at £12 and under-16’s £2.

And at the foot of League Two, Bristol Rovers are above the dotted line on goal difference only after their reverse at Portsmouth on Saturday. The Gas host Rochdale on Monday and have reduced prices to £10 for adults in all terraced areas and the South Stand.

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!

Notts County Roll The Dice To Tempt Back Missing Fans

Two attendances of under 4,000 for League One fixtures this season (3,925 against Stevenage and 3,938 against Tranmere Rovers) have forced Notts County into action for their upcoming game against Crewe Alexandra on 5th October at Meadow Lane.

Chairman Ray Trew has reduced prices for the match to £10 for adults and £1 for under-16’s in, he told the official club website, a bid to tempt back fans who were staying away after a poor start to the season for Chris Kiwomya’s side.

“For one reason or another, some of our supporters have chosen not to come to games of late and this is obviously a worrying trend for any business.”

An offer like this is always a gamble. There’s nothing to say that those who decide to come along for the Crewe game on the strength of reduced prices will be back when Oldham Athletic come to town a week later.

Too many deals for the floating fan can irk season ticket holders, although in this case most will surely understand Mr Trew’s reasoning. County’s fanbase is never going to be that large and the goodwill generated could be vital if the club continues to struggle on the pitch and/or faces another financial crisis off it.