Northallerton Town FC

The opening pre-season friendly of the summer is a good time to try and entice some new faces through the turnstiles, enticed, hopefully, by a heady combination of freshly-painted facilities, a hot summer afternoon and a sharpening of the instinct for watching a match after a month or so without one.

Northallerton Town are looking to do just that when they entertain Knaresborough on Saturday 8 July with ‘Pay What You Like’ admission on the gate.

NEWS | Pay What You Like vs @KnaresboroughFC : https://t.co/fuFQqYxITt pic.twitter.com/ExwWzDVE9b

— Northallerton Town (@NorthallertonFC) 5 June 2017

Founded in 1895, the North Yorkshire club are members of the Northern League and were recently honoured at the league's annual awards with the tea hut of the year award! A superb reason to get yourself to the Calvert Stadium before football even comes into the equation.

Quids In For Opening Crawley Town Friendly

Crawley Town featured on these pages last season after taking the bold step, for a Football League club, of offering 'Pay What You Want' admission to their home match against Hartlepool United.

This summer has seen the League Two side appoint a new manager and a high-profile one at that as Harry Kewell, once of Liverpool and Leeds, has been given the opportunity to take his first senior managerial role at the Checkatrade Stadium.

A Chelsea XI will provide the first chance for home supporters to see a Kewell side in action when they visit Sussex on Saturday July 15 for a 3pm friendly.

A Family Fun Day is planned beforehand in addition to Crawley's new kit launch and, refreshingly, tickets will cost just £1 for all categories if purchased by 4:30pm the day before the game (£3 on the day).

It's a good gesture from the club, one that has little financial downside and plenty of potential benefits given the goodwill it will produce among the local community.

First Look At Friendlies (Part Two)

July 8: Northallerton Town FC kick-off their friendly fixtures with a home match against Knaresborough Town and are looking to get some new faces through the turnstiles with 'Pay What You Like' admission.

July 8: National League North newcomers Spennymoor Town take themselves across the North East in pre-season with matches at Billingham Town, Stockton Town (11 July), Shildon AFC (15 July), Morpeth Town (18 July) and Dunston UTS (25 July). Adult admission to each of the games will be £5 or less. 

There is also a trip to Penicuik Athletic of Scotland on Saturday 29 July with admission £4 Adults, £2 Concessions.

July 8/9: The Raydale Cup takes place at Gretna FC 2008 with four matches across the weekend between the hosts, Annan Athletic, Workington AFC and Carlise United Youths. A weekend ticket costs £12, day tickets are £7. 

July 15: Witton Albion visit Runcorn Linnets with admission £4 Adults, £2 Concessions and free for accompanied children. Linnets then host Marine on 18th July and Colne on 29th July with prices the same.

July 15: AFC Telford United host a Wolves U23 side at the New Bucks Head. Admission to this game, and the friendly against Hereford FC on 22nd July will be £5 Adults, £3 Concessions, £1 Under 16's. 

July 15: A Chelsea XI visit Crawley Town with the hosts launching their new kit and planning a Family Fun Day as well. Advance tickets are just £1.

July 18: The first of two Northamptonshire derbies in pre-season at Brackley Town, against Kettering and then against Rushden & Diamonds on 25th July. Admission prices are £5 Adults, £3 Concessions and free for Under-18's. 

August 8: Free football in Kent as Ashford United FC open their doors for the final pre-season friendly of the summer against Kennington FC. 

First Look At Friendlies

Some starters for the summer to wet the appetite for the season ahead...

July 8: A ticket package is available at Eastleigh FC for the friendlies against AFC Wimbledon, Newport County (Sat 22nd July) and Sheffield United (Fri 28th July) costing £12 Adults and £8 Concessions in the Mackoy Stand or on the terraces.

July 8: Bolton Wanderers are the first of five planned summer visitors to Chorley FC including fellow EFL clubs Rochdale, Fleetwood Town and Blackpool. Adult admission to each match is £5 (accompanied Under 12's free) while a pre-season season ticket (if you get what I mean) to also include the Wrexham friendly for a total of £20.

July 8: Northallerton Town FC kick-off their friendly fixtures with a home match against Knaresborough Town and are looking to get some new faces through the turnstiles with 'Pay What You Like' admission.

July 15: The first of three home friendlies at Southport FC against EFL opposition as Blackpool are the visitors. This game, and those against Wigan Athletic (Tue 18th) and Accrington Stanley (Sat 29th) are priced at £5 Adults, £3 Concessions and free for Under 18's.

July 18: Ashton United host Stockport County before a game against FC United of Manchester the following Tuesday (25th). Admission prices are £5 Adults and £3 for Under 16's.

July 19: The pre-season friendly between Merthyr Town and Newport County will be 'Pay What You Want' admission.

July 25: Rugby Town FC host Banbury United in the first of three planned pre-season friendlies at Butlin Road. Admission to the matches will be £5 Adults and £3 Concessions. Entry to the earlier games on the 3G pitch will be free.

July 25: Pre-season friendlies at Merstham FC are £5 entry with visits planned from an AFC Wimbledon XI, Cray Wanderers (Sat 5th August) and a Crystal Palace XI (Tue 8th August). 

July 29: The annual Tony Downes Memorial Trophy match takes place at Droylsden FC with Ashton United the visitors. Admission to the Butchers Arms will be £5 Adults, £3 Concessions and £1 Under 16's.

August 4: The Thanet Derby in pre-season between Ramsgate FC and Margate FC is £5 for Adults, £3 for Concessions, £1 for 12-16's and free for U12's. 

August 5: There is free entry at Folkestone Invicta for the friendly at home to Thamesmead Town when the two clubs will be playing for the Sid Burvill Cup in honour of Invicta's late groundsman.

Folkestone Invicta FC

The last time I wrote about Folkestone Invicta they were celebrating promotion from the Ryman League Division One South title with reduced prices for the game against Waltham & Hersham on Good Friday 2016.

1,545 came through the turnstiles of the Fullicks Stadium to watch a 6-0 victory which clinched the title after two seasons of play-off anguish.

Long-serving manager Neil Cugley remains at the helm and saw his side consolidate at a higher level last season.

Topping and tailing pre-season for Invicta are home matches against Hythe Town (Sunday 9th July, 2pm) in memory of club physio Dave Williams for which admission will be £5 with a collection taking place for the Cancer Nurses Charity and Thamesmead Town (Saturday 5th August, 3pm) for the Sid Burvill Trophy. Entry to this game will be free for all.

Folkestone also travel to Ashford United in pre-season where the brilliantly nicknamed Nuts & Bolts have reduced friendly prices for their home friendlies to £6, £3 and free for accompanied Under-16's.

Done Deal! New Signing For Affordable Football

It is the season for tabloid-style transfer headlines after all.

Since I started the blog, back in 2013, it has always been the intention to put any money it generated back into the game and I'm happy to have been able to start doing so this summer.

First up is a player sponsorship...

@sholingfc player sponsorship coming along nicely @WebbTowers & @AffordableFooty both confirmed sponsorship just £25 contact @sholingfcsec

— Sholing FC Sec (@sholingfcsec) 26 May 2017

Sholing featured on the site recently with their season tickets for 2017/18 costing £66 for Adults if purchased before 21 July, Over 60's £30 and Under 16's £20.

Good luck to the Boatmen and our sponsored player, Owen Roundell, for the upcoming campaign and hopefully there will be a couple more Affordable Football sponsorships to come when finances allow.

No Break In The Action In Wales

One season merges into another in Wales, where an excellent crowd took advantage of prices of just £6 and £3 on Thursday evening for the UEFA Women's Champions League Final at the Cardiff City Stadium.

Tickets will cost a little more than that on Saturday when Real Madrid take on Juventus at the Principality Stadium but thoughts are already turning to next season's Champions League for Welsh champions The New Saints.

They start their warm-up for the qualifying round with friendly matches at home to an Anglesey Games XI on Tuesday 6 June and Welsh National Premier outfit Brickfield Rangers on Tuesday 13 June.

Admission prices for these matches will be £3 Adults, £1 Concessions and free for Children.