Clubs celebrate Non-League Day

The Evo-Stik Northern Premier League’s clubs are lining up to support Saturday’s Non-League Day.

Evo-Stik NPL Premier, North and South clubs are all offering free or heavily discounted admission offers to season ticket holders of Premier League and Football League clubs. In the Evo-Stik NPL Premier Division six of the eleven home fixtures are already known to be taking part.

Non-League Day, now a nationwide event supported by clubs up and down football’s Pyramid, is being staged for the third year running after the day's previous success in attracting new fans to the Evo-Stik NPL and raising awareness of the Non-League game.

To qualify for free or heavily discounted admission all supporters need to do is produce a valid season ticket at turnstiles. In some cases clubs are even extending admission offers to new fans who bring along utility bills proving they live locally.

Organisers believe more clubs and supporters than ever are taking part in this year's event which is attracting added attention with Sky Sports football commentator and Kingstonian coach Martin Tyler now the event's official ambassador.

Non-League Day is the brainchild of James Doe, a lifelong fan of both QPR and the Ryman League’s Harrow Borough. He called on fans to get involved this week at a crucial time for Non-League football.

"I urge all fans of the big clubs to get out and watch their local Non-League teams on Saturday," he said. "Given the current financial climate, clubs outside the Football League need all the support they can get, so your presence at a game will be genuinely appreciated. With tickets and refreshments at a fraction of the cost, what's stopping you!"

Non-League Day was launched to encourage Non-League fans to bring along their friends and family who might normally head for Football League or Premier League matches. With no Premier League and Championship games because of the October international break when Non-League Day is staged, thousands of new fans have visited their local clubs for the first time.

Current Evo-Stik NPL Premier Division leaders Marine are leading the way on Saturday by offering free admission to Everton, Liverpool and Tranmere Rovers season ticket holders.

Marine Chairman Paul Leary said: "National Non-League Day provides a great opportunity for football clubs like Marine to attract new fans. This is a great way for local football fans to visit the Arriva Stadium, possibly for the first time. It would be great if more Premier or Football League supporters in Merseyside could adopt Marine as their second team."

The top-of-the-table clash between fourth placed Rushall Olympic and third placed Chorley at Dales Lane sees the Pics discounting admission to £5 for supporters from professional clubs and they are also running the same deal for anyone who can produce a utility bill with a Walsall postcode.

Ilkeston are running the same £5 offer for supporters across the East Midlands when they host Stocksbridge Park Steels and will also be admitting ladies and children for free. Students and members of the Armed Forces will be also be offered £1 entry.

Ilkeston chairman Dave Mantle said: "This is a tremendous opportunity to profile the team and our facilities. We are dead set on turning this into a family club that is a key part of the community and we are already aware that we are a lot of people’s favourite ‘second team’.

"Plenty of supporters are coming to our games when their side are not playing and the more the merrier. This is not an exercise about making money. We just want to show people what we have to offer at the New Manor Ground."

Hednesford fans are helping to organise events at Keys Park where they take on Ashton United. The Hednesford Football Club Supporters’ Association are planning a half-time penalty shoot-out between two local schools along with a gymnastic display.

The group’s Chairman Scott Smith said: "Non-League Day really is a big event this year across the country and the Supporters Association are delighted to be involved in assisting the club with trying to raise its profile within the local community. We hope people who perhaps haven’t visited Keys Park in the past come to enjoy the facilities for what promises to be a hugely enjoyable event."

Frickley Athletic are also throwing open their doors with free admission for supporters from Football League and Premier League clubs for their fixture with Stafford Rangers. The Blues are also staging to two junior games afterwards with a £3 pie and peas deal to raise funds towards the clubs redevelopment target of £50,000.

Matlock Town versus Eastwood Town is the final Premier Division fixture taking part. The Gladiators are also offering free admission and Chairman Tom Wright is looking forward to taking part in the nationwide celebrations promoting Non-League.

He said: "Non-League Day is an ideal opportunity for clubs to promote themselves and the non league game and we hope that fans who normally watch Football League sides will come down and like what they see and be persuaded to come back to Matlock on a more regular basis."

In Evo-Stik NPL First Division North Garforth who take on Mossley have given away hundreds of free tickets to local schools to celebrate Non-League Day. They are admitting pro club season tickets holders to the Brazilian Soccer Schools Stadium for free while reducing standard adult tickets to £4 and children and seniors to £1.

Garforth Secretary Chris Wright said: "Garforth Town wish to play a large part in the local community and the Non-League Day was seen as a way to give back to all the local children. We'd also like to thank our sponsor JS White and Co for their kindness in donating 100 free Garforth Town scarves for the children."

Radcliffe Borough are another side in the division participating when they host Cammell Laird by reducing adult prices to £5 with children and concessions going free. Like increasing numbers of Non-League clubs they are also admitting members of the Armed Forces for free.

Ossett Albion have invited their local Round Table group to their game against Burscough to line a up a range of entertainment for fans including a mascot event which will see Ossett Albion name their new junior mascot.

In Evo-Stik NPL First Division South early season title challengers Coalville Town are heavily discounting ticket prices to Owen Street for their clash with Leek Town with adults paying £4.50 or two adults and two children gaining entry for £10. Like Ossett Albion they are also laying on entertainment for fans including a bouncy castle for the youngest supporters.

Stamford are also offering £5 admission to their game with Halesowen to pro club season tickets holders and Chairman Chris Rivett hopes fans tempted along will see a cracking Evo-Stik NPL Division One South encounter to encourage them to return.

He said: "Non-League Day is a special day in the calendar, a chance for clubs to celebrate everything that is great about the semi-professional game. For the first time in a few seasons we are actually at home and with the international break co-inciding, it presents the opportunity for us to welcome some new faces to Kettering Road.

"We hope that this will certainly appeal to fans of our neighbouring teams across our county borders, who can pop down and see what we, as an ambitious club they perhaps don't get to watch too often, have to offer. I know supporters of clubs from higher up the football pyramid will be pleasantly surprised by the standard of football played at this level; it's a comment that has been regularly made by those who have already watched us this year.

"We hope the fans of teams who don't have a game, or are playing away, will want to come down and see how we're getting on. It'd also be great if our supporters can persuade a friend who follows another club regularly to come down with them on Saturday too.

"We've got players here with ties to a lot of clubs locally and I know fans like to see how they are getting on but whatever the reason for coming, I can assure them they'll be guaranteed a warm, Non-League welcome."

If your club is taking part in Non-League Day but not mentioned here then email: dwatters@evostikleague.co.uk