Rams reap record reward

Ramsbottom United's fans will have to pay to see their side take on Salford City next week but the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League club insists they should still be celebrating the success of their 'Rammy1000' campaign.

To boost crowds as they chase a second successive promotion, the Rams promised supporters free entry to next Tuesday night's Evo-Stik NPL First Division North derby with the Ammies if they could record a 1000 gate when Farsley arrived at the Harry Williams Riverside Stadium on Easter Saturday.

The initiative was the brainchild of the recently formed Ramsbottom United Supporters Club and after a poster, leaflet and internet campaign, the Rams nearly doubled their average gate with 446 turning out to record their biggest crowd of the campaign.

It was also the second highest gate across the division this season and the Rams are now planning a series of projects to continue attracting new supporters and lure older ones back. The success of the Easter Saturday promotion won national coverage on BBC 5 Live's Non-League Show on Sunday and spokesman Tony Cunningham said the number of younger fans the event attracted was one of the day's highlights.

Cunningham said: "We have got many more initiatives up our sleeves as we try to push the profile of the club even further, be it in Evo-Stik North or Evo-Stik Premier. As well as supporters of other clubs, many youngsters – the next generation of fans – turned out with the club selling an encouraging number of souvenirs, scarves and hats in the hope of attracting many of the 'new' supporters back to the ground for future games."

Urging other clubs to follow suit and take a more proactive approach, he added: "Instead of just opening the turnstiles and waiting for people to come in, perhaps it is this sort of initiative that clubs at Non-League level need to look at in an attempt to raise the whole profile of the Non-League game.

"It may not have attracted the required number but it was still considered a great success by the club. At a time when the media seems forever obsessed with the Premier League, football at Non-League level needs to attract more spectators to enable it to flourish."