National League Promotion Final

Prior to the pandemic, my dad and I had a good run of attending the National League Promotion Final at Wembley Stadium, attracted by an Early Bird ticket offer that allowed you to sit in a really nice part of the ground at a reduced price.

We saw emotional returns to the Football League for Grimsby Town and Tranmere Rovers, the celebrations after these matches showing just how much it meant to the supporters and officials involved with those famous old clubs.

For fans of the two teams who actually make it to the final, Wembley isn't perhaps the ideal choice given that ticket prices for their respective ends have been much higher and because of the short window to arrange travel as well.

But for the neutral, the National League offer of £20 for adults, £10 for concessions and free for Under 16's (one per adult/concession, additional tickets £5 each), which runs until 23rd April is a good one.

Take A Seat

Take a seat this coming Saturday in the oldest stand in world football, dating back to 1892, at the Wellesley Recreation Ground, home of Great Yarmouth Town FC.

Admission for an important game at the top of the Thurlow Nunn Eastern Counties League First Division, against Stanway Pegasus, is on a Pay What You Want basis.

In the area on Friday evening? The Premier League 2 Under-21 game between Norwich City and West Ham United at Carrow Road (kick-off 7pm) has free tickets available.

Game On!

 

'Game on' - Probably the two most welcome words in football across the UK at this moment as leagues and clubs battle the elements to get season's finished and promotion/relegation issues sorted as soon as they can.

This was the scene at Turriff United on Saturday, their Highland League fixture against Strathspey Thistle going ahead despite heavy overnight rain as some sunny spells and a strong wind helped the pitch survive for 90 minutes.

The hosts will have been pleased with that as they ran out 7-1 winners against the league's bottom club.

Another thrilling Highland League title race is being played out as I write and, if you're ever in the area, there a host of beautiful backdrops to football in the region.

Up For The (Senior) Cup

 

Good to see the finals of this season's Sheffield FA Senior Cups taking place at Hillsborough with the Women's final on Sunday 28th April and the Men's on Tuesday 30th.

Both matches kick off at 7.30pm and on-the-night admission to each game will be priced at £10 adults and £5 concessions.

For balance, here's a picture of Bramall Lane as well...

Sheffield United Under-21's host Nottingham Forest in the Premier League Cup on Tuesday 9th April at 7pm. Tickets are £3/£1 for non-season ticket holders.

At this time of the season there are usually plenty of Under-21 games scheduled for main stadiums, such as free tickets for Norwich City versus West Ham at Carrow Road on April 12th.

The Premier League website has a good fixture guide to upcoming Under-21 games in all competitions.

Easter At Whitby & More For April

                         

Monday 1st: An Easter special in the United Counties League where Newark & Sherwood United host Lincoln United at 12.30pm before Southwell City against Newark Town at 4pm. A combined ticket for both games is available, costing £8 adults and £6 concessions. 

Monday 1st: 'Pay what you want' at Whitby Town FC for the Northern Premier League game at home to Morpeth Town.

Thursday 4th: England Women's U23's host Sweden at AFC Telford United in a 6.30pm kick-off. Tickets are priced at £5/£3 and £1 for Under 12's. 

Friday 5th: Centenary Shield action at Walsall FC where England Schoolboys take on their Republic of Ireland counterparts. Tickets are priced at £8/£5.

Sunday 7th: Cardiff City Women are back at the CCS for the home game against Wrexham (5.10pm kick-off). Tickets are £5/£1.

Thursday 11th: Molineux hosts the Premier League U17 Cup final between Wolves and Chelsea. Tickets for non-Wolves season-ticket holders are £3/£2.

Friday 12th: More Centenary Shield football, this time it is England against Scotland at Chesterfield FC with tickets again £8/£5.

Cumbrian Cheer

There's a very positive piece on Carlisle United in the latest edition of When Saturday Comes, not perhaps what you would expect with the team sitting at the foot of League One and set for an immediate return to the division they only left last season.

But the club's new(ish) owners have been open, engaging and forward-thinking in their time in Cumbria to date, have plans in place to redevelop Brunton Park and also turn the potential disadvantage of their relative isolation into a selling point as the focal point of an entire county.

Next Saturday (23rd March) is #OneCarlisleOneCommunity day with adult and senior tickets available from £10 for the visit of Stevebage, if purchased in advance.

Focus On The Royals

Not those ones but Sutton Coldfield Town (there's a good BBC piece here on the town's royal status) of the Northern Premier League Midland Division.

This coming Saturday (16th March) brings a home game against Quorn at Coles Lane, the club's home since 1920 and the turnstiles are being thrown open to allow free entry to all spectators for the 3pm kick-off.

Also this Saturday, and also in the Northern Premier League (West), Bootle FC are offering 'pay what you want' admission for the visit of Clitheroe

For something slightly different (and potentially a chance to watch two matches in one day), Hendon FC hosts the semi-final of the FA Inter-League Cup on Saturday at 6:45pm between the Arthurian League and the Herts Senior County League. Admission is free for this one.

Updated: Wednesday 13th Bridging the gap nicely between the previous piece on Non-League Day and the title of this one, Basingstoke Town FC are offering reduced price admission to Reading FC season ticket holders for their home game on NLD, with 50% of the proceeds from the initiative being donated to the fan groups currently looking to save their own Royals.

Non-League Day 2024

Just over two weeks to go until this year's Non-League Day (Saturday 23rd March), a celebration of semi-professional and grassroots football and one that has spread outside the UK to the Netherlands and Spain among others.

Keep up to date with everything that is going on by visiting Non-League Day online, where you can use the match finder to see what games are on near you.

The man behind NLD is James Doe, who also writes the wonderful London Football Guide where details of matches in and around the capital are published every week and where I'm sure there will be a bumper edition for next weekend.

Here are just some of the initiatives that I have seen...

Premier League and EFL season ticket holders are being offered free or reduced price admission at Bilston Town, Brackley Town, Redditch United, Slimbridge AFC, Sutton Common Rovers and Wealdstone FC among others. 

The Wealdstone offer is also available to anyone going to the England versus Brazil game at Wembley later on Saturday evening.

It is 'pay what you want' at Hendon FC, there's 30% off tickets purchased online at Stalybridge Celtic, half-price admission at Barton Town FC and completely free entry at Potters Bar Town.

League Two For £2 (X2)

Clearly aware that I'd backed them to be relegated from League Two this season, Crawley Town are looking up towards the play-off places rather than nervously over their shoulders as we enter the final straight of the campaign.

Always active in their ticket offers throughout the time I've been writing this blog, the Red Devils are repeating their 2@£2 offer which means that tickets for both the visit of Doncaster Rovers on 29 March and Colchester United on 13 April are priced at just £2 in all areas of the ground.

Speaking to the official club website, General Manager Tom Allman said: "The players and management have already commented internally on how much they’re looking forward to playing in front of a big crowd and we hope that the fans can play their part, as they did at last year's fixtures, in what is shaping up to be two huge fixtures in our season."

March Matches

 March

Tuesday 5th/Wednesday 6th: Free Inter-Services football at Aldershot Town as the RAF take on their Army counterparts. The women's game is a 7pm kick-off on Tuesday, the men's at the same time the following night.

Sunday 10th: Crystal Palace Women host Sheffield United at Selhurst Park in a 12pm kick-off. U-16 tickets are priced at £2 and one adult can go free with each under 16.

Tuesday 19th: The Wales 'C' squad, made up of players from the Cymru Premier, take on their England counterparts (drawn from the National Leagues) in Llanelli. Adance tickets are priced at £8/£3.

Friday 22nd: Wales U21's take on Lithuania in Newport at 6pm. Online prices for the Euro qualifier are £4/£2.

Saturday 23rd: Non-League Day returns with a host of special admission offers up and down the country in a celebration of the game outside of the top leagues. I'll post more about this in the next week or so.

Saturday 23rd: In the EFL there are £10 tickets available in advance at Carlisle United as their home game with Stevenage marks #OneCarlisleOneCommunity day at Brunton Park.

Sunday 24th: Glasgow moves to Edinburgh as Rangers Women and Partick Thistle Women meet at Tynecastle in the final of the Sky Sports Cup Final. Tickets are available now and cost £8 adults, £1 for concessions and £15 for a family of four. 

Sunday 24th: At Ewood Park it is Blackburn Rovers Women against Southampton at 2pm with tickets costing £2 for under-17's and £3 for students.

Tuesday 26th: England men's under-21's take on Luxembourg in a Euro qualifier at Bolton Wanderers. £10 adult tickets (£5 concessions) are available to BWFC season ticket holders and members and also to groups of 10 or more