Come Support Harrow (As part of "Non League Day")

[Macmoish]

Passing this on...From an Harrow email sent to Clive Whittingham Inviting/urging come support local club Harrow as part of "Non League Day" (September 4) except that Harrow don't actually have a home game on that day...So... (Also some additional info re "Non League Day"


"I don’t know if you are aware but there are plans for a Non League Day as a result of the England qualifying match v Bulgaria.

It is an idea from a QPR supporter called James Doe, who occasionally visit us at Harrow Borough.

With England playing the night before and there being no Premier League or Championship games on that day as a result, the idea is that it would be a great opportunity to try and get fans of the big clubs to come and sample some football at their local non-league club instead.

Unfortunately for us the planned date is Saturday 4th September, where we will be away to Cray Wanderers and will not directly benefit.

However as an alternative we would like to invite fans from the bigger clubs to two of our home matches either side of the Non League Day.

Bank Holiday Monday 30th August

Harrow Borough v Hendon (kick off 3pm)



Tuesday 7th September

Harrow Borough v Lowestoft Town (kick off 7.45pm)

For both matches we would charge entrance of £5 Adults (accompanied children just £1) for any current Premier League or Football League Club season ticket holders.

I know that QPR won’t have any fixtures until Saturday 11th September when you are at home to Middlesboro so it would be great if we could again attract some of the local QPR supporters to support us at Harrow Borough FC.

Kind regards

David Howell


Clive Whittingham also wrote about supporting Harrow earlier this week on his site

"...Local football for local people

A few weeks back LFW published an appeal from Harrow Borough manager Dave Howell for fans to go along to the pre-season friendly fixture between his side and the QPR second string. Harrow are run on a shoestring budget and the money coming in from that friendly, and one a week later against Birmingham, is vital to their survival. Thankfully almost one thousand people clicked through the turnstiles that night bringing the club a handy few thousand quid at the same time.

But the pressure for Harrow, and the other non-league clubs that nestle among communities across the country, does not simply end with a couple of decent friendly gates. These clubs need people’s support to continue – and in times where people are watching what money goes out each week, and have plenty of football on the television to choose from, it’s a difficult game to play.

To try and increase attendance at non-league grounds up and down the country Saturday September 4 has been designated National Non-League Day. With England playing Bulgaria on the Friday night and the Premiership and Championship cancelled that weekend for the internationals thousands of football fans up and down the land will be short of a live game that Saturday.

Sadly for Harrow, they are away at Cray Wanderers so will not benefit, but ever keen to get new fans through the doors they are discounting tickets for two other matches either side of the Saturday.

So, on Bank Holiday Monday, August 30, when Harrow play Hendon at 3pm, and then on Tuesday, September 7, for the home game against Lowestoft at 7.45pm adults can get in for just a fiver with a QPR, or any other Football League, season ticket. Accompanied children can go in for a quid.

The R’s fans that did go to the friendly match between the two sides reported a fine atmosphere and set up with club house that could make for a decent, and cheap, Saturday afternoon out at some proper football. LFW will continue to shamelessly plug this event over the next week or so but please, if you can, get down and support one of our local clubs.

www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/queensparkrangers/fb_news.php?storyid=8865&title=this_week_–_why_missing_out_on_walters_could_actually_be_a_blessing

[Macmoish]

Aso Sports Review


Non-League Day encourages fans to redirect their support
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By Gareth Llewellyn-Stevens
11:00am UK, Wednesday July 28, 2010
By Gareth Llewellyn-Stevens, 11:00am UK, Wednesday July 28, 2010
(Photo: Steven Depolo)

On Saturday 4 September, as the Premier League and the Championship make way for international fixtures, football fans across the country are being encouraged to give their local Non-League club some much-needed support.
Speaking exclusively to The Sport Review, James Doe, the man behind the ‘Non-League Day’ campaign tells us about how his idea came about and why he thinks all football fans should help to support local clubs through difficult financial times, save themselves some money—all whilst still enjoying the sport we all love.

“The idea for Non-League Day came to me after going to QPR’s pre-season game at Tavistock a couple of weeks ago,” Doe told The Sport Review.

“The club and fans were made really welcome by the hosts and it was obvious how financially important the visit was to them.

“In the last year or so I’ve heard repeatedly how money is becoming really tight for Non-League clubs – the last time I went to watch Harrow they were about to hold a fundraising night to buy some new bulbs for the floodlights.

“Their plight cannot be unique so I wanted to start Non-League Day to try and give our local clubs a bit of publicity and a shot in the arm.”

Countless Football League teams have experienced the worst of financial mismanagement and have suffered as a result—just as big clubs like Manchester City and Leeds United did in the 1990s.

But the one thing Non-League teams do not have much of is money, and at a time when everyone is watching their own pockets, it is these clubs that are feeling the pinch the most.

Non-League clubs rely on supporters and volunteers to ensure matches can go ahead, and fans can take the whole family for a fraction of the price of a day out to a Championship game, never mind watching a Premier League club.

“Non-league teams often play a vital part in local communities and survive only as a result of hard-working volunteers.

“They often provide a place for young people to realise their footballing talents and are the very thing that underpins football in this country. People who get involved will help this to continue,” said Doe.

“The whole experience of non-league football can be very refreshing.

“You can watch the game from pretty much any point in the stadium, move freely around during the game and you get some top banter between supporters and sometimes even with the players.

“To top it all, you can probably take the entire family and buy them refreshments for the price of one Premier League ticket in some cases.”

‘Non-League Day’ is already gaining interest across football circles, with teams and fans across the UK joining in to support and follow the campaign on Twitter and Facebook.

And where will James Doe be on 4 September?

“Well as a part-time Harrow Borough fan, I guess it’s got to be the away game at Cray Wanderers,” he said. “It’s particularly poignant as they’re celebrating their 150th anniversary this year and as such are one of the oldest clubs in the world.”

The Sport Review is proud to be supporting the Non-League Day campaign on 4 September and we encourage our readers to get involved and help make the day a success.

www.thesportreview.com/tsr/2010/07/non-league-day/

[Macmoish]

See - www.nonleagueday.co.uk/

Non League Day

The "non-league football day" is the brainchild of James Doe, a lifelong football fan and supporter of Harrow Borough FC. Its aim is to promote the semi professional game in this country by virtue of a fortuitous break in the football calendar. In James' own words:

"WITH ENGLAND PLAYING THE NIGHT BEFORE AND THE PREMIER LEAGUE AND CHAMPIONSHIP TAKING A WEEK OFF, I URGE ALL FANS OF THE BIG CLUBS TO GET OUT AND WATCH THEIR LOCAL NON-LEAGUE TEAM INSTEAD ON SATURDAY 4TH SEPTEMBER. 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?"
What started as a social networking group has now become an overnight sensation, with patronage coming from BBC Radio London, the Football Supporters Federation and various leading sports websites.

In order to focus efforts, James has teamed up with Mike Bayly, Commercial Manager at Wingate & Finchley FC, and author of "Changing Ends - A season in non-league football", to provide a central repository for fans to gather information and share their experiences. It must be stressed the scheme is not a protest movement, but an opportunity for fans to experience life at the other end of the football spectrum where many clubs are kept alive by the benevolence of hard working volunteer committees.

For many supporters, the non-league game now represents the true soul of football, untouched by the commercial mechanisms that have revolutionised its professional counterpart. Sadly, so many clubs at this level remain desperately underfunded, in a game where money is seemingly in plentiful supply.

Do your bit for semi-pro and grass roots football, and get out and support your local team, be they in Conference National or The Combined Counties League. We think you will be pleasantly surprised.

Thanks James & Mike

www.nonleagueday.co.uk/

[canadaranger]

Harrow need to get the footage (local photographer) of the Chesham United vs. Hendon "friendly" recently...

It wasn't.

[Lonegunmen]

Still a good idea to pop along. 5 pound isn't bad at all.

[Macmoish]

Bump Reminder and also...

Hendon Times

Greens hope to attract new fans
1:40pm Sunday 29th August 2010

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Hendon Football Club will be supporting “Non-League Day” on Saturday, September 4 by offering reduced entry of £5.00 to season ticket holders from any club – with the exception of that day's opponents, Carshalton Athletic.

The match in the Ryman League Premier Division will be played at the Greens’ home, Wembley FC’s Vale Farm, Watford Road, Sudbury, HA0 3HG, and will kick off at 3.00pm.

With England playing Bulgaria in a European Championship qualifying match at Wembley on the Friday night, there are no Barclays Premier League or Npower Championship fixtures on the Saturday. As a result, Queens Park Rangers supporter James Doe has set up an initiative to persuade football fans who would normally watch only top-flight football to pay a visit to their local non-league football club instead.

The Greens, who are owned outright by the Hendon FC Supporters Trust, offer the lowest admission charge for any North London club playing at non-league Step 3 level. The normal admission prices are £9.00 for adults, £5.00 for senior citizens and students, and just £1.00 for under-16s.

For those fans travelling to London for the match on Friday night and staying locally for the weekend, Vale Farm is a little more than a mile from the “other Wembley” and can be reached by bus from hotels around the stadium, or on foot. It is around 20 minutes’ walk from Wembley Stadium Station to Vale Farm.

Hendon FC would be delighted to welcome new faces at Vale Farm for Non League Day, and hopefully these new spectators will like what they see and be tempted to come along again.



www.times-series.co.uk/sport/8355161.Hendon_offer___5_admission_on_Non_League_Day/

[Macmoish]

Did anyone go to see Harrow-Hendon game today?

[Lonegunmen]

I hope so.