More pre season friendlies for AFC Rushden and Diamonds

[BartonRaz]

Will be interesting to see what sort of attendance we'll get for this first one, people will probably be more interested in the senior side next year but hopefully a few 100 will turn up for this one.

I'll be very surprised, albeit pleasantly surprised, if more than 100 show up each week for these U18 games. I don't think the interest in this U18 side and the senior side next year will be comparable.

[bozzer]

I think you'll be quite surprised then!, well I hope you will be
I think we'll get quite a few particularly at the start who'll be delighted to see a team called rushden and diamonds.
Don't know how many we'll get on a cold Thursday in November though!, I'll be there though!!

[Olly]

Will be interesting to see what sort of attendance we'll get for this first one, people will probably be more interested in the senior side next year but hopefully a few 100 will turn up for this one.

I'll be very surprised, albeit pleasantly surprised, if more than 100 show up each week for these U18 games. I don't think the interest in this U18 side and the senior side next year will be comparable.

Well for next Saturday's game I think we should get reasonable interest but I agree as the season goes on, I think we'll have 100-200 on average at most really, considering its only an u18 team I think anything like that will be decent enough.

[Formic]

I went to quite a few of the youth games that R&DFC Youth team played last season - notably the cup games in the evening. Many of spectators were friends and family of the team, especially for the away games, but for the Wycombe game at Nene Park I'd guess there were up to 100 other Diamonds fans in the overall gate of 187, but perhaps only 75 for the Carshalton FA Youth Cup game (total attendance 134). On their travels the Youth team didn't attract more than about 25 who weren't friends and family - e.g. the evening FA Youth Cup game at Newmarket. When the Youth team used to play on Saturday mornings on Pitch 2 they'd get similar numbers if the first team were playing later in the day.

Those games on Pitch 2 were free to watch, which I think was the case for the league games the Youth Team played last season. I think a donation system is the only approach that would work for NSYL fixtures, as clearly some people have far more significant travelling costs than others, and there is a need to attract "casual" spectators who clearly won't expect to pay for that level of football.

[Everyweeker]

Do we have any idea of when fixtures beyond September might be released?

Just need to engage in some advance planning for which games it might be possible for me to attend!

[davealbon]

Do we have any idea of when fixtures beyond September might be released?

Just need to engage in some advance planning for which games it might be possible for me to attend!

I was speaking to the fixtures secretary last night, and they won't be drawn for a while yet, probably not until into September. The reason being, FA Youth Cup and NFA U18s Cup matches take priority over NSYL games. Every year they have league games being postponed to accommodate the cup games, so they are waiting until the first cup fixtures have been played so that they can try to avoid having postponements.

[Everyweeker]

Do we have any idea of when fixtures beyond September might be released?

Just need to engage in some advance planning for which games it might be possible for me to attend!

I was speaking to the fixtures secretary last night, and they won't be drawn for a while yet, probably not until into September. The reason being, FA Youth Cup and NFA U18s Cup matches take priority over NSYL games. Every year they have league games being postponed to accommodate the cup games, so they are waiting until the first cup fixtures have been played so that they can try to avoid having postponements.

OK, thanks Dave. I take it that we are only entering the league knockout cup, and not the NFA U18s Cup?

[davealbon]

OK, thanks Dave. I take it that we are only entering the league knockout cup, and not the NFA U18s Cup?

No, we're in both.

The first round of the NFA U18s Cup is yet to be drawn, but the fixtures are scheduled for the week preceding Sunday 9th October. The first and second rounds of the League KO Cup were drawn before we even applied to join the league, however, the Ploppies were originally going to take part but then pulled out so we may be taking their place which would mean a first round game against Cogenhoe. It may still be re-drawn though - which would be good for us as Cogenhoe are apparently one of the best sides in the NSYL! ;)