Ground Hop???

Cheshire Ground Hop: Non-League Day 2012

Blue Square Bet has announced details of this year’s ‘Non-League Ground Hop’ to coincide with Non-League Day 2012.

Last year’s unique event saw fans take in the action at a game in each of the three Blue Square Bet sponsored divisions.

This year’s event will see fans attending three Blue Square Bet Premier games in Cheshire and the opportunity to view six teams at the peak of the Non-League game.

The leading interactive bookmaker, now in their sixth year of Football Conference sponsorship, has produced a day for all football fans to savour and is putting on ‘free’ coaches to make it possible for fans to attend three games on the day – Saturday 13th October.

It all kicks-off at 12.30 with a match to relish as early promotion candidates Macclesfield Town and Newport County go head-to-head.

Fans will then make the short trip to Stockport County to watch them take on Kidderminster Harriers, who are desperate to make up for their bad start to the campaign.

The second game kicks-off at 3.30pm. The day ends at newly-promoted Hyde who host Tamworth with a kick-off time of 6.30pm.

For a small (minimum £5) charity donation to ‘Marie Curie Cancer Care’, fans will be able to board a complimentary coach after the Macclesfield match which will drop them at Stockport and then wait to take them on to Hyde. After the third game (Hyde v Tamworth) coaches will return back to Macclesfield and also Manchester city centre (at approximately 8.30pm) – enabling fans to pick up cars at Moss Rose or get back on to the mainline train network.

Fans who take the coach will also be given an exclusive souvenir t-shirt to commemorate the day.

Hoppers can of course make their own way to all three fixtures and limited parking will be available.



Fans wishing to reserve a place on the coach (or requiring further information) should e-mail sponsorship@bluesq.com.

Standard admission prices will apply on the day – with the cheapest adult total admission cost for all three games coming in at a very reasonable £44 (senior citizens and child discounts will be available in line with standard discounts at each ground).

Non-League Day (NLD) is a celebration of the semi-pro, amateur game and also the professional ranks at the top of the pyramid. It’s a chance for fans of bigger clubs to experience football at a level they may be otherwise unfamiliar with.

Set to coincide with a blank weekend in the Barclays Premier League and npower Championship due to International Matches – the initiative first took place in September 2010, proving a huge success.

In 2011 attendances were boosted at games up and down the country.

Sky Sports commentator and Non-League Day ambassador Martin Tyler said: ‘My passion for football was nurtured by Non-League football as both a player and a supporter before I started my broadcasting career.

‘I am eternally grateful for those roots. I have never forgotten them and over the last seven years it has been a joy to return to them as a part-time coach at first Walton & Hersham and now Kingstonian.

‘Non-League Day is a chance to celebrate the 40,000 semi-professional and amateur clubs in the UK and I am honoured to help fly the flag.’