The JD Cymru Leagues is delighted to announce its involvement in The National Lottery Football Weekends – a celebration of clubs across the UK and an exclusive ticket offer as a thank you to National Lottery players who helped keep clubs alive.
Our game supporting the initiative will be v Swansea University: Friday April 1st 2022
In October 2020, the National Lottery provided over £12.5 million to support local clubs in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and has also supported grassroots and community football with £200 million in funding since 1995.
With a halt in the football calendar and no gate revenue, there were fears about the future of many clubs. Thankfully National Lottery players stepped in to protect many local football clubs across the UK.
As thanks for the essential support, 231 clubs in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are now taking part in The National Lottery Football Weekends. Each club will, for one home fixture in March or April, run a special ‘Buy One Get One Free’ ticket offer for National Lottery players to get out to watch their local team, perhaps for the first time, and experience the vital role these clubs play as part of their local community.
The campaign will be delivered in partnership with the National League, FA (Football Association), Scottish FA (Scottish Football Association), FAW (Football Association of Wales) and IFA (Ireland Football Association) and is also backed by well-known ex-footballers Ally McCoist and Karen Carney. In Wales, the participating clubs are in the JD Cymru Premier, JD Cymru North and JD Cymru South.
Noel Mooney, FAW Chief Executive, said: “National Lottery players have a vital role in supporting our national game, but especially at non-league and grassroots level. Local football is the very heartbeat of our national game and our communities, and this connection between clubs and their local communities needs to be celebrated. So many of our players at the top end of the game would not be where they are today without them. I urge everyone to get out and support their local side and there is no better time to do it than now.”
Former Scottish international and National Lottery Football Weekends Ambassador McCoist said: “In nearly every corner of the country you will find a football club which does much more than just kick a ball around on a Saturday afternoon. These clubs make a difference to so many in their community and they suffered perhaps more than any other part of our game during the pandemic. The support of National Lottery players has been crucial in helping them survive and now you can support them again, but this time from the terraces.”
We hope to see as many fans as possible take part in The National Lottery Football Weekends and would encourage people to visit their local clubs.
Our game supporting the initiative will be v Swansea University: Friday April 1st 2022
*Terms and conditions apply.
