Non-league clubs across the country are expecting a Boxing Day bonanza after the Premier League scheduled just one match for the traditional footballing day. With only Manchester United vs Newcastle United taking place in the top flight, smaller clubs are hoping to attract fans desperate for a festive fix.
Jon Couch, executive editor of the Non-League Paper, said Boxing Day is already the biggest day of the non-league calendar. “It’s the day that the non-league clubs look to first when the fixtures come out, because a home Boxing Day game is huge, both commercially and in terms of bringing the community together,” he said. “This year it’s a real opportunity, if clubs do get a home game it’s like Christmas come late.”
Bolton Wanderers, who host Rotherham United, are targeting Manchester City fans without a game to attend. “The fact that people want their Boxing Day football fix will encourage them to have a look at us,” said chief executive David Ray. Bradford City also expect their match against Wigan Athletic to be a sellout, with chief executive Ryan Sparks calling it a “definite opportunity”.
Not all fans are delighted by the scheduling change. Alex Crook of TalkSPORT called it a “tradition” being broken, while Greg Mitchell of the Nottingham Forest fan group Forza Garibaldi struggled to find a decent match for a visiting friend. However, some supporters are relieved: Billy Grant, co-presenter of Beesotted podcast, noted that the lack of public transport on Boxing Day and inconvenient kick-off times mean some fans are happy to spend the day with family instead.
The Premier League cited the expansion of European competitions for the gap, resulting in the lowest number of top-flight and Football League fixtures on Boxing Day since the Second World War.
