Gateshead FC are delighted to be a part of The National Lottery Football Weekends, where over 100,000 people across the UK will get the chance to go and watch their local football club for free in a celebration of non-league football.
Gateshead fans know full well how damaging the pandemic has been to clubs like ours. At the height of the pandemic where there was no gate revenue, and an unprecedented halt in the football calendar, there were serious fears about the future of our beloved club.
Stepping in to ensure the survival of clubs that are vital to their local community, in October 2020 the National Lottery provided over £12.5 million to support non-league clubs in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and has also supported grassroots and community football with £200 million in funding since 1995.
With clubs in a much better place, and an exciting future to look forward to as many feel more connected than ever to their local club, The National Lottery Football Weekends are here with an exclusive ticket offer as a thank you to players who helped keep clubs alive.
The National Lottery Football Weekends will take place on three weekends across March and April.
Our game will be at home to Bradford (Park Avenue) on Saturday, March 26 (3pm kick off).
As part of this offer, we want to welcome as many people as possible to Gateshead International Stadium to celebrate the unique football heritage of the UK and introduce new supporters to non-league football.
This special ‘Buy One Get One Free’ ticket offer will also be available to National Lottery Players to take someone – potentially for the very first time – to a game at any of the 231 participating clubs in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Supporters of the campaign include UK-wide fan favourite Ally McCoist and former England international Karen Carney, along with the four Home Nation FAs. The National Lottery is also working in partnership with Non-League Day, a campaign set up in 2010 by fan James Doe to encourage supporters of clubs playing at the highest levels of the game to support their local non-league club and recognise the value of local clubs within their community.
Club Chairman, Neil Pinkerton, said:
“This campaign is an extremely exciting opportunity to bolster an already fast-growing enthusiasm for non-league football, and following a much-needed injection of support during the pandemic, we are delighted that through the National Lottery Football Weekends, we are able to give back to the people that matter the most – the fans.
“The National Lottery and National Lottery players play a vital role in supporting our national game, but especially at non-league and grassroots level. Gateshead prides itself on being a club that is closely connected with the local community, and it is thanks to the emergency funding, that ensured our survival at a time where things looked bleak, that we are able to continue delivering the outreach projects that make a real difference to our fans and the wider community.”
How does the offer work?
- Every paying adult (18+) who presents a valid legible National Lottery ticket when they buy their match ticket, will be able to bring one guest with them for free.
- Each adult will need to purchase their ticket for the match in person, either in advance, or on the day of the match (please see the relevant league’s terms and conditions for further details).
- Each person will be able to bring a guest (adult, child or concession) for free with their full price purchased ticket, and can buy a maximum of two adult tickets (therefore taking up to two guests for free).
- Tickets will be sold on a first come first served basis.
Find out more about The National Lottery Football Weekend here.
Terms and conditions apply.
