Hucknall Town give free tickets to NHS staff for whole season

NHS workers will be able to see Hucknall Town action like this for free throughout the whole of next season.

Town have been touched, first hand, by the efforts of hospital workers because one of their loyal volunteers contracted the virus.

The wife of committee member, Tom McDonald, runs the club’s shop on matchdays at Watnall Road.

After being ill for several weeks, she is steadily improving, but remains in hospital, where her family has been overwhelmed by the quality of care she has received.

Now, Town have been tempted into their free-ticket offer for every match in the East Midlands Counties League (EMCL) when football resumes in 2020/21.

A statement issued by the club states: “We want to acknowledge the care that hospital staff are providing in extraordinary circumstances during the current Covid-19 crisis.

“We know that supporters, volunteers and others connected with the club have been in receipt of phenomenal care in hospitals.

“As a gesture and thankyou to those working in the hospital environment, the club would like to offer free entry to league fixtures next season to hospital staff at the Queen’s Medical Centre and the City Hospital within the Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust. ID will allow entry to the fixtures.

“Hucknall Town Football Club’s management committee wants to thank our local NHS.”

Admission prices to Watnall Road games are normally £5, with £2 for concessions.

Next season promises to be an exciting one for Town after a highly encouraging effort in their first season in the EMCL.

They sat as high as fifth in the table when the coronavirus lockdown brought the 2019/20 campaign to a premature halt.

Manager Andy Graves said: “At the start of the season, if we had known we were going to finish fifth, everyone would have said fantastic.

“It was far better than we aimed for or set out for. We now know where we are and what we want.”

It has been indicated to Town that a proposed restructure of the leagues will be delayed to the summer of 2021, meaning four promotion places will again be on offer in the EMCL next term.