Matt Le Tissier gives Non-League Day the thumbs up

The Sponsors of the Vanarama Conference have launched a campaign to break Non-League Day attendance record on Saturday.

Vanarama have joined forces with Non-League Day and Matt Le Tissier to launch a campaign to break the attendance record at Vanarama Conference fixtures on Non-League Day. 

Core to the campaign is a “call to arms” to recruit personalities who love the game, to put their “thumbs up” for Non-League day and raise awareness.

Van leasing business Vanarama will take to social media to encourage managers; players; media; celebrities; and of course fans to post pictures of their support using #thumbsup4NLD.

The campaign will raise awareness of Non-League football to ALL football fans and ask them to go to support their local club on Saturday, on a day when there are no Premier League or Championship fixtures.

The target is to achieve a Non-League Day attendance of more than 50,000 at Vanarama Conference games on the day, breaking the existing record of 39,210 in 2012.

Vanarama, will make a donation on behalf of every fan attending a Vanarama Conference fixture to Prostate Cancer UK, the event’s charity.

Based on last year’s attendance this will be a donation of £4,000. If the matchday attendance across the Vanarama Conference is higher than 50,000, Vanarama will donate at least £10,000. Full details can be found at www.vanarama.co.uk/thumbsup4nld.

To help raise awareness for the campaign, join Le Tissier and others, and post pictures of you and your friends with ‘thumbs up’ to @Vanarama and using #thumbsup4NLD, or www.facebook.com/vanarama.

Former Southampton star, Le Tissier, Thumbs Up for Non-League Day ambassador said: “Non-League Football is close to my heart and the lifeblood of the beautiful game in this country.

“I am excited to be supporting this campaign and encourage everyone to tweet their thumbs up photos and get down to their local club this coming Saturday. Let’s break the record and raise money for Prostate Cancer UK”.

Andy Alderson, the owner & managing Director, Autorama Group said: “As a company of football fans, we are excited to be sponsoring the Vanarama Conference and delighted to be supporting Non-League Day and Prostrate Cancer UK at the same time.

“We hope to help the clubs attract fans from the wider football family on this special day in the Football calendar. Thumbs Up for Non-League Day!”

While Dover Athletic, Dartford and Welling United are all away in the Vanarama Conference to AFC Telford, Altrincham and Grimsby Town respectively, both of our Kent clubs in the Vanarama Conference South are at home on Saturday.

To celebrate Non-League Day, ALL under 16s will be admitted to Stonebridge Road FREE OF CHARGE to watch Ebbsfleet United’s game against St Albans City.

Furthermore, all junior Fleet season ticket holders who would have got in free anyway will receive a free Charlie Sheringham T-shirt so they don’t miss out on the giveaway either.

Second-placed Bromley welcome Chelmsford City to Hayes Lane, which will be another of the Ravens’ Family Fun Days.

All season ticket holders of Premier League or Football League sides can enter the ground for half-price!

As always, under 16s will be able to watch Bromley without having to pay a penny when they enter before 2pm.

Mark Goldberg’s side thrashed Chelmsford City 5-0 at Hayes Lane last season.

Turnstiles will be opening at 1pm and the entertainment starts from then, with a bouncy castle, face painting, beat the goalie' competition with fantastic prizes along with the chance to meet the Bromley mascot Billy Bromley and characters from Disney.

There will also be a chance for our young supporters to score past Billy Bromley on the Hayes Lane pitch at half-time when we will be doing a penalty shoot-out.

Also at half-time, having been nominated on several occasions, co-chairman Ashley Reading will be taking on the Ice Bucket Challenge on the pitch.