Fans encouraged to make it a family day

ATHLETIC are to hold a series of ‘Family Days’ aimed at attracting a new generation of fans.

The five fixtures at Boundary Park, the first of which is against Yeovil on Saturday, October 3, will have a family theme while tickets will be available at heavily-discounted prices.

A ticket for one adult and two children will cost £20, which represents a 50-per-cent saving on normal matchday admission prices.

A ticket for up two adults and four children will cost £40. Fans can apply for one match at these prices.

After booking, they will receive a letter of confirmation and further discount offers for the other fixtures.

There will be a host of activities before matches and at half-time.

These include face-painting, freestyle football exhibitions, giant inflatables and games.

The ‘Family Days’ are: Sat, Oct 3 v Yeovil; Sat, Jan 9 v Leyton Orient; Sat, Feb 13 v Walsall; Sat, Mar 13 v Wycombe; Sat, Apr 24 v Southend.




KEITH GUMBS, the St Kitts and Nevis international who was signed by Athletic in 1998 but had to leave when a work permit was refused, still keeps in contact with the club’s chief executive Alan Hardy.



In his latest e-mail, Gumbs says he is playing in Indonesia where he has helped his club win their equivalent of the FA Cup for a second successive year.

Athletic toured St Kitts in 1998 after which national-team players Gumbs, Serelse Cannonier and George Isaac were invited for trials.

Gumbs impressed sufficiently to be signed, but left two months later when his work permit was rejected as St Kitts were not among the top 75 countries in the FIFA rankings.




DALE STEPHENS, the Athletic midfield player currently on loan at Rochdale, scored a dramatic equaliser at Morecambe on Friday night.



The 21-year-old came off the substitutes’ bench to grab the goal which earned a 3-3 draw as ’Dale produced a remarkable recovery from 3-0 down.

Greg Fleming, the Athletic goalkeeper who is on a season-long loan at Dunfermline, returned to Boundary Park on Friday to watch the Hartlepool match.

Fleming had a free weekend because of the break for international matches.

Former Athletic manager Joe Royle was also a spectator at the game.