Online footy club offers free entry to games for kids
Newly-formed Caledonian Braves FC have launched an initiative, which offers free entry to games for all school children in North and South Lanarkshire.
The ambitious Lowland League side, which aims to be playing in the Premiership by 2025, relaunched last week as Caledonian Braves, having previously been known as Edusport Academy.
Braves are the world’s first online community football club, and sit midtable in the Scottish Lowland League, having won two of their opening three games, 6-0 against Edinburgh University and 3-2 at home to Gretna 2008, before losing 4-1 at home to Kelty Hearts on Saturday.
The new name was voted for by its members, with 800 supporters across 25 countries worldwide being given the chance to participate through the groundbreaking ourfootballclub.com project.
Braves will play their games at Alliance Park in Bellshill – the new name also voted for by members – after spending the last four years at Annan.
The club is throwing its gates open to pupils across the whole of Lanarkshire, to encourage more families to go along to games.
Parents who go along with their children can get in for just £1, and the club is offering season tickets for the bargain price of just £25.
Owner Chris Ewing said: “This is a really exciting time for our club, with a new name and a new home, and we would like as many people as possible to join us on our journey.
“One of the points about having the new ground named Alliance Park is that it’s about bringing communities together.
“It would be fantastic if the club could act as a catalyst for that, while at the same time encouraging youngsters to come along to games.
“Young people are the lifeblood of any club, and we have to do what we can to encourage them to come along.
“Hopefully, they do that, enjoy the experience, and want to see more of the Caledonian Braves.
“A parent accompanying their child will only have to play £1 for admission, so it will certainly make for fantastic value for families.”
The season ticket on offer lets fans into all home Lowland League games, the reserve team’s home fixtures in the South of Scotland League, and the under-20s’ fixtures, which are played on a Friday night.
With over 30 games played between the three teams, that works out at around 80p per game.
Chris added: “We are delighted to offer supporters the best value season ticket in Scottish football.
“Costs can often be a barrier to people attending football games, but we wanted to try and overcome that hurdle with our affordable tickets.”
Caledonian Braves have also launched a new app which they hope will take fan engagement to a new level.
The first of its kind in Scotland, it cost £30,000 to develop.
Chris said: “For a club in the fifth tier of Scottish football to spend £30,000 on an app shows a real statement of our ambition.
“There is nothing like this in the country for football fans, and once they see it in action they will be impressed by the level of interaction that it provides.
“I firmly believe there is a place for technology in the game.
“Scottish football has been crying out for innovation for too long and I’m proud that Caledonian Braves is leading the way when it comes to fan engagement.”