Latics out to lure young fans

ATHLETIC have introduced an under-16’s £10 season ticket for the 2012-13 season.

Chairman Simon Corney’s move is another bold initiative to attract a new generation of fans to Boundary Park.

Junior season tickets will be available in the Chaddy End and Rochdale Road Stand and work out at just 43 pence per match.

Adult season-ticket prices have been frozen. They have remained unchanged since 2007-08 which, taking into account inflation, represents a sizeable reduction in real terms.

Corney says the support of season-ticket holders is more important than ever.

“Next season we will receive a reduction in funding from the Football League, mainly as a result of the new television deal," he said.

“Together with the effects of the economic downturn and the introduction of the salary cap, these are challenging times.

“The revenue generated from season-ticket sales will be massively important as it will go a long way to determining what we can spend on next season’s playing budget.”

An adult season ticket in the Main Stand upper costs £328 if bought before noon on Friday, May 11, which equates to £14.26 per match. The price after that date reverts to £399.

A discounted adult season ticket in the Rochdale Road Stand costs £308, later rising to £379; while in the Chaddy End, the discounted cost is £328, rising to £399.

Athletic have also scrapped the match-category status for next season, prices reverting to £20 adults and £10 concessions for the Main Stand upper, Chaddy End and Rochdale Road Stand.

In the Main Stand lower, admission prices will be £19 and £9 respectively. Juniors behind both goals will be £5.

Athletic season-ticket holders will also be able to watch up to five games at Bury and Rochdale, for £5 per match, as part of a ground-breaking partnership between the three clubs.

Season tickets will be on sale from 9am on Tuesday and fans can take out a finance plan to pay for their season tickets over 10 instalments, or pay over three months, interest free.