For the rest of the 2014/15 season and beyond, all students enrolled at the college will get free access at Victoria park for all first team league matches, development squad and youth team games, simply by showing their student ID passes at the turnstiles.

The scheme aims to encourage young people to get into the habit of attending live football and enjoying football terrace culture, in a time when ticket prices, particularly at top level football clubs, have out priced many football fans.

Nelson FC Chief Executive Adam Keizer was delighted with the announcement, “I’m really excited to be able to confirm today a new partnership with Nelson & Colne College that will see Nelson Football Club lead the way in the campaign to make football affordable for all. By giving free access to all Nelson & Colne College students we are making it as easy as possible for local young people to enjoy the thrill of a live match and experience the buzz of football terrace culture.

Being a football supporter, especially of a top level club, has become so expensive and so sanitised, I think English football is in danger of losing a generation of supporters. We need to encourage young people as much as possible to get the bug of going to watch football, enjoying a match and having a laugh with their mates and without having to spend silly amounts of money, just like older generations enjoyed back in the day.

I was born in Germany and have a keen interest in how things are done over there, I was lucky to spend time at Borussia Dortmund, learning from Dr Christian Hockenjos, and it’s clear that in Germany there is a concerted and cohesive attempt to keep football affordable for all, and in particular make sure football continues to appeal to younger generations. Its clearly working. Here at Nelson Football Club we want to promote this philosophy and provide an example within English football of a club flying the flag for making football affordable for all.

I’m looking forward to seeing as many Nelson & Colne college students as possible at Victoria Park and I think most will be very surprised how good the football is here. We’ve got a fantastic team, some superb footballers, not just in the first team but the Development Squad and Youth Team too. The pitch at Victoria Park is as good as it gets at non-league level and on our day we can play some great attacking football with plenty of goals, so I’m sure Nelson & Colne college students will be excited when they see what Nelson FC has to offer.

It couldn't be easier, all they have to do is show their show their ID passes at the turnstiles and they have free access to all home matches, including first team league matches and all development squad and youth team matches. We’re only a mile away from the college so I hope we can get as many as possible to come down.”

Nelson & Colne College has over 1,600 enrolled students, all of whom will be officially given free access to Nelson FC as of next week, starting with our huge league match against AFC Liverpool on Saturday 8th November.