The Club is naturally delighted by the Football Association's announcement that Shrewsbury's new stadium will host the England v Spain Euro qualification match on 25th November.
"There's been quite a bit of work behind the scenes on this and it's great to have achieved a milestone like hosting a prestigious senior squad international so early in the stadium's life," comments STFC Chief Executive Steve Wellbeloved who is leading the Club's team working on the project.
"There are a whole raft of rules and regulations you have to be able to meet to host a match like this, so we are obviously very pleased to have cleared all those hurdles and to have also come through a site inspection with flying colours.
"As well as being good for the Club and stadium, this is also very good news for Shrewsbury & Shropshire and underlines just how much of an asset the stadium is.
"We need to make the very most of this opportunity for the town and county, so one of the very first things we've done is to contact the County Council to explore how we might work together on this. Their initial response has been very positive, so I'm optimistic that between us we may be able to get some great initiatives in place and introduce lots of people to the delights of the stadium and top level women's football - as well as to the unique buzz of an official England match.
"There could be real potential to draw groups of people to the stadium who have never been to an STFC match and that can only be good for everyone concerned.
"The English FA are also keen to play their part in this 'outreach'. For example, qualifying groups of 15 or more can get tickets for just £1/person and there are also free places for FA Charter schools and clubs, so there is a real opportunity to get large numbers along to cheer the national team.
"Individual adult prices will be £5 with concessions at £2.50, so this should be a great event for families, including many who have yet to experience a game at the new stadium. There's been an upsurge in interest in the women's game in recent years, so it's a great opportunity to see some well known players in a competitive game against decent international opposition, right here at our own stadium," says Steve.
While this match may prompt many first time visits to the stadium, regular visitors will notice some one-off changes. This is because when the FA stage a game like this they operate on a 'clean stadium' basis and determine what facilities and seats are used for what purpose. This means not all of the seats people regularly sit in will be available for this game. Similarly, it's a UEFA requirement that alcohol isn't served in the concourses.
Clean stadium arrangements also affect corporate, commercial and hospitality matters, so Alan Stevenson and Mike Thomas from the commercial team will be contacting the Club's corporate and commercial supporters to clarify this once further details are known.
Formal crowd segregation is not required for the match, so this will also be a rare opportunity for regular fans to try out the North Stand if they want to. The FA aren't expecting a particularly large travelling contingent from Spain, but of course this will be bolstered by our very own Miguel Hidalgo and several of his staff from the catering and hospitality team at the stadium!
Much more information on match and ticketing arrangements will be published over the coming weeks. In the meantime why not start considering who you could invite?
