Forty-seven clubs across Berks & Bucks FA will share a total of £229,500 worth of investment from the Premier League and Football Foundation's 'Matchday Support Fund'.

The news follows the recent provision of the Pitch and Club Preparation Funds, which saw £8.7m in grants from the Premier League, the FA and Government’s Football Foundation awarded to prepare the country’s playing surfaces and facilities for the return of football.

The new Matchday Support Fund was launched last month by the Premier League and Football Foundation launched to help clubs in the National League System, Women’s Football Pyramid and Welsh Premier League prepare for the resumption of football and safe return of supporters to their stadiums.

The list of affiliated Berks & Bucks FA National League System and Women's Football Pyramid clubs to benefit from the fund are:

NLS Clubs

Abingdon Town FC
Abingdon United FC
AFC Aldermaston
Amersham Town FC
Ascot United FC
Aylesbury United FC
Aylesbury Vale Dynamos FC
Beaconsfield Town FC
Binfield FC
Bracknell Town FC
Buckingham Athletic FC
Burnham FC
Chalfont St Peter FC
Chalvey (WMC) Sports FC
Chesham United FC
Didcot Town FC
Flackwell Heath FC
Holmer Green FC
Holyport FC
Hungerford Town FC
Langley FC
Long Crendon FC
Maidenhead United FC
Marlow FC
Milton Keynes Irish FC
Milton United FC
Newport Pagnell Town FC
Penn & Tylers Green FC
Reading City FC
Risborough Rangers FC
Shrivenham FC
Slough Town FC
Thatcham Town FC
Wallingford Town AFC
Wantage Town FC
Windsor FC
Winslow United FC
Wokingham & Emmbrook FC

Womens Football Pyramid Clubs

Abingdon United FC
Ascot United FC
Chesham United LFC
Maidenhead United FC
Milton Keynes Dons FC
Newbury Ladies FC
Reading FC
Woodley United FC
Wycombe Wanderers FC

These latest Matchday Support Fund grants will help these clubs to make the necessary changes to satisfy the latest FA, Welsh FA and Government guidance, covering two key areas of the matchday experience:

Stadium – grants can help clubs make the physical infrastructure changes required to reopen their stadia in line with the latest guidance. This includes conducting risk assessments and implementing measures, such as reducing capacity and creating capacity for socially distanced movement. 

Supporters – grants can also be used to help ensure supporters’ safe travel to and from stadia, as well as their attendance at the game, and the implementation of NHS Track and Trace measures. This could include: 

1. The purchase of contactless payment technology.
2. The installation of hand-sanitisation points.
3. Implementing advance ticketing systems.
4. Specialist consultancy support around risk assessments or travel plans.
5. Fan engagement interventions – such as additional signage, stewarding or transport hubs

The grants will be managed by the Football Stadia Improvement Fund (FSIF), which is financed by the Premier League and supports non-league and Women’s Football Pyramid clubs with the cost of improvements to their grounds.