BARROW Raiders chairman Steve Neale has been urging residents from across the area to come and show their support for the team on the opening game and throughout the season.

All the players have said how much of a boost the crowd gives them at home and believe it will be an important factor in helping them get results from tough match ups.

Steve Neale said: "The Sheffield game is probably the ideal start for us. It is a game that we are very much hoping to win to get us off to a successful opening. By their own admission Sheffield are consolidating but they still have a very dangerous team that are more than capable of coming to Matt Johnson Prestige Stadium and stealing the points.

"We need our supporters to come to the game in numbers.

"There were lots of free offers last season that resulted in our high average crowd, but we need to convert those fans into cash payers.

"We have an early entry £5 voucher which will be issued if you arrive at the stadium before 2pm. We want you to have you pre-match drinks putting money into the club.

"After the game we will keep both the Raiders bar and heated marquee open and there will be after-match presentations and music. It is vital that we keep our fans in the ground."

He explained that supporting the club also means supporting local businesses who work their matches which all goes towards benefitting the community as a whole.

There are still available slots to provide sponsorship as well.

"As well as match day income we need all our other businesses to be successful and if our supporters can help in anyway then they will have played their part," Mr Neale continued.

"On match day there are still sponsorship and hospitality options available for most of our games, there are numerous other sponsorship opportunities especially relating to our advertising hoardings both inside and outside the ground."