Shrewsbury Town have been giving away free tickets to primary schools for nearly 25 years, with up to 3,000 Sky Bet League One tickets set to be distributed to schools over a season

The scheme has been run by Geoff Cornfield, who distributes our tickets to primary schools for every home Shrewsbury Town league game. This means that the club has given away close to 30,000 tickets since the scheme started.

There has now been a slight tweak to the scheme, with Geoff handing out a voucher to 33 children at a school, which gives them a free adult and child entry to an upcoming home Sky Bet League One match. This will see up to 66 children and adults connected to a particular school attending a game.

Shrewsbury Town in the Community visited Clive C.E. Primary and Nursery School to distribute vouchers ahead of Saturday’s game at home to Accrington Stanley.

The scheme has been expanded with STITC also nominating a secondary school for each Sky Bet League One game.

For the Accrington Stanley game, Meole Brace School is the nominated School of the Day and they will receive 30 tickets for the Safe Standing area.

Town CEO Brian Caldwell has previously praised the schools’ ticket scheme and has been looking at ways to expand it.

“The work that Geoff has done in the background has been superb but not many people know about the work he has done over the years,” said Brian.

“It has helped many children see their first Shrewsbury Town game and they then get the football bug.

“The change to allow the primary school children to bring an adult with them will hopefully make it easier to attend and take the pressure off the teachers to accompany them.

“It is free for all under-12s to come to our league games, so hopefully they will enjoy the matchday experience and then want to come back.

“Since I’ve come to the club, we have been looking at ways to help bring more youngsters to the games and this scheme is perfect for this.

“The addition of the secondary School of the Day helps give teenagers the chance to experience a game from the safe standing area.

“They will hopefully enjoy the experience and then want to come back for subsequent games.

“It is another great example of how the club is trying to increase our younger fanbase and link in with the great work that Shrewsbury Town in the Community is doing in and around the county.

“Over the season this will see the club and Shrewsbury Town in the Community give out around 3,000 tickets per season to local schools.”