BT Sport announces latest live Football Conference matches
BT Sport and The Football Conference have announced the latest line-up of Skrill Premier Football Conference matches which will appear on live television.
Friday September 27 brings BT Sport viewers the chance to watch one of the most eagerly-awaited matches of the season with promotion candidates Kidderminster Harriers taking on Aldershot Town, who were relegated from The Football League last season.
BT Sport’s next televised fixture on October 13 features two other teams expected to perform strongly in the Skrill Premier Football Conference this season with Former Dutch international Edgar Davids’ Barnet taking on FA Trophy winners Wrexham. Barnet were narrowly relegated from The Football League last season but, now in place at their new stadium “The Hive”, are out to make a quick return. Wrexham, meanwhile, narrowly missed out on promotion to League Two last season after losing to Welsh rivals Newport in the play-off final.
Viewers will also be able to catch the clash between Macclesfield and Southport, live on Thursday October 17. Macclesfield, despite reaching the fourth round of last season’s FA Cup after memorably beating Cardiff City, finished mid-table last season. Their opponents Southport will relish another season in the Skrill Premier Football Conference after narrowly avoiding relegation to English football’s sixth tier last season.
On October 31, BT Sport brings live coverage of new boys Salisbury, against Hereford United. Salisbury City spent two seasons in the Conference South before winning promotion to the Skrill Premier Football Conference via the play-offs last season. Their opponents Hereford United finished a respectable sixth last season and will hope to land three points in what could prove a tough away trip.
Cambridge United complete the latest set of BT Sport’s Skrill Premier Football Conference televised matches in a clash against Barnet on 16 November. Both sides took three points last weekend and are looking to return to League Two: Cambridge have been in the Conference since the 2005-06 season, following their relegation from The Football League after 35 years. Davids, who took over as player-manager in October 2012, will look to inspire Barnet to promotion at the first time of asking.
The Football Conference and BT Sport have a two-year deal to show 30 live matches a season from The Skrill Premier Football Conference on the new channels. BT Sport will present live broadcasts from the grounds for 25 league matches, plus both legs of the play-off semis and the Promotion Final at Wembley, for the 2013-14 season which kicked-off last weekend.
Simon Green, head of BT Sport, said: “BT Sport is delighted to bring fans this exciting set of live televised matches with a rich seam of plots and back-stories. The matches feature teams under pressure to return to The Football League against clubs who are relishing the opportunity to compete in English football’s fifth tier. The new Skrill Premier Football Conference season promises to be a classic battle for promotion to The Football League.”
Including these newly-confirmed matches, BT Sport’s upcoming Skrill Premier Football Conference televised fixtures are:
- Hyde v Grimsby Town, Monday 26 August, on-air 5pm, KO 5.30pm, BT Sport 1
- Luton Town v Grimsby Town, Saturday 7 September, on-air 5pm, KO 5.30pm, BT Sport 2
- Wrexham v Luton Town, Friday 13 September, on-air 7pm, KO 7.45pm, BT Sport 2
- Kidderminster v Aldershot, Friday 27 September, on-air 7pm, KO 7.45pm, BT Sport 2
- Barnet v Wrexham, Sunday 13 October, on-air 1.30pm, KO 2pm, BT Sport 1
- Macclesfield v Southport, Thursday 17 October, on-air 7pm, KO 7.45pm, BT Sport 1
- Salisbury v Hereford, Thursday 31 October, on-air 7pm, KO 7.45pm BT Sport 1
- Barnet v Cambridge, Saturday 16 November, on-air 5pm, 5.30pm, BT Sport 1
BT Sport will show 38 exclusively live football matches from the Barclays Premier League, including 18 of the ‘top picks’, for each of the next three seasons. The channels will also show live FA Cup with Budweiser matches for the next five seasons.
There will also be live football action from Scotland, the UEFA Europa League and top tier football from Germany, Italy, France, Brazil, Australia and the USA. In addition there will be action from the FA Women’s Super League.
