Walsall Football Club is the latest EFL side to be recognised with a Family Excellence Award as their determined efforts to make Banks’ Stadium an exciting and welcoming destination for families have been recognised by the English Football League.
The Saddlers have been added to the list of winners of the EFL’s Family Excellence Award, bringing the total number of clubs receiving the recommendation this season to a record-high of 53.
The Family Excellence Awards is an ongoing programme aimed at using the experiences and perceptions of genuine football-loving families to help clubs develop strategies to attract and retain younger supporters.
The detailed ‘snapshots’ provided by families who visit our 72 clubs are designed to enable clubs to see match day experiences through the eyes of a genuine family, helping clubs to improve fan experience and attract more families to their matches.
The decision to grant the club, who were recognised alongside Plymouth Argyle, follows an additional review of the original applications, in line with the Award’s independent judging process and established criteria, the family visiting Walsall picked out numerous positives such as their enjoyable Family Fun Day and Family room, unique family area decoration, friendly club staff, a family-oriented and engaging matchday programme, a memorable refreshments experience, with the judges pointing to plenty of entertainment for children stretching beyond the ninety minutes of football.
Walsall’s Director & Club Secretary, Daniel Mole, spoke to EFL.com and said: "We are delighted to receive the EFL’s Family Excellence Award. Here at Walsall Football Club we pride ourselves on the role we play within the community and have worked hard to create a positive, family-orientated matchday experience.
"Offering free football to all under-18’s has been instrumental in our strategy to attract more and more families to the Banks’s Stadium. We are working hard over the summer months to continue to improve our matchday offering and are excited about a number of initiatives we are looking to implement that will help us maintain this Award."