LCFC - Family Night Football memories/photos?

[Ryanlcfc3]

Does anyone else remember the old Family Night Football games at Filbert Street – usually midweek under the lights with the reserves or youth sides playing in the Pontins League?

It was a different kind of atmosphere – relaxed, cheap, and perfect for younger fans or families. I remember going once and seeing some future first-teamers before they broke through.

If anyone has memories, photos, or even programme scans from those nights, feel free to post them here. Would be great to look back on that part of the club’s history and maybe piece together a few forgotten names and moments.

Anyone remember standout performances? Weird goals? Or just the buzz of watching from the Carling Stand for example with a bag of chips?

[MattFox]

Would love to know what happened to this demographic tbh

 

The KP is full of people in their late 50’s/60’s

 

The generation beneath it that would have gone to stuff like this seems to me missing

[ramboacdc]

Started going to them in the early 2000s. Couldn't afford/get hold of 1st team tickets so went a fair few FNFs. Some great memories with my parents and grandparents there. Wayne Rooney hit my grandma on the thigh with a skyball even though we were on the 2nd tier of the double decker. 

 

 

[ianormondroyd]

Used to attend these regularly. My mate had a right crush on the Foxy Lady on the photo, top right. Think her name was Jo.  

[Mark_w]

Was my first experience of football as a kid, I think my first game was a 4-2 against West Ham reserves probably around 1999/2000, think we were losing at half-time but don't remember too much about it. Would be interesting to see what sort of team we were playing. 

[Guest RYM]

8 minutes ago, ianormondroyd said:

Used to attend these regularly. My mate had a right crush on the Foxy Lady on the photo, top right. Think her name was Jo.  

That’s Bart Simpson mate 

[Guest Electric Yetis]

Got to meet Kristy Wright (Chloe) from Home & Away at half time in one of the games.

 

Young me treasured the signed photo.

[AyewJoking]

Foxy Ladies

[RonnieTodger]

I’ve got very vague memories of watching us against Blackburn. I think it was a high scoring defeat but Laurie Dudfield and Stuart Campbell stood out for us. 

[Blue-fox]

I remember going to these as a kid

[SemperEadem]

Went to a handful of these.

[fox_favourite]

Yes! This was my first game at filbert street in the Carling stand and first experience of live football. Vague memory of a yellow kit, but I may have made that up. 

 

We always got seats quite high as I like the view as kid from up there. We made a proper evening of it as well. 

Edited 12 June 2025 by fox_favourite

[09bballer]

I went quite a bit. It was either free or £1 if you had a season ticket and often mates were going, let's face it no-one had anything better to do with a Monday night. It was a lot more entertaining than the season I've just watched.

 

I think we had about 10000 there against Man Utd and Liverpool.

[iann1982]

My first matches in the 90s, always a great time. 

[howlinmadmurfdoc]

Remember us beating Oldham 8-1 in the 94/95 season. 

[Izzy]

Remember one FNF game we played Forest reserves and we were walking through the car park as this light blue Rolls Royce drives in and parks up.

 

Said to my mate that must be someone famous so we walk over, the driver gets out, opens the passenger door and lets Brian Clough out.

 

My mate says something 'witty' to Cloughie (taking the piss out of him or Forest about something) and he wasn't amused. Basically told us to fvck off.

 

So while he was walking into the Carling stand with his driver, we let the tires down on his Roller.

 

Childish but funny at the time.

 

 

[ALC Fox]

2 hours ago, MattFox said:

Would love to know what happened to this demographic tbh

 

The KP is full of people in their late 50’s/60’s

 

The generation beneath it that would have gone to stuff like this seems to me missing

I was there in the 90s. Saw us get hammered 4-0 by Man Utd in one game I'm sure. Another game my stepdad made us leave early while we were losing by one goal only for us to hear two distinct cheers in the distance as we walked home. I'll never forgive him.

 

But also, yes, I don't really go to games very often anymore. Maybe once or twice a season if I can.

Edited 12 June 2025 by ALC Fox

[MonarchFox]

Used to go to these as a teenager with my mates in the 90s.  One of my mates used to think Neil Lewis would be the next big thing.  To be fair he broke into the first team

[volpeazzurro]

This is how I blooded my kids. Having said that, my daughter was a bit disappointed at her first proper match against West Ham as there were no fireworks, Foxyladies or Walkers crisps being thrown at her 😆.

 

Are we not missing a trick? Surely it's not all about the 'corporate' and 'customers', it's about building a young supporter base, a future comprising of different ages to keep or get the club thriving. It's not just us I'm sure but, the soul and commitment in football is, I'm afraid, beginning to die. The hype is starting to outstrip the product. The sense of belonging is starting to fade.

 

The draw of grassroots football is getting stronger, certainly for me. If my son hadn't wanted to have one last shot to see if things improve in the Championship, then personally after all these decades I would have backed out this time. 

 

 

[kingfox]

Went to some of these wearing my 00/01 Leicester shirt with Oakes, 17 on the back with pride. 

Edited 12 June 2025 by kingfox

[fazzyfox]

2 hours ago, ianormondroyd said:

Used to attend these regularly. My mate had a right crush on the Foxy Lady on the photo, top right. Think her name was Jo.  

My favourite too. When they performed at half time in first team games they’d sit near us in the stand during the match. In a match vs Arsenal (Possibly THE match against Arsenal) some Arsenal fans had been sat along the same row and a fight had broken out. As it got closer and closer to her I did the gentlemanly thing and stood between them, arms outstretched to protect her but she just got her LCFC Brolly and started whacking him with it. He ended up on the floor squealing for mercy and we were all in stitches . I got a cute smile when I asked if she was OK ❤️. I didn’t bother asking him! 

[Claudio Fannieri]

5 hours ago, volpeazzurro said:

This is how I blooded my kids. Having said that, my daughter was a bit disappointed at her first proper match against West Ham as there were no fireworks, Foxyladies or Walkers crisps being thrown at her 😆.

 

Are we not missing a trick? Surely it's not all about the 'corporate' and 'customers', it's about building a young supporter base, a future comprising of different ages to keep or get the club thriving. It's not just us I'm sure but, the soul and commitment in football is, I'm afraid, beginning to die. The hype is starting to outstrip the product. The sense of belonging is starting to fade.

 

The draw of grassroots football is getting stronger, certainly for me. If my son hadn't wanted to have one last shot to see if things improve in the Championship, then personally after all these decades I would have backed out this time. 

 

 

Absolutely but was listening to the price of football podcast yesterday and they were talking about how traditional season ticket holders are being viewed as an inconvenience as premier league clubs see the tourist/day tripper fan as a better income source. However this then backfires horrifically if relegated as day trippers aren’t that excited about midweek games against the likes of Swansea and Middlesbrough etc. 

 

Maybe our lot should take a listen, they would do well to remember football is nothing without the fans, especially genuine dyed in the wool supporters. 

[Aus Fox]

In this world now of expensive and for a lot of people out of reach sport, this would be something easy the owners could do to bring the fans back.

A couple of quid entry, and an evening of watching the U21s or other youth teams in action.

With the excitement and hype around some of the youngsters coming through, it could be really popular.

could also get those youngsters used to playing in front of larger crowds and bigger stadiums.

 

[Guest RYM]

7 hours ago, volpeazzurro said:

This is how I blooded my kids. Having said that, my daughter was a bit disappointed at her first proper match against West Ham as there were no fireworks, Foxyladies or Walkers crisps being thrown at her 😆.

 

Are we not missing a trick? Surely it's not all about the 'corporate' and 'customers', it's about building a young supporter base, a future comprising of different ages to keep or get the club thriving. It's not just us I'm sure but, the soul and commitment in football is, I'm afraid, beginning to die. The hype is starting to outstrip the product. The sense of belonging is starting to fade.

 

The draw of grassroots football is getting stronger, certainly for me. If my son hadn't wanted to have one last shot to see if things improve in the Championship, then personally after all these decades I would have backed out this time. 

 

 

Totally. This is what Fan Engagement in its rawest, most analogue format is about. 
 

The EFL have been focussed on it for years with their Family Excellence scheme, a bench mark for clubs. LCFC knew about it all as I used to see Jim at meetings.

 

Unfortunately we are focussed on the Daniel Levy model of “maximising the matchday revenue ceiling”, which i understand to an extent but it’s a very, very short term game for a club like ours.

 

I wrote about it here in June last year and how shit as a club we are when it comes to families. It’s a massive problem with the easiest of fixes, with the right people driving it, but it has to be a long term strategy for it to work 

 

Edited 13 June 2025 by RYM

[Guppys Love Child]

I used to go to these games quite regularly with my god children. Also it was a good way to see 1st team players coming back from injuries get some match time in their legs.  

Luckily the company I worked for at the time also had a hospitality box so I managed to get a few games in there. It was a blessing in the winter with a moaning 8 year old  saying they're cold on the way into the ground.   God I miss Filbert Street.....