Lowestoft Town decline entry into Festive Football Festival with Heybridge Swifts replacing them while Bury Town versus AFC Sudbury derby set to kick off matches

russell.claydon@iliffepublishing.co.uk

Published: 17:28, 10 December 2020

| Updated: 17:39, 10 December 2020

Roger Peck's ‘Festive Football Festival Sponsored by Caribbean Blinds’ will no longer be an all-Suffolk affair with Lowestoft Town having today declined the invitation to participate.

Instead, AFC Sudbury, Bury Town and Felixstowe & Walton United's Pitching In Isthmian League North Division rivals Heybridge Swifts will take their place in the six-club round-robin matches.

SuffolkNews revealed this morning that AFC Sudbury's commercial director Peck has been busy putting together a series of matches to benefit Suffolk's Step 3 & 4 clubs that were set to be without any match day income over the festive period, due to their leagues' extended suspension.

'The Festive Football Festival' is now set to include Heybridge Swifts instead of Lowestoft Town Picture: Simon Lankester

Bury Town and Lowestoft Town were both said to still be considering whether they would participate, with Caribbean Blinds and Peck's company, The KBB Centre, set to foot the bill for the costs of staging three home games for each of the six sides.

But while it has been said Bury are keen to play, Southern League Premier Central outfit Lowestoft are said to have 'reluctantly' turned down the chance to be included, following a club meeting last night.

"They have said there are too many games in a short period of time for their squad to cope with," said Peck.

Sudbury company Caribbean Blinds, who took on a two-year kit deal sponsorship across all AFC Sudbury shirts throughout the club in the summer, are set to sponsor a series of festive fixtures involving Suffolk's Step 3 & 4 clubs. It was the idea and is being driven forward by AFC Sudbury's commercial director Roger Peck (pictured far left)

But Heybridge have now taken their place and will be added to the fixtures, which he said is set to kick off with a headline game of Bury Town hosting AFC Sudbury on Saturday, December 19 (kick-off time to be confirmed).

"Heybridge have said they would love to be part of it," said Peck.

"It would be a great story to have Bury versus Sudbury as our first game."

The whole set of fixtures are set to be drawn up with participating clubs in the coming days before being made public.

FA Trophy tie kick-off announced

Meanwhile, Needham Market have confirmed their rearranged Buildbase FA Trophy tie at home to Suffolk rivals Leiston will have a 2.30pm kick-off time on Saturday.

Whoever wins on the day, with no replays this year, is then set to have to make a long trip to Gloucestershire on Tuesday to face National League North leaders Gloucester City in the second round proper.

The winner of that would then be in action again in the third round proper on December 19, away at either Enfield Town, Maldon & Tiptree or Bognor Regis Town.

Crowds to be allowed into Tier 3 grounds

It has also been confirmed today that the FA has reached an agreement with the government for a limited amount of spectators to return to non-elite football grounds in Step 3 areas, which could pave the way for the Step 3 & 4 leagues to make a return.

The next review of the Step 3 & 4 leagues, known collectively as The Trident Leagues, is set to take place on December 16. It is thought there will be no return till January at the earliest.

Read more: All the latest Suffolk sport

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