Welcome back to another Through the Turnstile meets, this time we are sitting down with Nick who is the founder of ‘Football Stubs’ a really interesting and exciting business idea which I can see becoming extremely popular the more people become aware of it.

I wont spoil anything so lets just get chatting to Nick about what ‘Football Stubs’ is and why you might be interested in using them in the future!

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Q) What is the most important game you have ever attended?

Without giving too much away to which team I support I’ve been lucky enough to attend a few major finals!

Q) Are you someone who collects memorabilia from past games?

I did when I was younger, I have match programmes (at my mums house) from loads of games and a few stubs too! I go to the games with a lad who collects the programmes too, absolutely loves them. “It’s the smell”… his words not mine!

Q) What does ‘Football Stubs’ do?

Football Stubs takes a digital ticket and turns it into a paper version. I don’t copy designs of actual tickets, instead I create my own design, in keeping with the club or competition so it look great, and feels like it belongs. People have been really great with the feedback they’ve given me on the design side of things.

Football Stubs takes a digital ticket and turns it into a paper version. I don’t copy designs of actual tickets, instead I create my own design, in keeping with the club or competition so it look great, and feels like it belongs. People have been really great with the feedback they’ve given me on the design side of things. All my stubs are personalised to the seats that people actually had an each one is done individually by me, usually late at night after the kids are in bed.

Q) Digital tickets have many advantages to both the clubs and fans but one disadvantage is that fans no longer have something to keep as a memory, is that essentially where the idea for Football Stubs originated?

That’s absolutely how the idea got started, it was during a chat on the way to the game about collecting stubs and how it’s been phased out over fan cards and now digital tickets, especially at the top end of the football pyramid.

I actually find them very convenient as a match going fan. No leaving the tickets at home or in the car by accident. As long as you’ve got your phone you’re good to go. However that collecting and memory element is completely gone. There’s nothing to look back on and think, what a day we had then or what a game that was! A screenshot on your phone or A4 print out doesn’t quite do it the same.

Q) How can someone get a previous game ticket ordered from yourself?

You can pop on to any of our social channels to order via DM. It keeps the service personal and often the ability to be able to have a conversation with someone means it easier to answer any queries or discuss any requests customers might have. It also means I don’t have to pay fees to an online shop, which means I can keep the price lower for customers. £7 for the first one and £5 for any thereafter, which I think is quite reasonable. People have told me I could and should charge more, but I’m a normal match going fan and I’m not out to fleece others who do the same.

Q) What has been your favourite match ticket to make for a customer?

I would probably have to say the West Ham Europa Conference League ones, they were the ones that really kicked things off for me and there was a steady stream of orders coming in. That was the realisation that this could actually work.

Q) How many of them have you made for your own personal collection?

I have probably 4 or 5 that I’ve done for myself, momentous games mostly! I have done quite a few for family and friends as presents though, they’re always a nice surprise to give to people.

Q) What do your friends make of what you are doing?

They ask occasionally how it’s going, everyone is supportive! I think they just think it’s a good idea and leave me to get on with it, they certainly don’t make a big fuss about it!

Q) Have you had many non-league customers, if so which team have you seen the most fans from?

I’ve had quite a few non-league customers from all over the country. Some bigger sides that are well known in Football League circles – Darlington, Macclesfield, Chester, Scarborough Athletic for example. Then some sides I’ve never heard of before, and looking on their websites etc they probably pull crowds of 100-200 people! Saffron Dynamo, Longlevens, Elburton Villa. They may be familiar to others, but certainly not to me!

Q) What does the future hold for the website?

In all honesty I don’t know. I started out with this as a nice little side project and it’s kind of become something bigger than I’d expected. It’s a fine balance at the moment with my full time job, young family, going to watch football myself, having some form of social life and still be able to maintain a reasonable lead time of the stubs, have time to do new designs that people request and then all the admin that goes with it too!

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Digital tickets and overall life may well be convenient but there is still a huge market for print and for something tangible that can he held and seen. It is for that reason that I personally absolutely love this whole concept and wish Nick the very best for the future. If you would like to enquire about how you can get one of your own tickets made into a memory you can hold, contact him here:

https://www.footballstubs.co.uk

That is all for now so….Until next time!

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