Banbury United is owned by its supporters via membership of a Community Benefit Society (CBS) that owns the club. We are delighted to confirm that fellow supporters’ owned club FC United of Manchester have agreed to visit us for a pre-season friendly on Saturday 31 July, 3 pm kick off.

Commenting on the news Banbury Chairman Phil Lines said “This is a massive boost for the club, FC United are at the forefront of supporters owned clubs and a high profile friendly fixture is great news for our supporters and all football fans in the area.”

Adrian Seddon from FC United of Manchester said "We are delighted to be able to play another supporters’ owned club as part of our pre-season programme"

At a time when football ownership is in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons FC United’s DNA has never been more pertinent. The club was established in 2005, the catalyst being a protest to Malcolm Glazer's takeover of Manchester United. A member owned democratic, not-for-profit organisation created by Manchester United fans was their aim and they have achieved this in a spectacular manner.

The club exists to provide affordable, supporter-owned, community-focused football for supporters who are tired of modern football's constant pursuit of further riches at the expense the fans. You only have to consider the impact of the recent European Super League news to see why this is more important than ever.

Their achievements and profile has shone a light on supporters owned clubs. And their success encouraged others, like ourselves, to follow this model. Although our profile is not at the same level as theirs, we are a proud to represent our town, Banbury, and of the work we have achieved in six years of ownership of the club including success on the pitch, vastly improved facilities, and a focus on our community work including the appointment of a full time community officer, our Spencers’ Group for older members of the community and a Community lottery that supports this work as well as the Keep the Horton General campaign.

FCUM like ourselves are members of the Football Supporters Association, preceded by Supporters Direct, who were instrumental in our establishment. The FSA is a national, democratic, representative body for football supporters in England and Wales and leading advocates for supporter ownership and better fan engagement. It is through these links that the game has been arranged.

FC United of Manchester’s previous pre-season friendlies include trips to Salzburg and Detroit. That they are happy to come to Banbury highlights the strength of the football family.

They play at the same level as us in the Northern Premier League so it should be a good test a fortnight before our league season begins. We are delighted to be able to host them and also have agreed a return fixture in 2022. We look forward to welcoming their players, officials and fans as well as others from the local area to celebrate “fan owned football”.