Hyde United are appealing to stay-away fans to return to Ewen Fields and cheer them to UniBond premier division survival.

The Tigers' alarming dip in fortunes this season has been matched by a slump in attendances, which are averaging 200 less than they were this time last year.

Club chiefs are desperate to regain the missing supporters, both to boost the team in their battle against relegation and also to help them balance the books.

Hyde's crowds might have been even lower had they not decided to experiment with Friday night football. Attendances for those games have generally been better than on Saturdays.

Good news for the Tigers is that their assistant-boss Martin Filson should soon be back playing regularly after undergoing keyhole cartilage surgery.

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