AFC Emley are to play midweek home games on Wednesdays next season – in a bid to attract Huddersfield Town fans to the Welfare Ground.

Previously Darren Hepworth’s Northern Counties East League team have turned out on Tuesdays, often clashing with matches at the John Smith’s Stadium.

Emley, keen to mount a bid for promotion to the Premier Division after this season’s fifth-placed First Division finish, hope the switch will bolster attendances.

Hepworth has fixed up six friendlies, and is also hoping for a date with Town.

Emley will make the trip to Storthes Hall Park to take on West Yorkshire League Shelley on Thursday, July 9 (7.45).

It’s Cleethorpes Town, of the NCEL Premier, away on Saturday 18 (3.00).

And a week later, Saturday 25 (3.00), there will be a visit to Rainworth Miners Welfare, who have been relegated back to the Northern Counties from the Northern Premier League.

Handsworth Parramore, also of the NCEL Premier, will be Emley’s hosts on Tuesday 28 (7.45). Then come a couple of home clashes with Northern Premier sides, Ossett Town on Thursday 30 and Brighouse Town on Tuesday, August 4 (both 7.45).

The return of Rainworth, after five seasons, and Brigg Town, who went into the Northern Premier in 2004, will be rubber-stamped at the annual meeting of the Northern Counties East League at the Royal Hotel in Scarborough on Saturday, June 20.

The exact make-up of the league’s two divisions will also be confirmed that day.

Glossop North End, Trafford and Witton Albion will be on Brighouse Town’s Northern Premier League First Division North fixture list next season.

New Mills have avoided relegation due to restructuring.