Boxing Day and Final Day fixtures

theboybilly · May 26, 2015

Boxing Day and the last day matches are difficult for many fans to attend (in the latter's case due to Sky Sports demanding lunchtime kick-offs) So with this in mind I set out to see if I could find a solution. Here is my fixture list:

Blackburn R v Burnley
Brighton & HA v Charlton Athletic
Cardiff City v Bristol City
Hull City v Leeds Utd
Ipswich Town v MK Dons
Middlesbrough v Huddersfield T
Nottm Forest v Rotherham Utd
Preston NE v Bolton W
QPR v Brentford
Reading v Fulham
Sheffield Wed v Derby County
Wolverhampton W v Birmingham City

As I see it these games could be played on Boxing Day (halfway through the season) then be reversed for the final day.
You can mix and match the London clubs but I think QPR v Brentford may be the least difficult to police of any derby.
The clubs with the worst travelling are probably Ipswich and MK Dons but Ipswich is always going to be a bit of a trek. But even then this journey by road is only just over two-hours. By rail I can't see any major issues.
Any thoughts?

8ace · May 26, 2015

Have you sorted out the other three divisions as well

theboybilly · May 26, 2015

8ace said:
Have you sorted out the other three divisions as well

No mate, I just had some time to kill earlier and it took me minutes really. I didn't need a computer to save fans criss-crossing the country trying to work their way around rail replacement services and other major travel issues. Just two games a season isn't too much to ask is it?

Hampster Gull · May 26, 2015

Attach your CV and send it to the FA

BensGrandad · May 26, 2015

You havent factored in Portsmouth and Palace being away when we are at home and Bournemouth at home on the same day because of Southampton.

BN9 BHA · May 26, 2015

I looked up our last away games recently going back 20 seasons, not one match was local, I think every ground was over 100 miles away.
The fixture against Boro for a 12.15 KO was unfair for traveling fans from Sussex.
Watford fans though had a very good last away game, a trip to the seaside and getting promotion.

theboybilly · May 26, 2015

BensGrandad said:
You havent factored in Portsmouth and Palace being away when we are at home and Bournemouth at home on the same day because of Southampton.

I don't see any of these thing having a bearing on us (or our opponents) to be honest

8ace · May 26, 2015

theboybilly said:
No mate, I just had some time to kill earlier and it took me minutes really. I didn't need a computer to save fans criss-crossing the country trying to work their way around rail replacement services and other major travel issues. Just two games a season isn't too much to ask is it?

They already try and do this (maybe not for the last game of the season - which they should do as you suggest

).

The trouble is it's quite tricky:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/paulfletcher/2009/06/secrets_of_the_fixture_compute.html

phazza · May 26, 2015

theboybilly said:
Boxing Day and the last day matches are difficult for many fans to attend (in the latter's case due to Sky Sports demanding lunchtime kick-offs) So with this in mind I set out to see if I could find a solution. Here is my fixture list:

Blackburn R v Burnley
Brighton & HA v Charlton Athletic
Cardiff City v Bristol City
Hull City v Leeds Utd
Ipswich Town v MK Dons
Middlesbrough v Huddersfield T
Nottm Forest v Rotherham Utd
Preston NE v Bolton W
QPR v Brentford
Reading v Fulham
Sheffield Wed v Derby County
Wolverhampton W v Birmingham City

As I see it these games could be played on Boxing Day (halfway through the season) then be reversed for the final day.
You can mix and match the London clubs but I think QPR v Brentford may be the least difficult to police of any derby.
The clubs with the worst travelling are probably Ipswich and MK Dons but Ipswich is always going to be a bit of a trek. But even then this journey by road is only just over two-hours. By rail I can't see any major issues.
Any thoughts?

i wrote to FA last year to moan about the ko times for last game of the season. it's ridiculous to have 12.15 ko. we want to have a good time that day.
having to get up at stupid o'clock. they said that basically it wont change as it's pressure from sky. i pre- empted that response in my moan and said they should grow a pair a stand up to sky. so your idea makes sense. i doubt they will look at it though as it is far too sensible!!!!

Herr Tubthumper · May 26, 2015

theboybilly said:
No mate, I just had some time to kill earlier and it took me minutes really. I didn't need a computer to save fans criss-crossing the country trying to work their way around rail replacement services and other major travel issues. Just two games a season isn't too much to ask is it?

Easter games are a pain in the butt for me. Can you give me some options for these please?

Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo · May 26, 2015

BensGrandad said:
You havent factored in Portsmouth and Palace being away when we are at home and Bournemouth at home on the same day because of Southampton.

But none of that matters as he's basing his fixtures on Championship teams and ease of travel. The premier league and league 2 fixtures don't make any difference to what the op is trying to get across, besides which Portsmouth and Palace have both played at home at the same time as us. It happened as recently as March 14 this year.

It would be nice to see the fixture list come up with fixtures that made travel easier for fans, especially the Boxing Day game, it always used to be a local fixture when possible.

BensGrandad · May 26, 2015

Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo said:
But none of that matters as he's basing his fixtures on Championship teams and ease of travel. The premier league and league 2 fixtures don't make any difference to what the op is trying to get across, besides which Portsmouth and Palace have both played at home at the same time as us. It happened as recently as March 14 this year.

It would be nice to see the fixture list come up with fixtures that made travel easier for fans, especially the Boxing Day game, it always used to be a local fixture when possible.

I fully accept that but the fixtures are all compiled to void local teams at home on the same day so the fixtures of other clubs do affect the outcome. We shall all know on 17th JUne.

CorgiRegisteredFriend · May 26, 2015

Back in the fifties teams would play on Christmas Day with the reverse game on Boxing Day. In 1953 we lost to Walsall 3-1 away on Dec 25th and beat them 5-3 the following day.

BN9 BHA · May 26, 2015

phazza said:
i wrote to FA last year to moan about the ko times for last game of the season. it's ridiculous to have 12.15 ko. we want to have a good time that day.
having to get up at stupid o'clock. they said that basically it wont change as it's pressure from sky. i pre- empted that response in my moan and said they should grow a pair a stand up to sky. so your idea makes sense. i doubt they will look at it though as it is far too sensible!!!!

The FA do not seem to be worried about fans that pay to see their team play away.
12.15 KO wouldn't be too bad if the match was local.

pasty · May 27, 2015

BensGrandad said:
You havent factored in Portsmouth and Palace being away when we are at home

Forgive me if I'm missing something, but what in heavens name has Pompey and Palace being away when we are at home got to do with anything?

Mo Gosfield · May 27, 2015

CorgiRegisteredFriend said:
Back in the fifties teams would play on Christmas Day with the reverse game on Boxing Day. In 1953 we lost to Walsall 3-1 away on Dec 25th and beat them 5-3 the following day.

Think that lasted until late 50's. The record gate at the Goldstone v Fulham was on the 27th Dec ( 1958 )
having played them away on Boxing Day.
p.s Anyone done two games on Boxing Day? ( I've done it twice )

Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo · May 27, 2015

pasty said:
Forgive me if I'm missing something, but what in heavens name has Pompey and Palace being away when we are at home got to do with anything?

It's a non existent rule, one BG either made up or was told about and hasn't bothered to check. There are at least a couple of dates last season we all played at home on the same day, Boxing Day and a date in March I previously mentioned.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/paulfletcher/2009/06/secrets_of_the_fixture_compute.html

A nice article explaining just how difficult it is to put together the fixture list, the example rule show West Ham and Dagenham and Redbridge are paired so cannot be at home on the same day ( as the article is 6 years old they may no longer be paired but is still an example of how complicated the rules can get), this can effect also the fixtures for Southend, Colchester, Ipswich and Norwich for various policing and travel reasons.

My guess would be that we are now paired with Crawley for that part of the fixture process.

GT49er · May 27, 2015

CorgiRegisteredFriend said:
Back in the fifties teams would play on Christmas Day with the reverse game on Boxing Day. In 1953 we lost to Walsall 3-1 away on Dec 25th and beat them 5-3 the following day.

Back in the fifties British Railways put on EXTRA trains instead of closing the whole system down.

theboybilly · May 27, 2015

I didn't realise it was all so complicated but that article has shown what a job it is to satisfy everybody. But even so there must be a way that those two days that I originally mentioned could be accommodated (along now with Easter) They would still have 40-odd other games per club to do what they liked with.
I remember too that many years ago the second and fourth fixtures of the season were home and away to the same side in midweek, and that three games were played in three days over Easter (two games of which were against the same opponents)

Notters · May 27, 2015

Can you do exactly the same but without MK Dongs?

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