Non Boxing Day football [moved to Tue. December 18th]

[HawkTheSeagull]

It simply couldnt go ahead, especially as they hadnt sorted anything out in advance for travel so the club has made a good decision. It needs to sort it out though for future seasons as we cant never have home Boxing Day matches again.

I predict another 10 pages of a binfest on here, moaning about tradition and people moaning like they wished we were still at Withdean.

 

[Moshe Gariani]

Confirmation of an absolute fiasco.

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

Another afternoon game lost for an evening game.

Pathetic.

 

[Springal]

Common sense prevails. Hurrah!

 

[The Merry Prankster]

Very, very pissed off about this.

 

[8ace]

Barber also confirmed, Albion will be working with the Football League to attempt to ensure that future Boxing Day fixtures can be staged at the Amex.

He added, “Our transport partners and their staff do a wonderful job for us on our regular match days but in this day and age, when people are increasingly out and about on Boxing Day, wanting to socialise, visit family and friends, shop in the sales or enjoy leisure activities, including watching football and other sports, we see the availability of public transport as being absolutely key.

“We will work with the League and transport companies to find a solution for future seasons, as Brighton & Hove Albion remain entirely committed to staging Boxing Day fixtures at the Amex in years to come.”

What the f*** have you been doing for the last five months then Barber

 

[El Sid]

Can't help thinking that the failure to hold this game on boxing day will not reflect well on the club when grounds are chosen for youth/under 21 internationals and the rugby world cup.

 

[HawkTheSeagull]

What the f*** have you been doing for the last five months then Barber

It seriously does ask questions, the fixtures came out in June so the club would have known then there would have been problems, so why couldnt have anything been done then ?

Because they didnt think to sort it out then, the game has been moved. Although i am now able to work for double pay on Boxing Day - silver linings and all that.

Can't help thinking that the failure to hold this game on boxing day will not reflect well on the club when grounds are chosen for youth/under 21 internationals and the rugby world cup.

None of those games take place on 1 of the 2 days a year where there is no public transport. I dont believe it would affect our chances in this at all.

 

[Springal]

Can't help thinking that the failure to hold this game on boxing day will not reflect well on the club when grounds are chosen for youth/under 21 internationals and the rugby world cup.

AFAIK, Internationals or the RWC do not take place on Boxing Day. Hope this helps answer your question.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

I'll sympathise with the club here - it's Millwall at home and their fans are a f***ing massive headache.

But if this had been Charlton, Watford, SCC or Reading or whatever, what then? We can't just go on abandoning Boxing Day because the train company are a bunch of useless twats can we?

Yeah, I think that's right. There always used to be boxing day services in the past. Why not now?

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

Yeah, I think that's right. There always used to be boxing day services in the past. Why not now?

The police and train companies bottled it.

 

[clippedgull]

Sensible decision in the circumstances from the club, although it appears someone was caught napping when the fixtures were published, or when the Transport contract was drawn up.

At least those without transport or within walking distance will now be able to attend.

 

[drew]

Can't help thinking that the failure to hold this game on boxing day will not reflect well on the club when grounds are chosen for youth/under 21 internationals and the rugby world cup.

Makes no difference whatsoever. Have the FA/League stated they are deeply disappointed that the fixture is not on boxing day!

Personally, whilst I do enjoy a boxing day game, if it had been away I wouldn't have gone and as there would be no public transport, I couldn't get to it at home either. This is the right decision. As for those slagging off Barber, I don't know the guy and suspect he will over time add to the expense of going to Falmer however, on this occassion, wouldn't the contract with the transport providers have been signed long before Barber got to his desk. I suspect the Albion have been trying to sort it out but obviously cannot agree, probably down to pricing.

 

[Billy the Fish]

Good stuff, boxing day games are always shite.

 

[perseus]

Boxing Day home games were some of the best as the crowd was boosted by people coming home for the holidays. The first I went to was against Halifax in Division 4 with over 19,000 in the Goldstone.

 

[Publius Ovidius]

I note Mr Barber has appeased the Football League by saying that in future there will be more robust transport arrangements in place for a home fixture on Boxing Day. Does this infer the transport levy included in the match ticket price will rise from £3 to £5 next season

so no busses and no trains on Boxing day...what does he mean by ROBUST then?

I take it it is politicians speak for " we will say in the strongest of terms how unhappy we are with this"...."that will appease the plebs"

If the whole philosophy of the stadium being built was based on a transport policy that relies on said transport ( and of course the university parking spaces) being available, which we know on Boxing days it is patently NOT, then we will never have a Boxing day fixture at home whilst we are playing at Famer. simples

 

[The Large One]

What an embarrassment. There will be ONE club this happens to this year and it's us, despite the fact we have the NEWEST stadium. Barber, you are a CLOWN.

When you get it wrong, you really get it wrong.

 

[chrissyboy01]

Very, very pissed off about this.

This.....and some

 

[Superphil]

What an embarrassment. There will be ONE club this happens to this year and it's us, despite the fact we have the NEWEST stadium. Barber, you are a CLOWN.

What the f*** have you been doing for the last five months then Barber

What's to say the club have not been trying to sort this for some time, and have been unsuccessful? They could have requested it be an away game right when the fixtures were being drawn, but perhaps they thought they'd be able to get the buses and trains to offer a service. In light of the time its taken for them to come to this announcement, could they have not been working hard all along to resolve this? Imagine trying to convince the bus drivers to work, and the train company to open the stations, train drivers, station staff, railway opperators? There's a lot to be arranged, for just one match, which affects less than 2% of the population of the county.

The again, it's probably all Barbers fault.