Albert's Ghost Posted March 15, 2015 Report Share Posted March 15, 2015 I was under the impression we didn't do that here in Scotland - apart from Celtic that is. But on inspecting the list of remaining fixtures, I note that we do indeed have such a break, quite a late one, between 11th and 25th April. And as a consequence we will be enjoying summer football too, our season ending about a week short of June. Can anyone explain why this is? Is it because Celtic have already had a winter break, and the resulting fixture pile-up has caused this shambles? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinny Posted March 15, 2015 Report Share Posted March 15, 2015 Is it not that the cup semi finals are being played with no other games on the same weekend? It also gives the chance for the powers that be to write up a final five game fixture list while the Celtic vs Dundee (or whoever they need to play) game can be arranged post split. Did the season not used to usually finish on the last weekend of May? I always think that the cup final should be near the 31st May for some reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert's Ghost Posted March 15, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2015 We were done and dusted by mid-May last year (not being involved in the cup). We had a post-split midweek trip to Tynie. This year it just seems to go on forever. Let's hope we're not in the playoffs, eh? We want some time off in the summer. I still blame Celtic's wee holiday break for this. How on earth do they get away with it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
potty trained Posted March 15, 2015 Report Share Posted March 15, 2015 Has the Scottish Cup pretty much always been the last weekend in May? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert's Ghost Posted March 15, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2015 I just bothered to check. Cup final is Sat 30 May. Playoff finals are either side of this, Thur & Sun. That's unless Hibs have an interest in both, which seems very possible. Utter shambles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian_mac Posted March 16, 2015 Report Share Posted March 16, 2015 Allowing teams to postpone fixtures for friendly matches is an utter disgrace. Can you imagine that happening in La Liga or the EPL? How can we expect broadcasters and sponsors to attach some value to our league when we don't even value it ourselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lady-isobel-barnett Posted March 16, 2015 Report Share Posted March 16, 2015 (edited) Allowing teams to postpone fixtures for friendly matches is an utter disgrace. Can you imagine that happening in La Liga or the EPL? How can we expect broadcasters and sponsors to attach some value to our league when we don't even value it ourselves. Agree entirely and a very good point re sponsorship. Slightly at tangent I'm not in favour of summer football but I'm equally against additional fixtures being scheduled for mid January (tho' if I knew we were going to win them all 5-0 I might change my mind). More to the point I feel that the season should be stretched BUT not for the reason there's fixture congestion due to friendlies. Start the season a week earlier and finish it at the end of May. Altho' a traditionalist I'd do away with playing on a winter holiday when there's absolutely no public transport. Also no mid winter midweek games and leave a pre split window in early April to play postponed/abandoned fixtures. When practical Easter weekend would be ideal. If no re-arranged games it wouldn't be the worst time to not have a game or piss off and play a friendly. Edited March 16, 2015 by lady-isobel-barnett 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Willjag Posted March 16, 2015 Members Report Share Posted March 16, 2015 Judging how we've played over the past couple of years around January to March, I'd be delighted to have the close season between these dates! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billko Posted March 17, 2015 Report Share Posted March 17, 2015 Agree entirely and a very good point re sponsorship. Slightly at tangent I'm not in favour of summer football but I'm equally against additional fixtures being scheduled for mid January (tho' if I knew we were going to win them all 5-0 I might change my mind). More to the point I feel that the season should be stretched BUT not for the reason there's fixture congestion due to friendlies. Start the season a week earlier and finish it at the end of May. Altho' a traditionalist I'd do away with playing on a winter holiday when there's absolutely no public transport. Also no mid winter midweek games and leave a pre split window in early April to play postponed/abandoned fixtures. When practical Easter weekend would be ideal. If no re-arranged games it wouldn't be the worst time to not have a game or piss off and play a friendly. Finding a format that will have our teams playing when our weather is at it's best and our pitches are at their best should see more fans turn out to watch the better football on show. I think we need to play our football in the summer months and we might even attract a sponsor if we are not in direct competition with other Leagues at that time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian_mac Posted March 17, 2015 Report Share Posted March 17, 2015 (edited) I think the time has come for summer football - I really do. The game in this country is at a pretty low ebb, although that has mostly been brought about by the continuous incompetence of the SPL/SFA/SPFL. However, what we all want to see are bigger crowds across the board. At the moment we are asking people to pay anywhere between £20 and £30, during an economic crisis, to watch a match on a terrible pitch in sub zero temperatures, featuring players that no one outside of Scotland has heard of. Let's just stop and think about that for a minute. Is it really any surprise that crowds are so bad? Also bear in mind how early the European qualifiers start now. By continuing with winter football we are hindering our teams chances of European progression. Nearly all the other teams entering at the early stages are playing summer football. It's an absolute no-brainer for me. That said, we all know how flawed the decision making process is within Scottish Football. The only way I can see this ever happening is if the old firm leave for good. Edited March 17, 2015 by ian_mac 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jag Posted March 17, 2015 Report Share Posted March 17, 2015 (edited) I think the time has come for summer football - I really do. The game in this country is at a pretty low ebb, although that has mostly been brought about by the continuous incompetence of the SPL/SFA/SPFL. However, what we all want to see are bigger crowds across the board. At the moment we are asking people to pay anywhere between £20 and £30, during an economic crisis, to watch a match on a terrible pitch in sub zero temperatures, featuring players that no one outside of Scotland has heard of. Let's just stop and think about that for a minute. Is it really any surprise that crowds are so bad? Also bear in mind how early the European qualifiers start now. By continuing with winter football we are hindering our teams chances of European progression. Nearly all the other teams entering at the early stages are playing summer football. It's an absolute no-brainer for me. That said, we all know how flawed the decision making process is within Scottish Football. The only way I can see this ever happening is if the old firm leave for good. I'm in two minds about summer football but I completely agree here - something needs to be done to address the current situation. It is becoming increasingly difficult for me to motivate myself to go off to the game when so cold to watch a poor standard that is partly caused by disgraceful pitches. We don't have the resources to grow the grass all year round like they do in England so the pitches shouldn't be played on when the grass can't grow. Another alternative to summer football would be to go for a sixteen team league, taking the amount of league games played per season down to 30. Take a break from just before Christmas until the end of February. I'm convinced if this happened clubs would make up the shortfall of the missing home games by improved attendances and TV sponsorship. They could even go back to early season league cup sections, as is still done in Portugal. It would also relieve the monotony of playing teams four (or sometimes more) times per season and, if you are only guaranteed one trip to an away ground (e.g. Pittodrie) you are more likely to travel. Promotion/relegation could be two up two down with the addition off a play off, similar to what happens just now. Edited March 17, 2015 by Jag 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lady-isobel-barnett Posted March 17, 2015 Report Share Posted March 17, 2015 Finding a format that will have our teams playing when our weather is at it's best and our pitches are at their best should see more fans turn out to watch the better football on show. I think we need to play our football in the summer months and we might even attract a sponsor if we are not in direct competition with other Leagues at that time. Can't argue with your logic, billko. Couple of good points. I'd argue that it's too much a journey into the unknown. If periphery fans can find excuses for not going to games as it is how many more excuses will arise during a period not associated with football? Personally, if we played over the summer months and apart from the last few years, I could never have justified having a season ticket. and I'm one who goes to about every match. How many others will have conflicting commitments? Even at that the most important sector to think about are not even the committed fans but the next generation. I'd suggest that the summer months would offer too many competing attractions, often far afield at that. Anyway summer football might only suit the richer clubs who can regularly afford to relay their turf. Clubs like ours rely on re-seeding and even the world's worst gardener like myself knows the best times to re seed grass. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billko Posted March 17, 2015 Report Share Posted March 17, 2015 (edited) I'm in two minds about summer football but I completely agree here - something needs to be done to address the current situation. It is becoming increasingly difficult for me to motivate myself to go off to the game when so cold to watch a poor standard that is partly caused by disgraceful pitches. We don't have the resources to grow the grass all year round like they do in England so the pitches shouldn't be played on when the grass can't grow. Another alternative to summer football would be to go for a sixteen team league, taking the amount of league games played per season down to 30. Take a break from just before Christmas until the end of February. I'm convinced if this happened clubs would make up the shortfall of the missing home games by improved attendances and TV sponsorship. They could even go back to early season league cup sections, as is still done in Portugal. It would also relieve the monotony of playing teams four (or sometimes more) times per season and, if you are only guaranteed one trip to an away ground (e.g. Pittodrie) you are more likely to travel. Promotion/relegation could be two up two down with the addition off a play off, similar to what happens just now. I think you make some good points and the 16 team league was what i think should be looked at but didn't want to be accused of trying to fit Rangers into the league ( mind you they might still struggle to get in to a 16 ) We play they same teams too many times and this leads to boredom amongst fans and players cancelling each other out due to them getting too familiar with each others game. Some revamped cup competition as you say could be added to make up any shortfall, but i really think we need to get an interest back into our game to attract good sponsor money being fairly spread out amongst the clubs and attracting fans back to the grounds in decent numbers. I take the points regarding pitches needing seeded in the summer months you and LIB mention but from a youth development point of view i would like to see more summer football which i think will develop better players. Pitches used are mostly artificial and i think this is the perfect time for these kids to play alot of their football and also for the coaches who are developing them as footballers Edited March 17, 2015 by billko Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fearchar Posted March 17, 2015 Report Share Posted March 17, 2015 If summer football is such a hot offering, why isn't it adopted among some of the youngsters' leagues? That way it could be tested and it would be obvious if more spectators were drawn to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yoda-jag Posted April 3, 2015 Report Share Posted April 3, 2015 alloa chairman says a move to summer football currently "being seriously looked at". also makes a valid point about bbc selling scottish football short. and unless i'm mistaken, says charles green attempted bribery?!! article link Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lenziejag Posted April 3, 2015 Report Share Posted April 3, 2015 If summer football is such a hot offering, why isn't it adopted among some of the youngsters' leagues? That way it could be tested and it would be obvious if more spectators were drawn to it. Billko might be able to shed some light on that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lady-isobel-barnett Posted April 3, 2015 Report Share Posted April 3, 2015 alloa chairman says a move to summer football currently "being seriously looked at". Going back to a point I made earlier. Mulraney and Alloa wouldn't have to worry about reseeding a plastic pitch during a winter close season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topcat Posted April 5, 2015 Report Share Posted April 5, 2015 I started a thread on the old forum that was shutdown about 5 years ago putting the case for summer football and regularly argued for it in the pub with the boys. At that time I was told were to go. But I am begining to see a lot of attitudes thawing to the possibility. My favourite time for watching matches has always been at the start of the season and near the end especially if you get a nicer day. You can,t beat that odd occassion when all you need to wear on top is your PTFC strip. Over in Ireland at the moment and they have just about reached game 5 of there season. They have been playing in the summer for a few years now and I don,t think it has either been a success or failure although I dont know the stats. Agree that for a sponsor and tv coverage it would mean we wouldnt have to compete with the EPL etc. Hope it does get some serious thought and consideration soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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