Rid Skwerr Posted January 30, 2016 Report Share Posted January 30, 2016 Surely an astroturf pitch should be considered? Please no! Can't see it being canal water, either. The F&C has been there for about 200 years without problem and any water getting to that part of the ground would, probably, have to pass under the JHS and would cause problems to the building or the car park. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mulguy jag Posted January 30, 2016 Report Share Posted January 30, 2016 The board maybe weighing up the cost for an artificial surface against the drainage problem being addressed,or just blame adverse winter , show no ambition and carry on regardless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davie Thistle Posted January 30, 2016 Report Share Posted January 30, 2016 Fug aw that! Summer fitba!!! ☀☀☀☀☀☀☀☀☀ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lambies Lost Doo Posted January 30, 2016 Report Share Posted January 30, 2016 Why no covers down for couple days? Does that damage the pitch in other ways? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeanieD Posted January 30, 2016 Report Share Posted January 30, 2016 I always thought the canal having any bearing on the pitch been unplayable was utter dross. Are we the only club In Britain whose ground is in close proximity to water? As regards proximity to water I suspect we have one of the few ground so close to such a large body of water which is, for the most part, above the level of the pitch - having said that canals were generally well constructed with membranes and clay linings such as to prevent seepage but i, personally, cannot imagine that having such a large body of water effectively on two sides of the ground can be particularly beneficial for drainage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lady-isobel-barnett Posted January 30, 2016 Report Share Posted January 30, 2016 (edited) Not going make a valued judgement on today's postponement but must have talked to twenty or so folk since. Most were football punters and none appeared surprised to hear our game was called off. Firhill like a lot of grounds is well enough equipped to deal with a frosty surface but not it appears sustained rainfall or snow. Advancing years alas throw up a memory problem otherwise I'd be willing to bet we've not had many winters as wet as this one. It wouldn't surprise me then if like countless other fields and parkland etc we may simply have a drainage overload. Also I'm not sure the particular value of a winter shut down for top league clubs. Today's date for instance falls after the close down period so if this was next season you would be faced with a postponement immediately after we were supposed to resume. I think rather than having a shut down the SPFL should be looking at ways to avoid winter midweek matches whenever possible. Taking two weekends out of the equation isn't exactly going to help. It would be better to extend the season slightly and set aside a period in spring to play any postponed fixtures. Edited January 30, 2016 by lady-isobel-barnett Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veejag Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 LIB, you'd need to consider the fact that absolutely no football would've been played on the surface throughout the shut down so maybe the damage wouldn't be so severe to cause a postponement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BowenBoys Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 The first two postponements this season were before the dates of next season's shut down. So we would have been going into the winter break already having had two blank Saturdays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norgethistle Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 The majority of Scottish clubs are on the same latitude as a lot of the Scandanavian teams, Scandanavian has Summer football because of the wet, cold (and sometimes snowy) winters, we postpone games and lose revenue. At a time when clubs are counting the penny's we are paying for floodlights, under soil heating and playing games in conditions that aren't comfortable for the paying public to sit in. We wonder why crowds are poor. For families or people on budgets are they more likely to choose a game on a mild or warm day lit Saturday or on a cold, windy, wet dark Saturday? It's time we done a 5 year test of Summer football 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrishammett Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 The postponement of games must be really irritating for everyone involved. You spend your week looking forward to the game and plan your days off / weekend around going only to find your at a loose end. There's only so many times before you don't plan on going anymore. The team would have spent all week planning on tactics for the opposition etc Then there's the club and the hospitality, food,workers etc etc. It must be so demoralising. Then the mid week games that come from it fewer fans can make it, gates down. Cash for the club and all that. I do feel for you guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BowenBoys Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 The majority of Scottish clubs are on the same latitude as a lot of the Scandanavian teams, Scandanavian has Summer football because of the wet, cold (and sometimes snowy) winters, we postpone games and lose revenue. At a time when clubs are counting the penny's we are paying for floodlights, under soil heating and playing games in conditions that aren't comfortable for the paying public to sit in. We wonder why crowds are poor. For families or people on budgets are they more likely to choose a game on a mild or warm day lit Saturday or on a cold, windy, wet dark Saturday? It's time we done a 5 year test of Summer football Personally, I'm against summer football. And I have good reason. I have been going to football matches in the autumn/winter/spring for forty five years. I'm used to it, it seems right. However, I had no intention of going to the game yesterday. I have two young boys that I hope will will become Jags fans. Making them sit out in freezing conditions is not going to help turn my hopes into reality. It is time for a radical re-think from the authorities (I know). I don't mean playing (with all due respect) crap Welsh teams, I mean a complete overhaul. Forget feeding the fatted Celtic/Sevco cow. Forget striving for great success in Europe. It's time to look at the structure of the whole game. Rip it up and start again. Kick out the old guard. Fresh thinking is needed. If that includes summer football then so be it. Forget my views (and those of the other dinosaurs that are running the game) and move forwards with bright, young initiatives. For the benefit of all clubs and the other two Bowen Boys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
potty trained Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 Personally, I'm against summer football. And I have good reason. I have been going to football matches in the autumn/winter/spring for forty five years. I'm used to it, it seems right. However, I had no intention of going to the game yesterday. I have two young boys that I hope will will become Jags fans. Making them sit out in freezing conditions is not going to help turn my hopes into reality. It is time for a radical re-think from the authorities (I know). I don't mean playing (with all due respect) crap Welsh teams, I mean a complete overhaul. Forget feeding the fatted Celtic/Sevco cow. Forget striving for great success in Europe. It's time to look at the structure of the whole game. Rip it up and start again. Kick out the old guard. Fresh thinking is needed. If that includes summer football then so be it. Forget my views (and those of the other dinosaurs that are running the game) and move forwards with bright, young initiatives. For the benefit of all clubs and the other two Bowen Boys. Anyone old enough to remember the days of Jim Garry etc will remember very similar calls for what you request. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BowenBoys Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 Anyone old enough to remember the days of Jim Garry etc will remember very similar calls for what you request. I guess I'm old enough but not been in Scotland for all of those years. Perhaps a wee history lesson pt? Internet search for Jim Garry throws up the author of 'This Ol' Drought Ain't Broke Us Yet'. Could be him, I suppose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lady-isobel-barnett Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 LIB, you'd need to consider the fact that absolutely no football would've been played on the surface throughout the shut down so maybe the damage wouldn't be so severe to cause a postponement. That's a point, Veejag, but it's still a marginal point. The first two postponements this season were before the dates of next season's shut down. So we would have been going into the winter break already having had two blank Saturdays. This is more what I was getting at. You have a set shut down period when it's possible all fixtures could well have been played. You restart after the break and there's every possibility you face wholesale postponements. Result would be the same old backlog and possibly worse. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
partickthedog Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 I guess I'm old enough but not been in Scotland for all of those years. Perhaps a wee history lesson pt? Internet search for Jim Garry throws up the author of 'This Ol' Drought Ain't Broke Us Yet'. Could be him, I suppose. Jim Farry? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winter of '63 Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 We have no games scheduled for the following Saturdays - 5 March, 26 March & 16 April. If Celtic beat Ross County today, we will have Saturday 12 March off as they will be playing in the Final on the Sunday. We have two midweek fixtures both against St Johnstone, all other midweeks until Wednesday 11 May are free. There are plenty of available dates, there's never been a serious backlog of fixtures since the Winter of '63, it's just stupid to choose a Tuesday night at the beginning of February as the preferred option to play the Motherwell game. Last season the SPFL actually scheduled League games for the end of January - we beat Hamilton 5-0 - but for customer appeal it's sheer madness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BowenBoys Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 (edited) Jim Farry? Ah, of course. A bit slow this morning. Edited January 31, 2016 by BowenBoys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theestle Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 No-one looking forward to the game is happy with the postponement - but please get over it. Because of the vagaries of Scottish weather it comes down to bad luck. If the game was scheduled for today it would of been on. If the St Johnstone game was scheduled for the day after boxing day it would of been on. Apart from this season I can only think of 1 game which was postponed over the last few seasons. The only solution is a plastic pitch (does anyone really want that) or a roof which is impossible. You just need to accept the geographical positioning of Scotland or move country and support another team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lady-isobel-barnett Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 No-one looking forward to the game is happy with the postponement - but please get over it. Because of the vagaries of Scottish weather it comes down to bad luck. If the game was scheduled for today it would of been on. If the St Johnstone game was scheduled for the day after boxing day it would of been on. Apart from this season I can only think of 1 game which was postponed over the last few seasons. The only solution is a plastic pitch (does anyone really want that) or a roof which is impossible. You just need to accept the geographical positioning of Scotland or move country and support another team. That comes over rather dictatorial. I've always believed Scotland should be nearer the equator. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veejag Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 Should we just stop football? It'd save an awful lot of fuss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeanieD Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 Possibly the frustration is compounded by the irritation that we have more home game postponements for weather (specifically waterlogging) than any other club in Scotland and we have had matches postponed at Firhill this season when there have been no other matches in west-central Scotland similarly postponed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norgethistle Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 No-one looking forward to the game is happy with the postponement - but please get over it. Because of the vagaries of Scottish weather it comes down to bad luck. If the game was scheduled for today it would of been on. If the St Johnstone game was scheduled for the day after boxing day it would of been on. Apart from this season I can only think of 1 game which was postponed over the last few seasons. The only solution is a plastic pitch (does anyone really want that) or a roof which is impossible. You just need to accept the geographical positioning of Scotland or move country and support another team. Or we change the season dates to suit our geographical position in regards to the weather 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrishammett Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 I wonder if there is any data out there for other countries that have brought in the winter break recently (I admit I don't know if there are any) It would be interesting to know if the gates increased and the point about if the pitch stayed in better condition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lenziejag Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 I would prefer to watch football when the weather is better. Switching the season wouldn't guarantee no postponements and there would still be plenty of days between March and November when it is cold and miserable. I think the biggest hurdle,though, is how to manage the switch from a May finish one season to a March start the next. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lambies Lost Doo Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 Or we change the season dates to suit our geographical position in regards to the weather Prob is our weather is so bizarre. End of promotion season last home game v Dunfermline beautiful sunshine. Last home game of last season v Kilmarnock freezing and wet. I wanted to get out the ground asap away from wind despite a number of players playing their last game for us. (Result didn't help either!). That's the month of May. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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