One for the old buggers amongst us. Info required.

I'm writing an article on the kick off times back in the day when we kicked off later than the rest of the division to accommodate local miners shift times.

I've looked online and can't see owt. There's some fantastic history buffs on here and some lazy tw4ts (like me) so any info, links, recollections are muchly appreciated.

 

Always used to kick off at 3:15 when I first started watching. After we acquired floodlights, evening kick offs were 7:15 initially then 7:30 before moving to 7:45 in more recent years.

 

It was 3:15pm back then. One side effect of it was that we hardly ever got our final result in the Green 'Un as we were still playing when it was printed, if my memory is still working.

 

I can remember us kicking off at 3.15 on a Saturday back in the 1970s. Don't think it had anything to do with miners shifts though, more to do with pubs closing at 3 I think!

 

I've always been lead to believe we were the only club to do it and for the miners?!? Never heard the pub bit before. If it was that surely everyone would have done it ?!?

 

I could be wrong as I wasn't at drinking age back then but pretty sure miners shift patterns were only Monday to Friday, unless there was overtime on days on a Saturday 6 until 2 maybe?

 

Maybe ? Can't find owt online. Might message Turvey Tyke (Dave Wood historian).

 

The first race at Pontefract was always traditionally at 2.45 pm to accommodate miners coming off the early shift. It changed when the local pit closed in 2002.

 

Yes I remember the 3.15 kickoffs.
Then of course there's the 10a.m./11 a.m./12.30 kickoffs against Sheffield Wednesday, simply done to **** up the fans' Saturdays. Done for very little or no reason at all.

 

If you wanted to be precise about the dates, perhaps have a word with @YTBFC and see if you could hook up with the chap with the enormous BFC programme collection? (Sorry, his name escapes me, but he was mentioned on here quite recently).

 

Back in the sixties the kick off on a saturday were usually 3.15 which was to marry up with local licensing laws at the time , last orders 10 to 3 , time called at 3 & then 10 minutes drinking up time, but nationally opening times varied , we also used to play sometimes at home on a friday night to avoid clashing with our neighbours the 2 Sheffield clubs who were both in the top division & evening kick offs were 7.15 in those days , plus a thing that many forget was that half time was only 10 minutes so a game usually finished before 9 pm on a night .

 

It was always 3-15 when I was a lad. My grandad, born 1892 and a fan from 1900 to his death in 1973, told me it was to allow players who worked down the pit on the day shift time to get down to the ground. Apparently quite a few did this. They were tough in those days.

 

I'm sure other clubs did it too; Workington, Chesterfield and Mansfield come to mind; but I could be wrong, I often am.

 

I always thought it was to tie in with the pubs closing at 3pm. A few other clubs kicked off at 3.15 as well, from memory Scunthorpe, Milwall and Plymouth.

 

TBH started watching us in 66 and can't remember ko times on Saturdays being any different. Midweekers 7:30.

 

My mum says Skinner Normanton used to work down Barnsley Main and then laik football in the 50s

 

Bury used to kick off at 3 15pm also and maybe Rotherham. Last season of 3 15 kos was 1975-76

 

I've pm'ed you on FB. Cheers Dave.

 

Initially, the 3:15 kick off times were to accommodate the morning shift at local mines. Then, it helped with the licensing laws for last orders. The midweek 7:30 evening kick offs also helped with fans able to attend before starting the night shift at various places which would start at 10:00pm.

 

I believe it was 3-15 at start and end of every season when it was daylighr longer then 3 oclock as days got shorter and i think in th middle of winter it was either 2-30 or even 2 o clock