I think its time the FA stop the fixture computer getting at the sherry - can't they programme it so at xmas local teams play each other - i feel sorry for our team and supporters who made it all the way down south to find out the game cancelled but at least it was announced 4 hours before kick off, unlike newcastle vs charlton cancelled less than an hour til kick off - charlton fans making a 600 mile round trip for no reason! there is no logic for these fixtures at xmas!
Don't be silly! That would make FAR too much sense! What made me laugh with the Newcastle game, was - it was called off because of the travelling conditions - NOT the pitch. I'd have thought the majority of the fans would almost have completed their journeys prior to KO. But, like you say, it can't be too difficult to get the FA's computer to sort something out; play all the local derbies over the festive period, which would reduce travelling costs at an already expensive time of the year.
It's all about money Boxing Day games get big crowds regardless of opposition, derby games get big crowds regardless of when they are played. So play a derby game on a bank holiday = 1 big crowd. Seperate them = 2 big crowds! Whilst I have sympathy for people who made the journey, some of the stories on radio 5 this morning made me laugh. A Sunderland fan who lives in Edinburgh set off to Blackburn listening to severe weather warnings on the radio! Errrr HELLO! Stay at home! And another text they had saying "It is mixed messages, they have long journeys for the football at a time when police are advising people not to make non-essential journeys".....hmmm...I think "non-essential" covers driving a couple of hundred miles for the football. We are quite unique in the country with the amount of people who will travel to watch away games on a regular basis, these games have to be played at some time though I would go along with not having long distance games mid-week and, where possible, in having bank holiday games within say a 50 mile radius. But it wouldn't suit everyone - people like Cazi and Farnham wouldn't get a game at Christmas that way!
We couldtnt go anyway As it was called off ff</p> Being realistic though its unusual to get games called off over December - January and February are more likely to give snow, frozen pitches etc. Its just bad luck that this year it was Christmas. Also as its a holiday time more fans may make the longer trips so its not really as bad an idea as it sounds.</p> What would make more sense is to try to avoid last minute cancellations. Top marks to Bournemouth for organising an inspection early and making an early decision. I suspect most of the games called off within 2 hours of kick off- really could have been called off much earlier.</p> Its not as if the bad weather took anyone by surprise</p>
they beleived it was dangerous because on the journey back the roads would be icier and also alot of the cars would be frozen up or snowed in in the car park. Bearing in mind there were 5 accidents near to the ground with fans because of the conditions. BUt i dont really think id give a **** about that if id traveled hundreds of miles for the match to be sent home. Also i dont know much about trains but if you say had a train ticket home for 10:00 or so can you change it because if not surely there will be a minority football fans hanging around Newcastle looking for trouble before they go home, which makes it an even worse decision to call off the match.
RE: being only 30 miles from newcastle Said on the radio that the roads around the ground had not been gritted, but I don't see the logic in cancelling game with about 20 mins to go when most people would therefore make it to the area around the ground and then have to head off again! Wouldn't it be better getting the gritters out during the game?
All the boxing day games were quite local You may claim that Hartlepool aren't local to us, but they've got to play someone. The only 2 clubs closer to Hartlepool than Barnsley are Hudds and Bradford, but the extra distance is negligiable. There were no North v South games. The same is true of the games on new years eve.
its total crap st james' park is in city centre. due to the urban heat island you rarely find roads covered in snow in city centre. total joke, but freddy shepherd/souness have had their way and a certain police chief is now £10k better off
RE: All the boxing day games were quite local I think that, overall, the Boxing Day games weren't too bad - as you say for Hartlepool we are one of their closest games, which made the low turnout from away fans surprising, not that I'd have gone anywhere if we'd been away!
