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Curse of the Saturday 3pm (H)

LennySUFC

Director⭐
It's been a long time since I last started a new thread however I posted this within another thread Saturday evening during the fallout of the FA Trophy exit but I think it is worth having a separate discussion on it.

Since Saturday 24th February 2024 when we steamrolled 10-man Aldershot 4-1 our league record for Saturday 3pm games at Roots Hall is:
Played 12
Won 1 (Tamworth)
Drawn 5 (Daggers, Woking, York, FGR, Hartlepool)
Lost 6 (Rochdale, Sutton, Gateshead, Maidenhead, Yeovil, Barnet)
In those 12 games we have scored 9 goals and conceded 18.
If you wanted to add cup games to that list I make it 1W (Southport), 1D (Charlton in 90), 1L (Sittingbourne).

For comparison, in the same timeframe, our midweek record is:
Played 9
Won 7 (Altrincham, Dorking, Boreham Wood, Boston, Eastleigh, Ebbsfleet, Fylde)
Drawn 2 (Wealdstone, Dagenham)
Lost 0
In those 9 games we have scored 21 goals and conceded just 6 times.

I think the midweek form has somewhat distracted fans from just how bad it has been for almost a year on a Saturday. If we fail to beat Rochdale on the 15th then it'll be a single league win on a Saturday in a calendar year at home.

How and why can there be such a difference in performance levels?
How much longer will we continue to have the best average attendance in the league before fans simply get bored and decide to stay warm and £20+ richer.
What does Maher need to do to turn this around?
 
We need to make more of an effort to get games on a Friday again. Yes both teams need to agree, but it can be done as we’ve seen in the past.

Friday night games hit different here. It’s better in every single aspect. Appreciate not everyone can make Friday night games, but not everyone can make Saturday games either.

Just a handful of Friday night games would I think give us a better points return.

I know it’s been mentioned “Kev doesn’t like Friday night games” well it looks like the team doesn’t like Saturday games, so something needs to give!

COSU, please, next season let’s get some Friday night games back, with a packed North Bank of our own fans only. I guarantee it will equal more points!...We need to use every little detail to our advantage.
 
Interesting is the Friday call.
Back in the day 15,000 turned up for a 7.30pm kick-off. Imagine!
Would have thought demand on weekend activity not there in the 60s, would appeal now all the more.
If you made it an 8pm KO, even more chance those returning from work could make it.
It might even help away sides on expenses if they were to travel on the day, and return (sleeping) on the coach the same night.
 
Last edited:
Friday night football has always been popular at Roots Hall. The only downside is that we have to watch the game in the gloom with the current out of date floodlights. I thought this was to be rectified in January. Does anyone know the latest on this?
 
No club in its right mind would agree to a switch from a Sat fixture at Roots hall right now. .
Which is a shame as a Friday night game is fun
 
Friday night football has always been popular at Roots Hall. The only downside is that we have to watch the game in the gloom with the current out of date floodlights. I thought this was to be rectified in January. Does anyone know the latest on this?
Looks like the club and planners have submitted final docs on the lighting to SCC last week. So hopefully planning permission will be granted soon.
 
I genuinely do not believe switching to a Friday night will make us play any different. Away teams tend to come out more and we get space. At home it is for us to step up but we don't. Sittingbourne for example, so often we had three back marking one attacker when we had set pieces. Ludicrous.
 
We need to make more of an effort to get games on a Friday again. Yes both teams need to agree, but it can be done as we’ve seen in the past.

Friday night games hit different here. It’s better in every single aspect. Appreciate not everyone can make Friday night games, but not everyone can make Saturday games either.

Just a handful of Friday night games would I think give us a better points return.

I know it’s been mentioned “Kev doesn’t like Friday night games” well it looks like the team doesn’t like Saturday games, so something needs to give!

COSU, please, next season let’s get some Friday night games back, with a packed North Bank of our own fans only. I guarantee it will equal more points!...We need to use every little detail to our advantage.
You had me until the North Bank. That needs binning off once and for all.
 
It's been a long time since I last started a new thread however I posted this within another thread Saturday evening during the fallout of the FA Trophy exit but I think it is worth having a separate discussion on it.

Since Saturday 24th February 2024 when we steamrolled 10-man Aldershot 4-1 our league record for Saturday 3pm games at Roots Hall is:
Played 12
Won 1 (Tamworth)
Drawn 5 (Daggers, Woking, York, FGR, Hartlepool)
Lost 6 (Rochdale, Sutton, Gateshead, Maidenhead, Yeovil, Barnet)
In those 12 games we have scored 9 goals and conceded 18.
If you wanted to add cup games to that list I make it 1W (Southport), 1D (Charlton in 90), 1L (Sittingbourne).

For comparison, in the same timeframe, our midweek record is:
Played 9
Won 7 (Altrincham, Dorking, Boreham Wood, Boston, Eastleigh, Ebbsfleet, Fylde)
Drawn 2 (Wealdstone, Dagenham)
Lost 0
In those 9 games we have scored 21 goals and conceded just 6 times.

I think the midweek form has somewhat distracted fans from just how bad it has been for almost a year on a Saturday. If we fail to beat Rochdale on the 15th then it'll be a single league win on a Saturday in a calendar year at home.

How and why can there be such a difference in performance levels?
How much longer will we continue to have the best average attendance in the league before fans simply get bored and decide to stay warm and £20+ richer.
What does Maher need to do to turn this around?

Go back to Chesterfield on 18 Nov 23 and you can add in
Hampton and Richmond Draw - Trophy
Bromley Lost
Halifax Won
Gateshead Lost
York Lost
and a Boxing Day loss to Barnet.

Quite a lot of the midweek wins are against relegation favourites and then teams from the north who probably travel on the day without an overnight stay.

Kevin Keegan used to say that teams raised their games playing at Roots Hall because it was the Wembley of Division 4. That was nearly 60 years ago though ….
 
Back in the day, Friday night matches were the absolute best as it gave those of us that played regularly on a Saturday afternoon the best of both worlds. A few liveners in the Golden Lion and then a game under the lights standing in the West, heaven.
When I started watching us, early 1970s, every home league game was a Friday night except Bury. It seemed they were the only team that wouldn’t change. Assume other teams had a choice too?
 
I genuinely do not believe switching to a Friday night will make us play any different. Away teams tend to come out more and we get space. At home it is for us to step up but we don't. Sittingbourne for example, so often we had three back marking one attacker when we had set pieces. Ludicrous.
IU think thats a good point as more than half the teams in this league struggle to get an average attendance at 2000
Coming to play in such a great old proper stadium in front of 8000 surely stirs the blood a bit ?
 
It's been a long time since I last started a new thread however I posted this within another thread Saturday evening during the fallout of the FA Trophy exit but I think it is worth having a separate discussion on it.

Since Saturday 24th February 2024 when we steamrolled 10-man Aldershot 4-1 our league record for Saturday 3pm games at Roots Hall is:
Played 12
Won 1 (Tamworth)
Drawn 5 (Daggers, Woking, York, FGR, Hartlepool)
Lost 6 (Rochdale, Sutton, Gateshead, Maidenhead, Yeovil, Barnet)
In those 12 games we have scored 9 goals and conceded 18.
If you wanted to add cup games to that list I make it 1W (Southport), 1D (Charlton in 90), 1L (Sittingbourne).

For comparison, in the same timeframe, our midweek record is:
Played 9
Won 7 (Altrincham, Dorking, Boreham Wood, Boston, Eastleigh, Ebbsfleet, Fylde)
Drawn 2 (Wealdstone, Dagenham)
Lost 0
In those 9 games we have scored 21 goals and conceded just 6 times.

I think the midweek form has somewhat distracted fans from just how bad it has been for almost a year on a Saturday. If we fail to beat Rochdale on the 15th then it'll be a single league win on a Saturday in a calendar year at home.

How and why can there be such a difference in performance levels?
How much longer will we continue to have the best average attendance in the league before fans simply get bored and decide to stay warm and £20+ richer.
What does Maher need to do to turn this around?
Theyre too scared to have a real go and take chances, the personalities of Roots Hall give them stick if it doesnt come off. I saw multiple Chelsea hats in the North bank and one fella with Leeds Utd on him, they really turn out for a Trophy game ? God knows, but away from home is pretty supportive of missed chances. Definetly i see a pattern of more freedom on our away travels. If people that come to see a side being rebuilt cant stand it when its not working, screaming **** off at our players hardly makes them want to stand out and try to open up the opposition.

We're just not good enough, theres no doubting that. Believe it or not, they all need our support. We used to be really good at supporting.
Each home game i literally think to myself "shut up mate, abusing our own players and manager is rotten to the core" but i wont say anything to them. That "sideways and backwards" song, what a ****in embarrassment to sing that to your own team.
If it makes people a lot happier, yeah lets sack Maher.
It wont make them happier though will it. We'll still need to rebuild this side.
What does Maher need to turn this around you ask??
Ignore the foul mouthed aggression aimed at him. Tell the boys they are brilliant (knowing they arent) and build on every positive aspect he can whilst somehow getting results in the league. Rather him than me.
 
Sittingbourne for example, so often we had three back marking one attacker when we had set pieces. Ludicrous.
This is the kind of thing which drives me mad. Why is it so obvious to everyone else except Kev? If you are going to play 3 centre backs then they need to have a ability to push up and support the midfield/wing back. We had Gubbins stuck at the back looking lost. I have no confidence in someone who can't get the blatantly obvious basics right.
 
We need to make more of an effort to get games on a Friday again. Yes both teams need to agree, but it can be done as we’ve seen in the past.

Friday night games hit different here. It’s better in every single aspect. Appreciate not everyone can make Friday night games, but not everyone can make Saturday games either.

Just a handful of Friday night games would I think give us a better points return.

I know it’s been mentioned “Kev doesn’t like Friday night games” well it looks like the team doesn’t like Saturday games, so something needs to give!

COSU, please, next season let’s get some Friday night games back, with a packed North Bank of our own fans only. I guarantee it will equal more points!...We need to use every little detail to our advantage.
This thread is about our failure on Saturday fixtures at home.
 
This thread is about our failure on Saturday fixtures at home.
I am aware what the thread is about, Thanks.

And I suggested perhaps we need to move some of those Saturday games to Friday. As we seem to perform better on Friday nights, well any time other than a Saturday afternoon at RH at the moment.
 
This is the kind of thing which drives me mad. Why is it so obvious to everyone else except Kev? If you are going to play 3 centre backs then they need to have an ability to push up and support the midfield/wing back. We had Gubbins stuck at the back looking lost. I have no confidence in someone who can't get the blatantly obvious basics right.
Taylor can move into midfield during the game and switch to 4 at the back as and when suits,
 

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