Festive period fixtures

[Rattus Norvegicus]

I came across this whilst looking on the webernet ...........

.......... in the Conference, Conference South and North the fixtures on 1st January 2017 are the reverse of the fixtures on Boxing Day. So Tamworth host Nuneaton and then play away at Nuneaton away a few days later.


I think this used to happen in the league years ago and I am sure some posters here will comment on that.

Is it a good idea? Presumably the two teams paired together are local teams and therefore you could get two bumper gates or ..........

Is it a bad idea? There must be a reason why, in general, the league spreads out the two games between particular teams.

 

[RobM]

Many moons ago, it was common to play on Christmas day and the opposite fixture on Boxing day.

 

[1966 and all that]

If memory serves, in my W**t H*m supporting days, they were beaten 8 - 2 at home to Blackburn, but then won 4 - 1 in the reverse fixture days later.

 

[Massimo Giovanni]

For me, the playing of the same team twice in a small time frame is a bad idea.
Playing Gills twice wasn't good was it?

 

[BrettieAngell]

If memory serves, in my W**t H*m supporting days, they were beaten 8 - 2 at home to Blackburn, but then won 4 - 1 in the reverse fixture days later.

There used to be some crazy scorelines in the christmas games back in the day.

 

[rigsby]

There used to be some crazy scorelines in the christmas games back in the day.

Yes I remember losing to Millwall at home 4-0....Now when was that

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Yes I remember losing to Millwall at home 4-0....Now when was that

Ha! Only last season (I was back for that one).:sad::'(

 

[Angell Delight]

Used to love it when we had games on Boxing Day and then the 27th the day after. I remember going to Charlton at The Valley on Boxing Day in the mid 90's, lost 3-1 but then beat WBA 2-1 at home 24 hours later. I used to really look forward to Christmas for that very reason, nowadays it's "against players human rights" to do that which is strange given the increased size of squads these days compared to back then. #rotation

 

[manor15]

For me, the playing of the same team twice in a small time frame is a bad idea.
Playing Gills twice wasn't good was it?

We only played them once, the club just went the extra mile to do a 90 minute replay on the Tuesday night for those who missed the Saturday game.

 

[Supernaut]

I suppose in the days before sports science and mollycoddled players, the festive period fixtures were a sign of which team could best handle days of non-stop booze and shed loads of turkey and stuffing. Some games must have been more like an episode of It's a Knockout!

 

[DoDTS]

In the early twenties the complete fixture list was played on a home one week and away the next but it was stopped as it was alleged that some players carried grudges forward whereas time tended to heal the wounds;

Another change had occurred by the football League, after complaints that grudges were carried forward by certain players from one match to another the practice of playing a side at home one week and away the next was discontinued. The rules were also changed so that a goal could be scored direct from a corner, and also changes to rules about stoppages for injuries
From the Southend Standard August 1924

Also here's one for Mick, what's his view on the following:

The one “fly in the ointment” in the Plymouth match was the inefficient refereeing, he was the same referee that had referred the reserve match the previous week and he was scheduled to be in charge of Southend’s next two games against Brighton. “The system that allows a man to take four games for the same club within a fortnight is wrong” stated the Southend Standard and continued, “many of his decisions on Monday were, to say the least, extraordinary and some the height of ludicrousness. Many of his off sides decisions were ridiculous”.
From the Southend Standard April 1923

 

[Up the Shrimpers]

Used to love it when we had games on Boxing Day and then the 27th the day after. I remember going to Charlton at The Valley on Boxing Day in the mid 90's, lost 3-1 but then beat WBA 2-1 at home 24 hours later. I used to really look forward to Christmas for that very reason

Yeah that season we then played away at Burnley on New Years Eve of all days and lost 5-1. That was a fun trip!

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

Only time I can recall us playing a team home & away within a couple of days, was Brighton in 74, and that was at Easter!.
Home game Good Friday, away game Bank Hol Mon.
I cant recall us playing on consecutive days over Christmas, 2 games in 3 days yes. (May be wrong?).
Re Angell Delight's post, I remember the WBA game, as John Hartson was upfront for them, and their fans 'special train' left Prittlewell before the end of the game!. But don't recall us playing at Charlton the day before?.

 

[BrettieAngell]

Yes I remember losing to Millwall at home 4-0....Now when was that

Indeed, The game 3 (?) days later against Doncaster was even worse.

 

[Crowstone Crevette]

Only time I can recall us playing a team home & away within a couple of days, was Brighton in 74, and that was at Easter!.
Home game Good Friday, away game Bank Hol Mon.
I cant recall us playing on consecutive days over Christmas, 2 games in 3 days yes. (May be wrong?).
Re Angell Delight's post, I remember the WBA game, as John Hartson was upfront for them, and their fans 'special train' left Prittlewell before the end of the game!. But don't recall us playing at Charlton the day before?.

You beat me to it Billy if i remember rightly both matches ended in a 2-1 victory for the away team.

 

[Rattus Norvegicus]

In the early twenties the complete fixture list was played on a home one week and away the next but it was stopped as it was alleged that some players carried grudges forward whereas time tended to heal the wounds;

Another change had occurred by the football League, after complaints that grudges were carried forward by certain players from one match to another the practice of playing a side at home one week and away the next was discontinued. The rules were also changed so that a goal could be scored direct from a corner, and also changes to rules about stoppages for injuries
From the Southend Standard August 1924

Also here's one for Mick, what's his view on the following:

The one “fly in the ointment” in the Plymouth match was the inefficient refereeing, he was the same referee that had referred the reserve match the previous week and he was scheduled to be in charge of Southend’s next two games against Brighton. “The system that allows a man to take four games for the same club within a fortnight is wrong” stated the Southend Standard and continued, “many of his decisions on Monday were, to say the least, extraordinary and some the height of ludicrousness. Many of his off sides decisions were ridiculous”.
From the Southend Standard April 1923

Great post - marvellous phrases as well. I especially like the "height of ludicrousness" description. :thumbsup:

As for the grudges, it might not be such an issue today as there is less physical attrition. And of course none of this would have been relevant for Roy McDoughnut as he would be serving a ban for a red card come the return came a few days later. :omg: :whistling: :smiles:

 

[RobM]

1946 - Christmas day - Watford 4 Southend 0
1946 - Boxing day - Southed 5 Watford 0

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

You beat me to it Billy if i remember rightly both matches ended in a 2-1 victory for the away team.

Nearly correct, 0-2 in both games!.

 

[Crowstone Crevette]

O well that will teach to trust my memory:winking:

 

[Rattus Norvegicus]

An interesting piece in the Telegraph on Saturday 24th about the last Christmas Day football match between Blackpool and Blackburn in 1965. Blackpool won 4-2 with Alan Ball in their team. The reverse fixture was to be played the following day.

"You couldn't afford to overindulge. Christmas Day or not, none of us would have had a beer in the dressing room. You couldn't go home and have a few either. Not when you had a game the next day".

As it happens the game the next day was postponed due to a frozen pitch and eventually played in May!

The article suggests that by 1959 public transport workers were being given Christmas off and so making getting to games difficult for many fans.