Too many evening games for a 'family club'?

[griblet]

Saturday games

I wonder is anyone else has the same issue I do about the amount of games that are being played in the evening....

My son is 10 and I work in South London so getting to an evening game after work is difficult for me and I feel my son is too young to attend any outside school holidays.

The only reason we haven’t bought a season ticket is that as we can only really attend the Saturday afternoon games it’s far cheaper for us to buy each game individually

Looking at the remaining games for the season - with the postponement of Swindon’s game to most likely a mid week evening kick off - out of the 21 remaining games, just 4 are at home on a Saturday afternoon...
(Although starting with Northampton also hope to see at least a couple away on a Saturday)

For a club that prides itself being a 'family' club I find this strange

 

[Badger74]

Nothing better playing under the floodlights

Wish we had more friday night games which does mean my kids can go as they dont have school next morning

Just be happy we have a club as Last year we could of gone bust

 

[ooh-andy-ansah]

There's 8, 9 & 10 year olds all over the country doing sport & training hard up to 9.30pm so I doubt sitting at Roots Hall watching a game of footie is going to harm his long term development !

I used to get a bus, alone, to and from Fri evening games when I was 11 back in the 70's.

For someone who prides himself on being a "fan", I find this strange :smile:

 

[MK Shrimper]

It's an old recurring topic. It's apparantly historical, we play better, and great for those that live in the area. Not great for exiles who have to fight the rush hour M25.

 

[Crawliano]

Oh on the other side of the coin... Huzzah, love it.

 

[griblet]

There's 8, 9 & 10 year olds all over the country doing sport & training hard up to 9.30pm so I doubt sitting at Roots Hall watching a game of footie is going to harm his long term development !

Including my son (football training three times a week - including a place in the Southend United development centre and a match each Sunday) but with all of those sessions finishing by 8pm.... Living where we do the earliest we would realistically get home from an evening match is 10.30PM.
Friday nights might not be so bad (but more are now being played midweek)
Maybe next year or the year after...

 

[andykn]

Including my son (football training three times a week - including a place in the Southend United development centre and a match each Sunday) but with all of those sessions finishing by 8pm.... Living where we do the earliest we would realistically get home from an evening match is 10.30PM.
Friday nights might not be so bad (but more are now being played midweek)
Maybe next year or the year after...

But the midweek matches are unavoidable. The only Saturday free is the Swindon one and that's not the club's fault.

 

[Mick]

Including my son (football training three times a week - including a place in the Southend United development centre and a match each Sunday) but with all of those sessions finishing by 8pm.... Living where we do the earliest we would realistically get home from an evening match is 10.30PM.
Friday nights might not be so bad (but more are now being played midweek)
Maybe next year or the year after...

We have 46 League matches and there are 36 Saturdays available.

When exactly would you like to play the other 10 plus any postponements due to weather, cup runs (ours or our opponents) or floodlight failure ?????

 

[RobM]

Swings and roundabouts - a lot of people play local league football on Saturdays.

 

[londonblue]

It's an old recurring topic. It's apparantly historical, we play better, and great for those that live in the area. Not great for exiles who have to fight the rush hour M25.

Or even worse, have to fight First Crapital Connect to get home to pick up the car, and then fight round the M25.

 

[griblet]

We have 46 League matches and there are 36 Saturdays available.

When exactly would you like to play the other 10 plus any postponements due to weather, cup runs (ours or our opponents) or floodlight failure ?????

Of course your right - Fewer clubs - longer season perhaps?
I suppose you pays your money and takes your choice.
I have to admit when I last followed the club regularly back in the 70's and early 80's before I moved away and later returned to the area (its also my son that has really brought me back to regular football attendance) I used to prefer the Friday night games as well :smiles:

 

[Jam_Man]

Not sure what the problem is.

Tuesday games will always be required and are unavoidable.

The only games that are moved to evenings are on Fridays when kids dont have school. Of course getting to the game can be a problem (I often dont get home till gone 7-30) butthe game ending late shouldnt be a problem.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

15 of our 23 home games were scheduled as afternoon games. Five are Friday nights, three are Tuesday nights and I think one of those might be in the Easter Holidays.

I think that's a pretty good balance.

 

[canveyshrimper]

15 of our 23 home games were scheduled as afternoon games. Five are Friday nights, three are Tuesday nights and I think one of those might be in the Easter Holidays.

I think that's a pretty good balance.

Correct, AFC Wimbledon is on Easter Monday.

 

[IloveShrimp]

Ok

I'll act as devils advocate.

Why not have Friday night games start even later, say at 8.30 to give people who commute more of a chance to attend?

I do not commute by the way.

 

[ldnfatso]

i like evening games. It means i can leave work early. I can't do that on Saturdays. As for being a family club, i believe we are making the club a more family orientated club by making you bring kids at night time and spending a few extra hours with them rather than them being tucked up in bed while you watch telly.

 

[Badger74]

Crawley on a monday now as well

 

[andykn]

Ok

I'll act as devils advocate.

Why not have Friday night games start even later, say at 8.30 to give people who commute more of a chance to attend?

I do not commute by the way.

Continental style, many Champions League games start later than that on the continent.

 

[BLUEBLOOD]

Crawley on a monday now as well

Yeah, as opposed to a Tuesday you doughnut :thump:

 

[TTS]

My 10 year old nephew comes to evening games and he lives in Wickford. Also when I first went to football when I was 8 (1986) I always preferred Friday night games as opposed to Saturday matches and I still do.

Love floodlit games