Guernsey Fixtures Fiddle?

[Chuck Berry]

I see Guernsey have no fixtures over Christmas and the new year. How did they manage that. For years the CCL have droned on about the league being senior football and these fixtures are expected of senior clubs. So why not Guernsey? Why does everyone else have to play the day after boxing day? Normally this is Boxing day (possibly a family day). How can they progress up the piramid if they can't play at this time of year?

I also note that early next year they have 8 home fixtures out of 10 games, I think it was 6 home fixtures back to back!!!!!!!!!

One club has 5 away fixtures back to back!

I know at the end of the season it all works out even, but I don't think i've ever seen a fixture list like this at any level before. Could you imagine what Sir Alex would say if Man City had 6 back to back home fixtures and they were away 6 times back to back at the end of a season.

Who know's maybe the league are giving them a bit of a push too. They do seem to follow them at all games.

[Windsor_Sec]

Or maybe it's something quite simple like availability of flights during a busy holiday period !

 

The fixtures were always going to be a bit of a logistical nightmare and I'm sure the league had the best interests of all the clubs concerned when working out the dates.

[maisiecat]

it is exactly that for the Christmas/ New Year time.

 

This has been covered in depth in more than one thread I'm sure!

[HKP]

As others have posted, no teams wanted to visit the island over Christmas and new year so done with the uk based teams in mind. Imagine the problems if any team got stuck away from home over Christmas or new year. Flights are very busy at this time of year and the airport is closed on Christmas day.

 

(null)

[Smudges friend]

it is exactly that for the Christmas/ New Year time.

 

This has been covered in depth in more than one thread I'm sure!

 

You are quite right maisiecat it has

 

I LOVE GUERNSEY 2

[Green_Fingers]

Chuck, you must have missed the orginal explanation advised by the League Secretary in early November:

 

 

I will try to answer the question concerning fixtures for Guernsey over the Christmas period as this has come up once or twice. The League is playing twice over the Bank Holiday, on Tuesday 27 Dec and Mon 2 Jan. Most clubs involved will have one home match and one away and had Guernsey been involved, they would have been the same.

 

Prior to the season I sent an email to each Club Secretary in Division One asking if anyone would like to go to Guernsey over this period. Nobody wanted to do so. Rightly or wrongly, I decided as a result of that, not to involve Guernsey in fixtures on either of the two dates concerned. It was not something requested by Guernsey and I have no doubt that, had they been given two games, home or away, they would have fulfilled them without any fuss. I may be wrong, but had I insisted that one of our clubs went out there over this period, I suspect it would not have been popular.

 

Given that there are only 18 clubs in Div 1 this season, it means that we have plenty of spare capacity at present at the end of the season. Indeed, we will need a few postponements over the winter period to enable Div 1 to keep going through and up to the end of April!

 

Why the fact that they are not playing over the Christmas period is seen as being to Guernsey's advantage I am not sure, but I should perhaps mention, at this early stage, that should Guernsey go on to win promotion and play in the Premier Division next season with an increased number of matches, there will be no choice other than to use these Bank Holiday dates next season.

[Big J R]

Guernsey Airport closed on Christmas Day ?

 

Maybe their staff should have taken a leaf out of the tube-drivers book.......

 

Lets say, quadruple pay and a couple of days off in lieu !

Edited December 18, 2011 by Big J R

[HKP]

It's always been closed then, not exactly a popular day for travelling to the UK or that inferior island.

 

(null)

[maisiecat]

wait until next year with the 8 days of closures.....

[Chuck Berry]

I obviously missed the league clause that they don't need to play this time of year. What a luxury, I'd love boxing day off so I can be with my family and see a club make up the game under lights. But there is no chance as the league see it. But where does this leave GFC in the future if they wish to progress? As HKP says what happens if they are asked to play over this period and get stuck or flights are busy Is that the same as saying it took 3hrs to get to a game due to traffic so don't play it. Does this highlight a problem in the CCL idea?

What about all the back to back home games, some could see it as an advantage at this time of the season?

Thank you for all your comments gentlemen.

[Chris Clapham]

I obviously missed the league clause that they don't need to play this time of year. What a luxury, I'd love boxing day off so I can be with my family and see a club make up the game under lights. But there is no chance as the league see it. But where does this leave GFC in the future if they wish to progress? As HKP says what happens if they are asked to play over this period and get stuck or flights are busy Is that the same as saying it took 3hrs to get to a game due to traffic so don't play it. Does this highlight a problem in the CCL idea?

What about all the back to back home games, some could see it as an advantage at this time of the season?

Thank you for all your comments gentlemen.

 

As Whitelaw has stated, there will be NO opportunity to NOT play over ANY holiday period when Guernsey play in the premier division and the Isthmian/Conference (Champions League - World Club Championship!!!) beyond that.

They will have to overcome the logistical travel problems as, indeed, will any club travelling to the island.

I am certain that GFC will assist any visiting club when this happens as per the current arrangements.

The forthcoming run of home matches equates with the run of away matches they have already endured.

Hope that helps.

Edited December 19, 2011 by Chris Clapham

[HKP]

Chuck Berry, you seem not prepared to accept that all of this was done/requested to help the UK based clubs not GFC...

 

As and when GFC move up then yes of course they will need to play at awkard times, but also UK based clubs will need to travel at awkard times too..

[vrfc196]

Chuck you must really do your homework chap !!!

[Green_Fingers]

Poor old Chuck - reckon he should stick to Rock'n'Roll

[britman]

Poor old Chuck - reckon he should stick to Rock'n'Roll

 

 

Isn't Chuck Berry dead....Cos, this guy is posting like a dead man....

[Big J R]

Wan't Chuck Berry related to Toss Fedora ?

 

 

[Smudge]

Was he not a Swiss Tennis Player,wicked serve though.It was all in the throw up.

[VPCTFC]

I'd love boxing day off so I can be with my family and see a club make up the game under lights. But there is no chance as the league see it.

 

I've got a completely different view. 'Twas not long ago when Christmas and the New Year was classed as a busy time for football. I'm not old enough to remember games on Christmas Day but in the past we would have played on the Saturday, the bank holiday Monday and New Years Day. There seems to be less and less football played at this time of year these days.

I don't get this stuff about being able to see your families. You've got all year for that - why wait until a two week period at the end of the year? Maybe it's because my family have never been one for celebrating any religious festivals - we've always been miserable s*ds!

My employers used to work on Christmas Day, again, before my time, but I wouldn't have a problem with that if they bought it back. It's just another day in my book.

And don't get me started on 11.30am kick offs. That ain't right. I don't start work until 11am usually so don't get up until late and think it's wrong that I have to set my alarm on a day when I'm not at work. Why oh why can't my club ever switch kick offs to a more reasonable time in the afternoon or evening? I see half the clubs in the Premier Division have gone for later kick off times next Tuesday so maybe the tide's turning. Must be a nightmare being an away player or official and having to be at the ground for 10am even though our Whitelaw always ensures the matches are local ones.

Edited December 20, 2011 by VPCTFC

[Krooner]

I fondly remember my line at witham town v Clapton with a 11 kick off on Ryman 2. Decent day out too !!!

[lazarus]

The default kick-off time for CCL matches at Bank Holiday times has been 11.30 a.m. since way before my time. There would be nothing though to stop any club (plus seconder) proposing that the default time be changed. I don't think the League would have a particular problem with it and this is not one of the rules dictated by the FA. However, there will probably be just as many who prefer things the way they are now on the grounds that it does allow for those who need/wish to, to be back with their families for much of the afternoon.

 

I think the 11.30 am is also quite popular with ground hoppers who can then do two matches in a day, which in turn may be a factor in attendances at this time of the year?