fixtures

[Alfie Noakes]

Can anyone explain why the Spartan South Midlands League is the only step five league with opening day fixtures on the 19th August ?

All the Other Step five leagues (although i am not sure about the Essex Senior League) start on the 12th August and most have two matches before FA Cup week.

It is also one of only three leagues yet to publish fixtures (along with Essex and Sussex).

As they are trying to cut Step five Leagues from 14 to 12 it doesnt reflect well on this league when they make the cut.

[HTFCew]

Fixtures on a monthly basis won't help the cause either. How many other leagues do that? Hopefully there will be some midweek games early on to get the league moving.

 

Still enjoying your life of leisure Alfie?

[Alfie Noakes]

indeed i am !

but glad footy is back next week.

i only get to go to five new grounds this year as well..

Did you know that Dave Whitehead is the Bar Manager at Colney Heath ?

I hope he stays behind the bar and not on the pitch when we play them !

[HTFCew]

It'll be good to see him again. I forgot about Colney Heath - I DID get lost when we went there for a PSF.

I just looked at TK's site, and the Hellenic and Midland Alliance are the only ones to have just produced fixtures for August - all the rest are for a full season. How are we supposed to organise holidays when we don't know when we're playing?

[Rhodes]

Welcome Alfie, have we met, who's your SSML team. In your profile it says you're a Bristol City fan, I followed them in the 70s and ran their London Supporters Club but that was probably before your time, you're probably a meer slip of a lad.

[HTFCew]

I see on the ESL forum that they will get their whole season's fixtures soon. Is it possible that we may as well?

[Rhodes]

I suppose miracles have been known to happen HTFCew like the parting of the Red Sea, Noah's Ark and baby Jesus's birth to the virgin Mary but I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you.

[Rhodes]

Hi folks, just been into a Forum on the another site which I suggest you go onto for a giggle as there is a whole load of idiots worse than us lot all clambering for fixtures, you may have to sign up to the Forum first. This is Tony's reply to one of them posted yesterday:

"No fixtures yet for the following leagues. As soon as I get them. I will publish on site:

Essex Senior, Essex Olympian, Kent County,

West Midlands Regional, Spartan South Midlands,

Sussex County."

[Rhodes]

Yes as someone has pointed out on another thread Hoddesdon Town (trust them) have got hold of their first three league fixtures of the season which are all surprisingly away, that will at least give Jane more time to add another hundred pages or so to their first programme of the season. The fixtures if anyone is interested are as follows: 19 August Buckingham Athletic, 22 August Sun Postal Sports and 26 August Amersham Town. Has anyone got hold of any other fixtures.

[Sharming Paula]

Quote:

Rhodes said:
Hi folks, just been into a Forum on the another site which I suggest you go onto for a giggle as there is a whole load of idiots worse than us lot all clambering for fixtures, you may have to sign up to the Forum first. This is Tony's reply to one of them posted yesterday:
"No fixtures yet for the following leagues. As soon as I get them. I will publish on site:
Essex Senior, Essex Olympian, Kent County,
West Midlands Regional, Spartan South Midlands,
Sussex County."

I know ESL fixtures came out yesterday!!
My second team has to be Concorde who play in the league!
I cant believe yours are so late.
<img src="/forum/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

[Spidermanor]

Rhodes

 

Hoddesdons first few fixtures are always away, as they share with a cricket club who won't let them use the pitch until September.

[Rhodes]

Hi Paula I think we are now the last league in the entire country still waiting for our fixtures and it's really frustrating with the season only three weeks away, our first game is supposed to be on 19 August which is also the date for the FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round. How was the wedding today by the way and did you catch the bouquet, if you did that's a lucky omen, I hope.

[Rhodes]

I gather a new batch of fixtures has been released by Phil Rolt for November, will HTFCew or anybody be posting them on here. I gather that some Clubs recently made a case that Premier Division fixtures are produced for the whole season and this was discussed at a recent League Management meeting. It was reiterated however that it had been tried before but was dismissed as too unworkable which I tend to agree with due to all the County Cup and other Cup fixtures which take preference over league games. Also as I've said before surely it's better than knowing all your fixtures in advance and having to look forward to a trip to Biggleswade on a cold Tuesday night in February some six months beforehand only for it to be called off a few hours before kick off due to a frozen Second Meadow pitch, what's the point in that.

[HTFCew]

They were put on Mitoo on Wednesday Rhodes.

[Lato]

If its such a bad idea to have all your fixtures in advance why do nearly all other leagues do it then?

[Rhodes]

Well that's what makes the SSML unique and why it stands out from the rest.

[Lato]

No it could be conceived that for whatever reason they have a fixture secretary and presumably a management committee who aren't listening to the wishes of member clubs.

[Rhodes]

The SSML Management Committee and fixture Secretary in particular are amongst the best and highly regarded out there for their common sense approach and the way they go about their day to day business.

[Lato]

Thas as maybe but when member clubs have been asking for a full seasons fixture lists for many years now and they haven't even managed to do so (despite I beleive being told by the FA they need to) then surely something is wrong? And to use the excuse of cup competitions is feeble especially when they are reserve cup competitions and invitation events not run by the league. County cup games should be standardised so across all counties they are played in the same midweek and Challenge Trophy games where the hosts lack floodlights so they cannot be played in midweek should be accomodated in F.A Cup/Vase weekends when Premier Division sides might still be involved.

[Lato]

And don't even get me started on the Divisional Cups being played before Christmas.