Saturday October 6th

[Cunny]

http://www.teamtalk.com/football/story/0,1...2709764,00.html

 

Fans angry over 'dark weekend'

 

A new record will be set on October 6 with only one of the 10 Premier League games starting at the traditional Saturday 3pm kick-off.

 

Eight matches will take place on Sunday, October 7 and another at 12.45pm on the Saturday. Due to the demands of television and involvement with the UEFA Cup, only Aston Villa v West Ham remains at Saturday 3pm.

 

Fans' leaders are to complain to the Premier League about the timings, claiming that it will be "a dark weekend" for match-going supporters.

 

Malcolm Clarke, chairman of the Football Supporters' Federation, said: "Fans still very much like the traditional 3pm Saturday kick-off and the decline in that element of the game is a matter of great concern.

 

"For there to be just one game kicking off at that time is quite extraordinary and it will be a dark weekend for fans.

 

"It's symbolic of the way things are going but the views of the match-going fan seem to be bottom of the list of priorities. We will certainly bring this up at our next meeting with the Premier League."

 

Manchester United v Wigan is the other game taking place of Saturday, October 6 but is kicking off at 12.45pm as it is being televised.

 

Three other matches are being televised on the Sunday, four more games have been switched because teams involved are playing in the UEFA Cup on the previous Thursday and Manchester City v Middlesbrough has been moved for policing reasons.

 

The City game was originally due to be played in the last week of the season but as their ground is the venue for the UEFA Cup final, UEFA asked the club to switch their Middlesbrough matches to play at the Riverside on the last weekend of the season.

 

As United are at home on Saturday, October 6, City have to play on the Sunday.

 

A Premier League spokesman said: "It is a combination of factors - teams featuring in Europe, television games and policing issues.

 

"We always try to give fans as much notice as possible as our research shows that if we do that, then they can make the appropriate travel arrangements."

 

Teams involved in the UEFA Cup do not have to play on a Sunday but under Premier League rules they have a right do so if it does not impact on the opposing team.

 

Saturday Oct 6: Man Utd v Wigan 12:45pm; Aston Villa v West Ham 3pm.

 

Sunday Oct 7: Arsenal v Sunderland 12pm; Reading v Derby 2pm; Blackburn v Birmingham 3pm; Bolton v Chelsea 3pm; Liverpool v Tottenham 3pm; Man City v Middlesbrough 3pm; Newcastle v Everton 3pm; Fulham v Portsmouth 4.10pm.

[Knox_Harrington]

Should have top flight matches on Friday night, throughout the day Sunday and one on Monday evening when time permits.

[Sion]

Monday Night Football should so be brought back, loved that. Although with CL/UEFA games so common it'll only be the crappy teams I suppose who will be free to play then a lot of the time.

[Hassony]

Should have top flight matches on Friday night, throughout the day Sunday and one on Monday evening when time permits.

 

what about big brother's eviction night?

[Coyler]

Should have top flight matches on Friday night.

Wait till the League of Ireland is over!

[Gilps]

what about big brother's eviction night?

 

Big Brother = mostly in the close season.

[Bailo]

Should have top flight matches on Friday night, throughout the day Sunday and one on Monday evening when time permits.

No Saturdays at all?

[cymrococh]

Teams would know they were sh*t if they had to play on monday.

[Hassony]

Teams would know they were sh*t if they had to play on monday.

 

they can dedicate it to Everton then (once they their mini Euro adventure is over)

[Knox_Harrington]

No Saturdays at all?

Let the football league have Saturdays.

[Hassony]

Let the football league have Saturdays.

the BBC will be happy with that

[Bald Devil]

Let the football league have Saturdays.

 

I started thinking the same thing as I read the article. It's a good opportunity to have a 'support the grass roots Saturday' type thing where everyone goes to Prescot Cables, Burscough & Marine

[Knox_Harrington]

I started thinking the same thing as I read the article. It's a good opportunity to have a 'support the grass roots Saturday' type thing where everyone goes to Prescot Cables, Burscough & Marine

Lash Tranmere, Crewe, Chester, Wrexham into there as well. Means we get to line up with the European calendar. Maybe let teams with European Cup games on the Tuesday play on Friday evening or Saturday lunchtime. Can't be any more than two in any case.

[sutty]

You're a lunatic

[Ronnie Whelan]

I like the La Liga Saturday night game. Not sure if it would work in England though.

[Nebraska Red]

I like the La Liga Saturday night game. Not sure if it would work in England though.

 

I have often wondered why there has never been a push to get a big game on a Saturday night.

 

I imagine that PC Plod would have some reservations.

 

It's amazing that they can have a match kicking off at 9pm on a Saturday night in Spain, yet there has never been anything starting later than 6pm in the UK.

[Knox_Harrington]

You're a lunatic

It's all but dead as a top flight tradition. Might as well kill it productively rather than in dribs and drabs.

[Guest Snorky]

Every cloud etc.

 

We play Marseille at home in the CL before Spurs, so it gives us an extra day to prepare.

[jon_hall]

I have often wondered why there has never been a push to get a big game on a Saturday night.

 

I imagine that PC Plod would have some reservations.

 

It's amazing that they can have a match kicking off at 9pm on a Saturday night in Spain, yet there has never been anything starting later than 6pm in the UK.

 

Aye, only enough time to get completely and utterly pissed pre match. TWICE.

[Gunga Din]

Lash Tranmere, Crewe, Chester, Wrexham into there as well. Means we get to line up with the European calendar. Maybe let teams with European Cup games on the Tuesday play on Friday evening or Saturday lunchtime. Can't be any more than two in any case.

 

i've started going to watch Prescot if we hav no saturday game and they are at home, and have to say i really enjoy it.