Summer Football. Yes Or No?

***judas*** · 02-01-2010 01:54 PM

What say you?

**hibiedude** · 02-01-2010 02:01 PM

We already have summer football with teams playing in friendly's tournament around the glode.

I voted NO

**CB_NO3** · 02-01-2010 02:14 PM

Defo no. The summer to me is about going on holiday and chilling out. If there was no football in the winter, what would there be to do on a Saturday?. SPL crowds are terrible as it is, can you imagine the crowds in July when alot of the country are on holiday. You cant beat a pint at 5pm after a cold winter game.

**murphy** · 02-01-2010 02:38 PM

Ladies football has moved to summer football. Works for them?

**JIm** · 02-01-2010 02:45 PM

Before people go writing it off and coming out with the usual gash of i want to go on my summer holidays the format is as follows for summer football in the girls/womens game:

A league which runs from March - November
A 6 week break from mid June until August

League shuts down between end of November and start of March although this is the time for pre-season/friendlys.

Think it would work well personally.

**NAE NOOKIE** · 02-01-2010 02:49 PM

I voted yes.

But wait a minute. Mr Doncaster of the SFA or SPL or whatever it is said that there doesn't appear to be any interest in this from football fans.

I must have missed that survey from the SFA / SPL perhaps the dont have my address or I wasn't at the game where the questionnaire was handed out to supporters.

Perhaps he could do a survey and hand it out to supporters who have driven from Inverness to Ayr to find the match was abandoned at 2:45 etc etc.

Football is a winter sport because when it first started winter activities in Scotland consisted of sitting by the fire reading a book or fighting with the wife.

Now the list is endless. Films and EPL / Spanish Football wall to wall on TV. The pictures, DIY, Video games, trips to IKEA etc etc.

For a lot of folk doing these things in the warm is preferable to freezing your bum off at a Scottish football match.

At least if our football was played in warmer temperatures it would give it a better chance of competing with other activities.

If Hibs attracted 200 more fans per league match ( paying £20 a head ) due to summer football, that would equal around £72,000 per season. Probably £100,000 with drinks, food etc.

And, with no need for floodlights ( I would miss that though ) less care of the pitch and no need for undersoil heating and less need for heating lights etc at East Mains and the stands at ER, We would probably save another £50,000.

To my mind its amazing how a business which tells anybody who will listen that its on its uppers refuses to see the advantages of this

**Calvin** · 02-01-2010 03:00 PM

I find it hard to believe that the crowds would go down because everyone is on holiday. I feel this would be cancelled out by the addition of a section of the crowd that don't fancy the football in -5 conditions. I for one enjoy football much more when I can go in just a t-shirt and jeans and it is still light at the end of the game. The summer atmosphere is all about chilling out - surely a good bev and a game of football enhances that?

If the season finishes in late November, everyone's attentions turn to Christmas and New Year which occupies much of December. January would be a drag but man up eh.

Look at the Scottish schedule today. 2 games on. That's a disgrace IMO. How can playing in better weather be a bad thing? I just can't understand it.

If you're that bothered about your summer holidays ruining your football, take your holidays in January and say hello to the Southern Hemisphere.

**TheEastTerrace** · 02-01-2010 03:07 PM

A resounding 'Yes'. The idea has to be fully investigated and presented to the footballing public, and by an independent body too.

Oh, and if you are reading Mr Doncaster, how many of today's games have gone ahead?

**Thegreenside** · 02-01-2010 03:08 PM

i voted no, mainly because;
major tournaments interupting the preseason/main season and our clubs would be greatly disadvantaged for the euro games

**TheEastTerrace** · 02-01-2010 03:12 PM

Originally Posted by Thegreenside

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

i voted no, mainly because;
major tournaments interupting the preseason/main season and our clubs would be greatly disadvantaged for the euro games

Scotland haven't qualified for a major tournament since 1998, are down to third seeds in the UEFA qualification seeding, and do not look like ending the streak of non-qualification given the standard of player available. Is this really an issue?

Plus, the whole of Scandinavia, Russia and countries in the eastern bloc seem to get around the issue you have raised. Oh, I notice there was quite a few teams from these countries in the Champions League too this season, can't be that bad being more prepared eh

We, on the other hand, had umpteen teams pumped out of Europe before the competitions really got underway.

**NAE NOOKIE** · 02-01-2010 03:19 PM

Originally Posted by Thegreenside

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

i voted no, mainly because;
major tournaments interupting the preseason/main season and our clubs would be greatly disadvantaged for the euro games

How many SPL players do or have taken part on World cup or Euro finals on any sort of regular basis ?

As for Euro club competition. That would be true a few years back, but now our clubs are getting horsed by teams from footballing hotbeds like Denmark and Leichtenstien who are half way into their season in the first round of European competition.

**--------** · 02-01-2010 03:21 PM

Originally Posted by moff1875

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

A resounding 'Yes'. The idea has to be fully investigated and presented to the footballing public, and by an independent body too.

Oh, and if you are reading Mr Doncaster, how many of today's games have gone ahead?

Dead right - who in his/her right mind wants to sit shivering at a football match in waether like what we have right now?

It's a no-brainer IMO.

**Calvin** · 02-01-2010 03:24 PM

Originally Posted by Thegreenside

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

i voted no, mainly because;
major tournaments interupting the preseason/main season and our clubs would be greatly disadvantaged for the euro games

Zenit did okay when they won the UEFA Cup!

Not many European games happen in December and none in January so it's not as much of a disadvantage as it seems.

**--------** · 02-01-2010 03:26 PM

Originally Posted by Calvino

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Zenit did okay when they won the UEFA Cup!

Not many European games happen in December and none in January so it's not as much of a disadvantage as it seems.

Even less so if we sorted out the way we organise our fixtures.

**Gatecrasher** · 02-01-2010 03:31 PM

It's not practical to sit in freezing temps watching football especially if we keep getting weather like we are, I think they should trial it for a few seasons and see how it goes

**TheEastTerrace** · 02-01-2010 03:32 PM

Originally Posted by Doddie

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Dead right - who in his/her right mind wants to sit shivering at a football match in waether like what we have right now?

It's a no-brainer IMO.

Couldn't agree more Doddie. I think some are caught up in the 'romanticism', if you can call it that, of attending football in the winter. It's freezing out there today, people can't get to the games because of the weather, and the pitches are not conducive to promoting the passing game.

Anyways, the way things are going with the rate of call-offs, we'll be well into the summer months with all these fixture backlogs

**Thegreenside** · 02-01-2010 03:33 PM

Originally Posted by moff1875

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Scotland haven't qualified for a major tournament since 1998, are down to third seeds in the UEFA qualification seeding, and do not look like ending the streak of non-qualification given the standard of player available. Is this really an issue?

Plus, the whole of Scandinavia, Russia and countries in the eastern bloc seem to get around the issue you have raised. Oh, I notice there was quite a few teams from these countries in the Champions League too this season, can't be that bad being more prepared eh

We, on the other hand, had umpteen teams pumped out of Europe before the competitions really got underway.

so all the spl players are scottish

**Thegreenside** · 02-01-2010 03:36 PM

Originally Posted by Calvino

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Zenit did okay when they won the UEFA Cup!

Not many European games happen in December and none in January so it's not as much of a disadvantage as it seems.

yeah but it means while players have there off season they need to keep 100% match fit waiting to come back for these euro games

oh and just about every other team that has won it done it while playing in the winter.

**TheEastTerrace** · 02-01-2010 03:38 PM

Originally Posted by Thegreenside

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

so all the spl players are scottish

How many players in the SPL are full internationalists with other countries? Minimal I would imagine. Clubs in other leagues also seem to manage it during African Cup of Nations too.

**Calvin** · 02-01-2010 03:44 PM

Originally Posted by Thegreenside

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

yeah but it means while players have there off season they need to keep 100% match fit waiting to come back for these euro games

oh and just about every other team that has won it done it while playing in the winter.

Well, I admire the fact that you think our teams will even be in Europe after Christmas!

However if we have December and January off, and European games are mid-February, I'd say 2 and a half months was enough time to rest and restore top notch player fitness!

And of course every other team has played winter football because every major league plays winter football. However, the Russian league shows that you can be successful in Europe without playing in Winter.

**~~Ed De Gramo~~** · 02-01-2010 03:57 PM

Nope...

Summer is for holidays....

Want full use of the ST...not potentially missing two matches...

***Danderhall Hibs*** · 02-01-2010 04:01 PM

Originally Posted by G19

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Nope...

Summer is for holidays....

Want full use of the ST...not potentially missing two matches...

Do you never go on holiday after 31 July?

**~~Ed De Gramo~~** · 02-01-2010 04:02 PM

Originally Posted by Danderhall Hibs

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Do you never go on holiday after 31 July?

always the last 2 in July

**soupy** · 02-01-2010 04:03 PM

Originally Posted by G19

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Nope...

Summer is for holidays....

Want full use of the ST...not potentially missing two matches...

i suppose we could try work round the football calender,, i voted YES

**stubru59** · 02-01-2010 04:11 PM

Have never liked this winter football lark.

Fine if we are playing the yams and we're winning 7-0, not so fine when you have to visit Inverness and you just know its going to be one of those days.

**~~Ed De Gramo~~** · 02-01-2010 04:13 PM

Originally Posted by stubru59

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Have never liked this winter football lark.

Fine if we are playing the yams and we're winning 7-0, not so fine when you have to visit Inverness and you just know its going to be one of those days.

to be fair....we could go to ICT in summer and still get papped

**stubru59** · 02-01-2010 04:14 PM

Originally Posted by G19

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

to be fair....we could go to ICT in summer and still get papped

True.

***PatHead*** · 02-01-2010 04:20 PM

Voted yes but was at Starks Park in the summer when match was abandoned so no guarantee as to weather!

**Calvin** · 02-01-2010 04:26 PM

Originally Posted by G19

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Nope...

Summer is for holidays....

Want full use of the ST...not potentially missing two matches...

I go skiing in February and am away to Australia for christmas next year. You miss some games for holidays. C'est la vie.

I'd rather miss a game that got played than be here for one that didn't.

**~~Ed De Gramo~~** · 02-01-2010 04:29 PM

Originally Posted by Calvino

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

I go skiing in February and am away to Australia for christmas next year. You miss some games for holidays. C'est la vie.

I'd rather miss a game that got played than be here for one that didn't.

Mibbae thats you....

Would never potentially miss out on Hearts and Rangers at home to go holiday...2 of the best fixtures in the league...