Cyclizine Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 Personally, I think the follow-the-money argument wins. If the clubs thought it would bring in more cash, then we'd already be doing it. Since we're not, then it's obviously not too the advantage of the clubs. I don't think you can make any comparisons between the situation in Scotland and in Ireland. Even less so with Scandinavia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Man on a bike Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 Personally, I think the follow-the-money argument wins. If the clubs thought it would bring in more cash, then we'd already be doing it. Since we're not, then it's obviously not too the advantage of the clubs. I don't think you can make any comparisons between the situation in Scotland and in Ireland. Even less so with Scandinavia. The possibility of summer football has been merely mentioned by the SJFA, opinions sought but never looked at properly. The closest we got was distributing a copy of a report on summer football prepared for the SFA by Stephen Morrow of Stirling Uni. That report looked at the game overall and not at the Junior game in isolation. If summer football was possible for the Juniors, it would need to promote itself as a better option compared with the senior game. This would mean making it more attractive to families with games in better weather and also more midweek games with the long nights. The result would include the advantage of increased press coverage as the media cry out for stories, and would catch senior supporters who want to take in a game while their big team is either not playing or playing in pointless end of season kickabouts. However as long as the bowling season is in the summer the whole idea is a dead duck. Unless of course we believe there is a bigger market and support out there of people who don't play bowls. At many games you can watch the queues of doddery old guys handing over their 2 or is it 3 quid, discussing their medication or pending operations as they queue and of course they would be the first to complain about any changes to the game, summer football included. To move ahead, you have to leave some people behind. So back to your point, just because there has been no real move towards summer football does not mean it has been looked at beyond the 'hands up for summer football' technique of kicking it into the long grass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HTG Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 Your comments earlier - 'there's little wrong with the principal of summer football' I'm curious to know your reasons for making this statement? I didn't think it would take much reasoning. Football can be played 12 months of the year. This much is evident because World Cup finals are held in the summer. As things stand, football in Scotland finishes in May for most SPFL teams and for many Junior teams. Football restarts in July for the majority of SPFL teams (Ramsdens Cup and Euro qualifiers). So the theory that playing through the summer can happen is not in doubt. The practicality is - that has been my argument for years. Nothing I have seen will convince me that clubs will make more money playing football in the summer. It doesn't happen just now when we play midweek in August and it won't happen when we're playing almost every midweek to try and get a crammed fixture list through the system so that there is slack at the end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fife Journeyman Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 I didn't think it would take much reasoning. Football can be played 12 months of the year. This much is evident because World Cup finals are held in the summer. As things stand, football in Scotland finishes in May for most SPFL teams and for many Junior teams. Football restarts in July for the majority of SPFL teams (Ramsdens Cup and Euro qualifiers). So the theory that playing through the summer can happen is not in doubt. The practicality is - that has been my argument for years. Nothing I have seen will convince me that clubs will make more money playing football in the summer. It doesn't happen just now when we play midweek in August and it won't happen when we're playing almost every midweek to try and get a crammed fixture list through the system so that there is slack at the end. You cram fixtures in May/June to get season finished with teams sometimes playing Saturday-Monday-Wednesday-Saturday. This cant be good. If you play summer or have winter break for 2 months you can play every second midweek. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinto Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 The issue of Summer football seems an ever ending debate. One thing is certain is that at the moment we do not seem to be getting too much in the way of 'Winter' football. A few years back when it was put to the vote barely a third of a decent sized Pie and Bovril poll gave the thumbs up to the present arrangement. Ultimately it is up to the clubs and the SJFA to decide what they want and they seem happy with the present set up. It would be nice to see football being played in better weather given a chance; but cannot see it happening anytime soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue manalishi Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 I didn't think it would take much reasoning. Football can be played 12 months of the year. This much is evident because World Cup finals are held in the summer. As things stand, football in Scotland finishes in May for most SPFL teams and for many Junior teams. Football restarts in July for the majority of SPFL teams (Ramsdens Cup and Euro qualifiers). So the theory that playing through the summer can happen is not in doubt. The practicality is - that has been my argument for years. Nothing I have seen will convince me that clubs will make more money playing football in the summer. It doesn't happen just now when we play midweek in August and it won't happen when we're playing almost every midweek to try and get a crammed fixture list through the system so that there is slack at the end. The one thing I agree with you is that it'll never happen. Your bang on the money there. Apart from that , I don't agree with anything you've put up as an argument against it , absolutley nothing I'm afraid. Junior football is dying a slow , painful death , stumbling from one season to another with I'd guess about 75% of our clubs struggling to keep their head above water. Summer football would enable clubs to plan ahead ie fixture list , attract match day sponsors weeks , even months in advance. Programme printing , wasted catering etc. wouldn't be an issue. I could go on & on but what's the point , as you say , it'll never happen. In saying that , giving it a go for a couple of seasons wouldn't do any harm. I think it would rejuvenate our game. Perhaps if you were a fan of another team , you'd be more open to change , & that's not a dig at Linlithgow whom I've got the utmost respect for. The point I'm making is that most clubs apart from your own are living from one week to another trying to survive. I see it practically everywhere I go following my club. We need to try something to save the juniors & the most obvious remedy gets kicked into touch every time it's cited as an option. Sad really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lang Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 Can work wth a halfway house of winter break,slighty extended season and no junior cup ties from early nov 2 march.P.S looking forward 2 seeing u again on sat, as it looking good 4 a game Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue manalishi Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 Can work wth a halfway house of winter break,slighty extended season and no junior cup ties from early nov 2 march.P.S looking forward 2 seeing u again on sat, as it looking good 4 a game Looks like all games will be on , which means my argument will be slaughtered by the 'top table' ffs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lang Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 Yea true, glencairn r away Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue manalishi Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 Yea true, glencairn r away You'd better get your tin helmet on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clash city rocker Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 Not 100% for summer fitba but no junior cups ties in winter is a feckin must and a break from mid Dec to mid Feb while it widnae solve the ye never know when it's gonna be bad scenario it would end all this is it on is it off,book the bus,cancel the bus,will a work,will a not pish we go through on here every winter. Most junior clubs are amateur in all but name,some don't have pro's at all and some very few and the clubs that do pay decent wages would know when the break is coming and budget for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fife Journeyman Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 Close for 8 weeks in winter. Say you finish mid June and start again early August. Gives you around 38 weeks.. plenty time for say 30 league games and around 10 cup ties for more succesful teams as u can have midweek games May , June,August which gives potential an extra 12 fixture dates. That is around 50 dates where you could have fixtures. Pitches also have 4-5 weeks for maintenance in summer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanCamelonfan Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 How about the winter just being local games because our game with troon would have been on had it not been lack of common sense Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lang Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 Far 2 much sense being shown in these last few messages Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sergeant Wilson Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 How can anyone argue that the Juniors are a forward thinking, new idea kinda grade when one of the reasons against Summer football is the bowling season!The west don't play the September weekend as every one knows that's when the last cut of the grass is due. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimbaxters Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 The west don't play the September weekend as every one knows that's when the last cut of the grass is due. True. I'm also sceptical about whether the weather has been to blame for the recent call offs or if it's been the lure of Ralph Slaters sale which has distracted committee men. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burnie_man Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 True. I'm also sceptical about whether the weather has been to blame for the recent call offs or if it's been the lure of Ralph Slaters sale which has distracted committee men. Maybe it's the indoor bowls? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hampden Diehard Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 If the Juniors went to the summer and the seniors stayed where they are, I reckon that there would be a benefit for the Juniors as there is a whole lot of (senior supporting) guys like me who are desperate for a game when the weather's decent. I go to a number of Junior games where there ain't much of a crowd. How many would you lose, and how many would you gain? Of course, it would be a gamble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larky55 Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 The weather dictates when we are able to play football. I wouldn't be against a switch to summer football. But the season has always been completed with the present system. April is a very important month in the season, 10 games can easily be played (weather permitting),usually big league, & cup games my favourite part of the season. If games are cancelled in June,&July, dark nights are back in, & the season might not finish. I have enjoyed the 4 weeks away from football, but I am desperate to get back this Saturday. Bet most players have enjoyed the break as well, but I would be interested to find out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Offthepark Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 Where did you read that report and is it available for other clubs to read Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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