ACAB Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 After briefly checking the amount of home/away games that each team will have played up to the split, there is now way all the teams will play an equal amount of home and away matches. Probably, one team in the top 6 will play 20 home games and 18 away. To balance this one team in the bottom 6 will play two more games away than they do at home. Celtic, Aberdeen, Dundee Utd & Dundee will have played 17 at home and 16 away. St. Johnstone & ICT the reverse. Obviously this means that four of the teams would only require two more home games each to have played 19 at home and St. J & ICT would need to play three at home. This is only 14 games and one team would have an extra home fixture to make up the 15th post split fixture list. This is further complicated by ICT already having played four of the other five teams twice at home and Dundee Utd only hosting one of the teams (Dundee) two times. Taking into account the fixtures and venues pre-split, my best guess is that Celtic & Dundee Utd would visit ICT for a third time this season and Aberdeen hordes would descend on Perth rather than employing turnstyle operators to let in the three dozen or so green wellied travelling support. This gives the DABS the extra home fixture. Given recent form, this may not be too unfair on the rest as the Arabs will probably be sixth come seasons end and it gives them an extra chance to see Northern Ireland international, Paul Paton, strut his stuff. The unfairness arises, in respect of fans buying season tickets expecting 19 home games and the gate receipts for the club concerned, with the bottom six. Only Thistle and the relegation certainties will have played 17 home games when the league splits. In order for each team to have 19 home games, 16 fixtures would be required but only 15 games would remain. Again, using info on the games and venues already played, three of the teams (the Lanarkshire duo and Ross County) would end up with 19 home and 19 away. Thistle and Killie would have 18 and next years 7th best team in the Championship would have 20 at home. Obviously, the leagues worst team would have to give up a home game but, as they have only played both Killie and Thistle once at home this season, which club will be chosen to host St Mirren for a third time? Or will the league choose some other way? I know that Motherwell are favourites for the play-off spot, but, an unbeaten end to the season is not beyond them and the gap could be closed. I think the league will give Motherwell games against St Mirren and Accies for the first two games after the split whilst Thistle, County and Killie being involved against each other early in the post split fixtures to try and concertina the bottom 6 or to isolate one of the three a bit.. For the sharp witted amoung you, I have decided that Ross County will win their remaining game and Killie will lose twice. Anyhoo, I am digressing from my point that one team is going to lose out financially and season ticket holders are not getting value for money whilst not forgetting that there is a place up for grabs to be the team that are shafted by the officials in the play-offs. Personally, I've only given a monkeys about the top league split for only two seasons and am not aware if this has ever happened before, although I can't imagine if this is an isolated incident. I am intrigued to know if this has happened before and, if so, how was it resolved? Given the fact that the game is run by people that no one has confidence in, I imagine that they do nothing aside from privately blaming Motherwell and Dundee for not being in the correct position, shuffling some papers and praying that the team most inconvenienced doesn't kick up too much of a stink. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForzaDundee Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 The DABs are always treated favourably when it comes to stuff like this. The extra income from an additional home game will probably be enough to earn Stephen Thompson another foreign holiday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diamond Smiles Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 Do we have a date for the release of the final fixtures? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Lambies Doos Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 Do we have a date for the release of the final fixtures? And the actual dates? Imagine there will be at least 1 midweek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radford Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 United will only have played 16 games at home as both their outstanding fixtures are away. That means Inverness will have played 17 games at home. Although it's not ideal with them still to face each other in the Highlands, I said last night I think they'll switch the United vs Inverness game and then one of Aberdeen vs Saints or Celtic vs Saints. Celtic have never been given anything other than a 19/19 split IIRC but Aberdeen are apparently already in credit in terms of having a 20/18 split. The fixture dates are: Fixture round 34 - April 25, 2015Fixture round 35 - May 2, 2015Fixture round 36 - May 9, 2015Fixture round 37 - May 16, 2015Fixture round 38 - May 23/24, 2015 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d31 Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 I see no reason why this shouldnt be announced at the very latest tuesday afternoon anything else would be typical of the shambles that normally is scottish football Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pull My Strings Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 United are due to play everyone apart from St Johnstone at home. With Dundee being the only unseeded team in the top 6 I can see that fixture getting moved to Dens which would give us four games in Dundee and one up the road in Perth. I'd be happy with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stumigoo Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 The DABs are always treated favourably when it comes to stuff like this. The extra income from an additional home game will probably be enough to earn Stephen Thompson another foreign holiday. Really? Or is that just a guess? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Gandosaur Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 The SPFL are fortunate that it was all decided this weekend rather than 10 days time when we play Celtic. Otherwise they'd have been planning fixtures with 3 days notice. Last year the fixtures come out on Wednesday. Assume it will be the same this week. TV games will be pretty obvious - imagine Dundee derby and would expect Motherwell v Ross County will be shown. Imagine at least 3/4 Celtic's games will be shown to cover the possible dates when they may win the league and then subsequently lift the trophy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radford Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 United are due to play everyone apart from St Johnstone at home. With Dundee being the only unseeded team in the top 6 I can see that fixture getting moved to Dens which would give us four games in Dundee and one up the road in Perth. I'd be happy with that. The first priority is always to try and give teams a 19/19 split. Switching the derby would then mean they needed to find an extra away game from somewhere for Dundee, or they will end up with an unnecessary 20/18 split. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pull My Strings Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 The first priority is always to try and give teams a 19/19 split. Switching the derby would then mean they needed to find an extra away game from somewhere for Dundee, or they will end up with an unnecessary 20/18 split. I'd be surprised if it only took one fixture switch (United away to ICT) to ensure that everyone gets 19/19 but if you're telling me that's the case then fair enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radford Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 You have to switch either Aberdeen or Celtic to Perth as well. One team will end up with a 20/18 split and a side on the bottom six the opposite. They can sort the top six with two simple changes. Time will tell if they take that sensible option. United aren't going to lose out massively by going up to Inverness as they'll still have big games at home and a local trip to Perth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moo Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 I think ours is pretty straight forward but it would be a boost financially for the club to get Aberdeen, Celtic or Utd at home. Personally I'd want St Johnstone and Celtic at home and Aberdeen, ICT and Utd away. Three cracking away ties to end the season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Gandosaur Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 I think ours is pretty straight forward but it would be a boost financially for the club to get Aberdeen, Celtic or Utd at home. Personally I'd want St Johnstone and Celtic at home and Aberdeen, ICT and Utd away. Three cracking away ties to end the season. Please no. Inverness/Dingwall away again would make me sad. We've been up there 4 times this season already! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radford Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 Thought I would just check the previous situation with uneven splits. Maybe there is a case that they'd prefer not to stack Aberdeen up with an extra home game again but then they seem very reluctant to move Celtic (or Rangers) off a 19/19 split. That would involve moving more than the minimum number of games (two) that is possible though. 20/18 Splits 3 occasions: Aberdeen (05/06, 07/08, 09/10) 1 occasion: St Johnstone (01/02) ICT (04/05) Falkirk (06/07) Killie (11/12) Hibernian (13/14) 18/20 Splits 2 occasions: Aberdeen (04/05, 13/14) 1 occasion: Livingston (01/02) ICT (05/06) Killie (06/07) Gretna (07/08) Motherwell (09/10) St Johnstone (11/12) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fifespud Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 The DABs are always treated favourably when it comes to stuff like this. The extra income from an additional home game will probably be enough to earn Stephen Thompson another foreign holiday. Jaquie will be rubbing her hands too. He's sure to get a cut also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moo Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 Please no. Inverness/Dingwall away again would make me sad. We've been up there 4 times this season already! I did say personally. Inverness and Ross County are cracking away days on the train. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invergowrie arab Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 Almost certain we will get made to play Inverness away twice in the same week. The league love that kind of shit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Van Dyke Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 Please no. Inverness/Dingwall away again would make me sad. We've been up there 4 times this season already! so have we! 2 of which were midweek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Master Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 Fixtures announced in the next 24hrs, according to Tyrone Smith on Twitter. Am I right in thinking that, final day aside, the post-split fixtures are always announced complete with the live TV selections? So it's probably the case that the fixture are already decided, Sky and BT make their selections this afternoon and we mere mortals find out tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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