Harps to play friday Nights [Archive]

DmanDmythDledge

15/01/2007, 10:53 PM

Friday nights are the best. We had Saturdays and Thursdays. Thursdays were very popular but now with every team in the premier (well almost apart from Longford & UCD) play on Friday nites. The crowds have risen since we changed to friday nites
UCD play on Friday!

harpskid

15/01/2007, 11:14 PM

Didn't you try this very recently before?

Yeah and had to revert back to Saturdays again - will be interesting to see how it goes this time around.

dcfcsteve

15/01/2007, 11:48 PM

The crowds have risen since we changed to friday nites

That has as much, if not more, to do with our improvement in performances and attractive football played than the day of the week concerned.

mypost

16/01/2007, 2:22 AM

Finn Harps FC have decided to switch their home games from Saturday nights to Friday nights with a 8pm Kick Off.

Expect the six men and a dog attendances at Finn Park, to nosedive further.

The New FAI-run League of Ireland; One step forward, Five steps back. :rolleyes:

Magicme

16/01/2007, 8:23 AM

Thats great news....Friday nites are football nites, leaves rest of weekend free for other family pursuits and I know it made a big difference to our players and the players we could attract to the club.

Dodge

16/01/2007, 8:28 AM

Expect the six men and a dog attendances at Finn Park, to nosedive further.

The New FAI-run League of Ireland; One step forward, Five steps back. :rolleyes:

In your opinion obviously. Unlikely to affect first division aay crowds and if it helps home crowds, fair play.

Lim till i die

16/01/2007, 8:59 AM

In your opinion obviously. Unlikely to affect first division aay crowds and if it helps home crowds, fair play.

Wrong

There isn't a hope of the car to Ballybofey travelling this season :mad: :p

Dodge

16/01/2007, 9:17 AM

Sorry, unlikely to effect away crowds in the first division, much

gael353

16/01/2007, 9:22 AM

Wrong

There isn't a hope of the car to Ballybofey travelling this season :mad: :p

Too right! thats a horse of a journey on some of the worst roads and now we have to do it in even less time. Along with Dundalk, you've now excluded all (fans with long journeys) from your ground.

Mr A

16/01/2007, 9:33 AM

I think part of the reasoning behind this is that most of the players we're trying to sign are from the Irish League. It's hard enough to get them to leave a league where the travel involved is so much lower than in ours (and in D1 next year ours is going to be massive) but at least if they have most of every second weekend to themselves then that's in our favour.

In fairness we were unlikely to get any decent away crowds anyway, so if this move helps improve the team then it's likely to boost attendances overall. As stated on our site the gates basically didn't change between Friday's and Saturday's previously anyway, so it's unlikely to send crowds down this time either.

fbtn

16/01/2007, 9:33 AM

It is so Hegarty can sign players in the Irish League that he has lined up. The travelling puts a lot of them off signing for eircom League clubs but if you can offer them every second weekend off then it is a big advantage.

While it will affect away crowds, the only club that brought sizeable support last season were Rovers and Dundalk. We won't be playing Rovers and Dundalk is ony down the road. Not that big of a deal. More important to have a good team on the field than worrying how many supporters of the team we are playing can make it.

The downside is that will affect some of our own fanbase who are based outside the county in far flung places like Dublin.

'mypost' - were you in Finn Park last season?

The Stars

16/01/2007, 9:39 AM

Thursdays were very popular but now with every team in the premier (well almost apart from Longford & UCD) play on Friday nites. The crowds have risen since we changed to friday nites

Sligo play on Saturday nights and hopefully will do for a long time to come.
We changed to Friday nights during last season to see if it would raise the attendances but it actually made then slightly worse.
Saturdays are better for away fans aswell as it gives them a chance to have a day out in Sligo(dont know if thats good or bad),and gives more travelling support the oppotunity to travel.

Magicme

16/01/2007, 9:45 AM

Ask any player tho and they would rather play on a Friday night in front of a smaller crowd than on a Saturday night.

The way I looked at it when we were faced with the Sunday -v- Friday debate was that we dont pay them enough to own them so much that they cant have any kind of family or social life.

grounded

16/01/2007, 9:52 AM

I fail to see how a Friday night kick off can raise the number of people going. Most people work till 6 (well I do anyway) and they'd probably find it hard to get to the games. Probably mainly because a good number of people wouldnt even be from Ballybofey and have to travel after they finished work.

Might have worked for Derry but as someone else said I'm sure that had more to do with the success rather than the day they played.

Terry

16/01/2007, 10:17 AM

I fail to see how a Friday night kick off can raise the number of people going. Most people work till 6 (well I do anyway)

In Galway on fridays, all factory/construction workers would finish at the latest 3pm (unless you work shift work), that would account for the higher precentage of the work force here, after that the office crew would be finishing at 5pm. Both of those would probably add up to 70% of the work force in the city and county, and give the reason of why Fridays work for GUFC, also gives everyone saturday and sunday to the family/friends time.

harps1954

16/01/2007, 10:38 AM

Too right! thats a horse of a journey on some of the worst roads and now we have to do it in even less time. Along with Dundalk, you've now excluded all (fans with long journeys) from your ground.

So its okay for the likes of Limerick, etc. to play their home games on Friday's and expect Harps and their supporters to travel to Limerick on those very same roads - but it's not okay for Harps to play their games on Friday's as it doesn't allow a car load of people to make the trip to Ballybofey. People in glass houses . . .

I was in Limerick twice last season (on Fridays) with Harps and on both occassions we had a bus load of supporters. Limerick were in Ballybofey twice last season - both on Saturday nights - and I didn't see more than three supporters.

Lim till i die

16/01/2007, 10:57 AM

I was in Limerick twice last season (on Fridays) with Harps and on both occassions we had a bus load of supporters. Limerick were in Ballybofey twice last season - both on Saturday nights - and I didn't see more than three supporters.

There was nine of us the first day.

That's right NINE

Your club has just did itself out of 90 quid, progress indeed

Plus now I have to scrap plans for the first annual Limerick to Ballybofey all day pi$$ up

FOR SHAME Finn Harps

NY Hoop

16/01/2007, 11:05 AM

Bad decision although it wont matter in the first division as there are no away fans.

Hopefully if Harps come back up they will revert back to saturday nights.

There will be no difference in attendances. This has been tried before by numerous clubs.

The argument about players having a say is laughable IMO. They make enough from the game. Players and managers come and go but fans are there forever.

KOH

harpskid

16/01/2007, 11:36 AM

There was nine of us the first day.

That's right NINE

Your club has just did itself out of 90 quid, progress indeed

Plus now I have to scrap plans for the first annual Limerick to Ballybofey all day pi$$ up

FOR SHAME Finn Harps

Well, Limerick are doing themselves out of a hell of a lot more than 90 quid by playing on Fridays. We could have taken a hell of a lot more fans to Hogan Park last season had games been on a Saturday.

At least we won't have a heap of drunken Limerick fans coming to Ballybofey now though! :)

Lim till i die

16/01/2007, 11:37 AM

At least we won't have a heap of drunken Limerick fans coming to Ballybofey now though! :)

Athlone won't know what hit it ;) :D

cheifo

16/01/2007, 11:46 AM

With Harps its always been a simple equation, good team=good crowds.Attendance will depend on how we do on the pitch.

Conor H

16/01/2007, 11:47 AM

With Harps its always been a simple equation, good team=good crowds.Attendance will depend on how we do on the pitch.

Same equation for any team in the world....not just Harps.

sniffa

16/01/2007, 11:58 AM

Well that makes 2 away trips to Donegal this season a non-starter.
Apart from the fact that most people work up to 5 or 6 o'clock on a Friday there is also the massive increase in traffic on all roads.
The journey to Ballybofey normally takes 3.5 to 3.75 hrs. On a Friday evening it would take at least an hour extra.
County normally bring 25/30 to places like Harps. Thats approx. €600 in a year. And like other sides if we're doing well more would travel.
That said if Harps do well the fickle locals will come out to support. Best of luck.

LFC in Exile

16/01/2007, 4:34 PM

mypost

16/01/2007, 7:15 PM

Your club has just did itself out of 90 quid, progress indeed

Plus now I have to scrap plans for the first annual Limerick to Ballybofey all day pi$$ up

FOR SHAME Finn Harps

Well that makes 2 away trips to Donegal this season a non-starter.
Apart from the fact that most people work up to 5 or 6 o'clock on a Friday there is also the massive increase in traffic on all roads.
The journey to Ballybofey normally takes 3.5 to 3.75 hrs. On a Friday evening it would take at least an hour extra.
County normally bring 25/30 to places like Harps. Thats approx. €600 in a year.

For the benefit of signing a few Northern Ireland journeymen, Finn Harps can afford to dismiss a minimum of €1,380 a season. We'll remember that the next time they bring their race night begging bowl to our fans. :rolleyes:

I feel sympathy for the fans who can't make the bi-annual trip to Ballybofey this year. Instead of heading up in comfort on a Saturday, they are now left with a choice: Travel 4-6 hours to Donegal in heavy traffic on a Friday night at considerably more expense, or fuc off!! :mad: The choice sadly similiar, for most of the league's fans. Their players too have to take more time off work to satisfy selfish home clubs demands.

Circa July/August across the league;

"Our attendances are down" Wonder why?? :rolleyes:

Friday nites are football nites

Where exactly? Only the most inept-run league in Europe.

Mr A

16/01/2007, 7:29 PM

And when exactly do Shamrock Rovers play their games again? Friday nights as far as I remember. Likewise Limerick last year. Why should we put ourselves out for a handful of traveling fans when no one has ever done so for us? Perhaps some of the clubs in D1 will offer a reciprocal arrangement whereby both will play on Saturdays... I do agree that games should be played on Saturdays, but why should Harps be criticized for doing what most clubs have always done?

Most eircom league clubs aren't in the situation where most of their neighbouring clubs play in a league where traveling is minimal. If this helps get in players that will improve the team, of helps have a settled training routine which improves the team, then the crowds will be bigger than they would have been other wise. There's no evidence to say the crowds will get smaller, as they didn't the last time we played on Friday nights.

mypost

16/01/2007, 8:01 PM

And when exactly do Shamrock Rovers play their games again? Friday nights as far as I remember.

We played 3 home league games last year on Sundays, 2 matches were played midweek, with 3 more scheduled Sunday games postponed for other reasons. Had they gone ahead, that would have made up almost half of all our home games not played on Fridays, which is a lot more than what other Friday clubs have done.

Why should we put ourselves out for a handful of traveling fans when no one has ever done so for us?

Cobh never have? Kildare never have? Kilkenny never have? Athlone never have? Longford never have? Sligo never have? :confused: There's 6 clubs that have. :o

why should Harps be criticized for doing what most clubs have always done?

Because it's wrong. The fact that other clubs do it is not a valid reason to do it themselves, it's still wrong. The home clubs lose money by not catering for away fans that can't travel. Everyone loses out.

harpskid

16/01/2007, 8:13 PM

Whats with the slagging off of Harps? They are suiting themselves - just like every club in the league. If they want to play on a Friday fair enough - their players are expected to travel on Fridays to most other grounds.

I don't think Harps are being unreasonable - like Dundalk with their Thursday kick-offs are. That is particularly tough on players travelling there for matches as most have to work on Fridays and they get back fairly late after the game.

Well said. About time someone had some sense.

I feel sympathy for the fans who can't make the bi-annual trip to Ballybofey this year. Instead of heading up in comfort on a Saturday, they are now left with a choice: Travel 4-6 hours to Donegal in heavy traffic on a Friday night at considerably more expense, or fuc off!!

And what about all the clubs we have to go to on Friday nights...

JW.

16/01/2007, 8:34 PM

The right move in my opinion. Friday nights is EL night if you ask me. Away attendances in Division 1 are neither here nor there.

oriel

16/01/2007, 9:05 PM

I only wish we could follow harps and switch to Fridays, thursday is just beyone a joke now, esp for the amt of dundalk fans working in dublin and elsewhere

pineapple stu

16/01/2007, 9:13 PM

On that last point, how many Harps fans would travel home from, say, Dublin of a weekend and now won't be able to make matches? I remember this being mentioned as a problem last time.

Also, while putting out away fans may be an issue, quantifying it is utter nonsense. Even if the move costs, say, 20 Kildare fans, the whole point is that it's hoped that would be recouped in terms of extra Harps fans.

mypost

16/01/2007, 9:36 PM

if the move costs, say, 20 Kildare fans, the whole point is that it's hoped that would be recouped in terms of extra Harps fans.

The point being made is that no matter how many more Harps fans go, and there won't be many more (if any) to justify a change of night, you will still lose 20 extra fans of one club alone, which equates to €1200 over a season. Finn Harps are not flush with cash, and so to throw away that kind of money in their position, that other clubs' fans are giving to them, just to suit the boss and his Irish League rejects, is crazy.

Dr.Nightdub

16/01/2007, 10:10 PM

gael353

16/01/2007, 10:37 PM

So its okay for the likes of Limerick, etc. to play their home games on Friday's and expect Harps and their supporters to travel to Limerick on those very same roads - but it's not okay for Harps to play their games on Friday's as it doesn't allow a car load of people to make the trip to Ballybofey. People in glass houses . . .

I was in Limerick twice last season (on Fridays) with Harps and on both occassions we had a bus load of supporters. Limerick were in Ballybofey twice last season - both on Saturday nights - and I didn't see more than three supporters.

fair point and yes i was thinking only of myself. but about only three of us being up there, compared to your buses...some ppl work some are unemployed lol only messing.
Shur everywhere is far for Finn Harps

fbtn

17/01/2007, 12:46 AM

mypost

17/01/2007, 3:12 AM

Dunno what all the fuss is about:
- Derry away is a Friday night, take a half day
- Harps away will be a Friday night, take a half day
- Cork away is a Friday night, take a half day
- Waterford away was a Friday night, take a half day
- Galway away will be a Friday night, take a half day

That simple, yeah?? :confused: :rolleyes:

If we can attract better players and a more structured training schedule by playing on Friday nights, then it is the right decision. If we miss out on a few Limerick and Kildare fans in the process (and annoy a Shamrock Rovers fan on the blob) then so be it.

We brought a couple of buses up to Donegal last year for the first trip, most of which stayed overnight. Other clubs' fans did the same. The second trip was on a Tuesday night, there were no buses, and we had just 25 fans there. That's the practicality of trying to get half days to go to Ballybofey. We may not be going there next season, but that's an indicator of the scale of revenue you're losing by changing to play on a weeknight next season. The story about better players is a load of s. Finn Harps will struggle again in the Division next season, and lose a hefty chunk of revenue in the process.

fbtn

17/01/2007, 9:08 AM

We brought a couple of buses up to Donegal last year for the first trip, most of which stayed overnight. Other clubs' fans did the same. The second trip was on a Tuesday night, there were no buses, and we had just 25 fans there. That's the practicality of trying to get half days to go to Ballybofey. We may not be going there next season, but that's an indicator of the scale of revenue you're losing by changing to play on a weeknight next season. The story about better players is a load of s. Finn Harps will struggle again in the Division next season, and lose a hefty chunk of revenue in the process.

How do you know anything about attracting players up here? Obviously very little.

I don't think we'll struggle this season under Higgsy going by the way he has started doing things. And I don't think we'll lose that much revenue, if any at all. We didn't last time and if it is that much of a disaster we can always change back. What do you base your predictions on by the way?

To be honest, inconveniencing away fans in the First Divison is well down our list of priorities. Inconveniencing other teams players and managers could well work out in our advantage :D

Where you in Finn Park last season?

harpskid

17/01/2007, 9:56 AM

Finn Harps will struggle again in the Division next season

mypost would you like to put your money where yer mouth is....?

harps1954

17/01/2007, 10:36 AM

Cobh never have? Kildare never have? Kilkenny never have? Athlone never have? Longford never have? Sligo never have? :confused: There's 6 clubs that have. :o

Lst time I checked, Athlone played their games on a Friday night.

The only teams that took any sizeable crowds to FP last year were Dundalk, Galway and Rovers. Two of them are in the Premier next season so no matter what night we were playing, we were going to miss them. If Dundalk are challenging this year again, and I reckon they will be, we can look forward to a big crowd of Dundalk fans coming to FP again.

This season, Harps will have to travel to the likes of Dundalk (Thursday) and Monaghan, Waterford, Athlone, Limerick and maybe Wexford on a Friday. Last year we also travelled to Galway and Rovers on a Friday and now we have supporters of some of these teams complaining that they have to travel on a Friday to Donegal. Wise up.

Harps (and probably Cobh) have the longest travelling to do this season by a long way. Apart from trips to Monaghan and Dundalk (both well over 60 miles away) all our other trips are well over 130 miles away with trips to Waterford (230 miles), Cobh (290 miles), Kilkenny (cir. 200 miles), Wexford (cir. 180 miles) all ahead of us. The First Division is certainly a division for a lot of travelling with local derbies few and far between. Rovers can testify for this after last year.

NY Hoop

17/01/2007, 2:05 PM

Such a bit of knammin.

Every other club can play when they want - then we can play when we want. Jeez, get over it.

If we can attract better players and a more structured training schedule by playing on Friday nights, then it is the right decision. If we miss out on a few Limerick and Kildare fans in the process (and annoy a Shamrock Rovers fan on the blob) then so be it.

I'd be more worried about our fans that are based away missing games but we have to get out of this division and if this helps us achieve it then it has to be done.

FAO mypost: You didn't answer my question. Where you in Finn Park last year?

That fcuk is always on the blob. Ignore.

No problem Harps playing friday nights in the first division as there are no away fans.

The rulebook says that clubs can play games from thursday nights to sunday. All reasonable fans would like to see thursday deleted from that list.

If we ever get to Tallaght games might not necessarily be on friday nights. As it is we have no say in tolka.

KOH

mypost

17/01/2007, 8:20 PM

Last time I checked, Athlone played their games on a Friday night.

Athlone played their games on Saturday nights at the start of last season.

This season, Harps will have to travel to the likes of Dundalk (Thursday) and Monaghan, Waterford, Athlone, Limerick and Wexford on a Friday. Last year we also travelled to Galway and Rovers on a Friday.

And how does that affect your home gates?

And also, who knows that Wexford, who haven't played a game in the league yet, will play home games on Fridays?? :confused:

The rulebook says that clubs can play games from thursday nights to sunday.

What rulebook?? :confused: Teams can, and do play whenever they like, even weekend games on a Monday and Wednesday night if it suits them. If there was a rulebook, everyone would play on the same day.

monzo

17/01/2007, 8:30 PM

FBTN, perhaps you should send your question in the post to him.

dfx-

17/01/2007, 9:37 PM

I agree with NY Hoop ( ;) )- ignore mypost, this is not the topic to be going on and on about with him. You will actually be forced into a coma if you keep posting replies to it. To keep a long thread short, he wasn't in Finn Park last year.

If we ever get to Tallaght games might not necessarily be on friday nights.

Wasn't it one of the original 19 stipulations or something to not play regularly at night? Do they still apply?

fbtn

17/01/2007, 11:47 PM

I know lads. I was just bored :)

mypost

18/01/2007, 3:11 AM

To keep a long thread short, he wasn't in Finn Park last year.

I was in Finn Park in 2005. The matches were on Saturdays, so I could go. When it wasn't on Saturday last year, I wanted to go, but couldn't. There's my point.

I agree with NY Hoop.

Another political post. :o

fbtn

18/01/2007, 10:31 AM

I was in Finn Park in 2005. The matches were on Saturdays, so I could go. When it wasn't on Saturday last year, I wanted to go, but couldn't. There's my point.

You don't have point mate. We played you on a Saturday night last year and 100s of Rovers fans travelled to Ballybofey. A lot of them stayed overnight. I should know because I sat up drinking with them all night in a lock-in I organised in our local for you.

So stop whinning about what night our games are on when you don't go anyway.

It was an entertaining scoreless draw by the way.