For or Aganist Winter Football

When this first came to light, I was thinking a return to winter would be my choice, then i got thinking, sitting in oriel parl, every second week from nov to end of feb, 4 full months of bad weather, if its not raining and dull, its foggy, then it freezes, and we are at games at night time, so i changed my mind, but offer a new choice.

A 16 team Premier Div, starting in April, and having a much later 2 week break in July maybe.

My change of mind was based on one really stand out game, Bohs at home i think, a rare win, walking into the town centre, the smell of the harp lager brewery in the summer air, wearing a t shirt, still bright, a few pints, and still nice and warm on the way home.

What more could you want as a football fan ?

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Originally Posted by redobit

I'll go either way but whatever about what us the fans think, it is significant that the majority of the clubs that have voted for a return to winter football.

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Summer v Winter poll No. 173:

But it's still Summer no brainer.

Winter. I play cricket in the summer so I don't get to many matches

I've decided I'd be for the move back to winter football though I'm not confident it will happen and can't see it having much of a change on the top 2 tiers. I'm looking at it from the view point of the interim league that is the A Championship. In terms of attracting new clubs and ease of falling back to Provincial Senior or District leagues, a winter season would work best.

I'd agree that there should be a pyramid eventually, but there wouldn't be enough teams to keep the A Championship going if the restructuring gets the go-ahead.

The A Championship 2010 had 18 clubs involved, 13 reserve and 5 first-team. If the Premier is expanded to 16 and having a A club is still part of the licensing, the A Championship will automatically have 16 clubs at least.

I'm probably not as much as a winter football zealot as I come across on here.

There's no evidence that the move has had any positive tangible impact (since the FAI don't have or won't publish figures such as attendances), so we can only go on the wishy washy arguments that were used to justify the move in the first place, which by my reckoning makes the move a fail.

btw, the only poll that would matter would be one of people in grounds - most loi supporters aren't online.

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Originally Posted by Macy

btw, the only poll that would matter would be one of people in grounds - most loi supporters aren't online.

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I'd be as interested in people not in the grounds.

I'm worried that the problems our league has will be shifted to a choice between winter or summer.
I prefer summer by a long shot but I have to say that I'll be there either way.
We have bigger problems re league organisation and that's what needs to be looked at.
The winter v summer debate can be decided thereafter.

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Originally Posted by pineapple stu

I'd be as interested in people not in the grounds.

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Fair point, but as an addition. If the contention is that a move back will mean current attenders won't go, then you'd need an analysis of supporters at grounds to establish that.

Definitely for as long as we don't get snowy Januarys every year otherwise a no no. The disruption last year with the snow would have put the league off for a month and would have caused huge disruption

Winter,the league is up against far to much during the summer.
E.G in Galway during summer we have the arts festival,the races and various other things to compete with.

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Originally Posted by RahenyBohs

Definitely for as long as we don't get snowy Januarys every year otherwise a no no. The disruption last year with the snow would have put the league off for a month and would have caused huge disruption

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Clubs would have to get of there asses and clear the pitch!!!!!

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Originally Posted by GUFCghost

Clubs would have to get of there asses and clear the pitch!!!!!

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To be fair last winter would have decemated the fixture list > huge backlog > midweek matches for months > at least 345 page thread on FOOT.IE calling for return to summer football and bias in favour of Bohs, shams (delete/insert as appropriate) by FAI in resheduling :rolleyes:.
Improved pitches allowing improved style of play (for those wishing to avail of it) is currently a big plus for me. With most clubs scaling back on expenditure I suspect less will be available for groundstaff etc so winter football could see a return to the quagmires of old.

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Originally Posted by DaveyCakes

Winter. I play cricket in the summer so I don't get to many matches

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See? There's another huge untapped market. It's not just our housewives, you know.

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Originally Posted by marinobohs

To be fair last winter would have decemated the fixture list > huge backlog > midweek matches for months > at least 345 page thread on FOOT.IE calling for return to summer football and bias in favour of Bohs, shams (delete/insert as appropriate) by FAI in resheduling :rolleyes:.
Improved pitches allowing improved style of play (for those wishing to avail of it) is currently a big plus for me. With most clubs scaling back on expenditure I suspect less will be available for groundstaff etc so winter football could see a return to the quagmires of old.

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That weather is not normal though.

I'm easy enough either way to be honest. Once there is a Limerick FC match to go down and watch i'm happy. I don't think changing to winter football will add more to the gates but i don't think it will really deplete them either. Some clubs may be affected by the drop in the casual fans alright. It might be grand in the likes of Tallaght Stadium and Dalymount in the bad weather but Jackman Park when its ****ing rain and freezing cold ain't the best place to be standing totally exposed to the elements. I can only imagine what Drom would be like.

the under 19s (or will they still be stuck in 20s) wil be a winter league next year. Running on a national comp format over 28 weeks :)

Can remember a game at Dalymont many moons ago where the hailstones were so bad that the ref took the players off for about 10 minutes - "customers" left to stand/sit around until game resumed (was in the old school end so could not even go to the bar).

Also recall soakings at away sections (especially Flancare and Carlisle) where it seemed to take days to dry out :rolleyes:

On mature recollection I think I will decamp to the summer football side !

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Originally Posted by gael353

the under 19s (or will they still be stuck in 20s) wil be a winter league next year. Running on a national comp format over 28 weeks :)

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Great so us volunteers will have no break at all the whole year round :(