Question for Derry fans

[MariborKev]

Unfortunately clubs could not care less about away fans. I've been to the brandywell on thursday nights and saturday nights. The difference is minimal. One steward told me that everybody goes to bundoran for the weekend! Thats a great reason for away fans to travel midweek.

You might get more on thursdays but on saturdays you will have substantially more away fans. Also football is a weekend game. Go to any other country.

I'm with passive on this. Friday nights for derbies only. Why do you think Harps away attracts so many of us?

KOH

NY Hoop as someone who has been involving in doing attendance counting and compairing gates receipts for numerous games to assess the difference, let me tell you it is not minimal. Do you think we swapped back to Thurtsday night midway through last season for ne reason- there was a big difference in numbers

As for away fans, there is a difference about seventy(for the better supported clubs). The difference in home fans far outweighs that!

[Colm]

Seriously though, all games should be played on Saturdays or Sundays because away supporters simply can't travel in numbers on weekdays. The only games that should be played on Friday nights are derbies.

City fans don't seem to have any problems travelling to Dublin in big numbers every second Friday.
In fact when we played Rovers on Saturday last season less actually travelled than normally would on a Friday.
I agree that Thursday nights are a disaster for away fans but, from our point of view at least, Fridays are ok.

[Wiseguy]

I think Saturdays nights are a much better option especially for away fans.Getting to Dublin involves taking an hour off work on Fridays just to get back to Longford on time to get the Bus.Derry, Waterford, Cork all involve taking half days and that's just for me.I'm sure there are loads of people out there who just can't get the time off work so a lot of research needs to be done on this but i wouldn't hold my breath.

[Macy]

Unlike England, there's no recent history of Saturday afternoon league football in Ireland (in the Republic at least) and my guess is that attendences would be atrocious.

The Irish League plays on a Sat afternoon but attendance-wise that league is dying on its feet.

Fact is we get shíte attendances too, and we're dying on our overspending feet...

Infairness you did say Sunday afternoons - which as I said earlier would be my second choice.

The ability to travel away in daylight, on the day of the match (or by Public Transport without doing an overnighter) would be of real benefit to the fans. The battle is lost over football on TV - as was said we'd clash whatever night the games are played. We have to start thinking for ourselves...

[Passive]

City fans don't seem to have any problems travelling to Dublin in big numbers every second Friday.

I guess you and I differ on our definition of "big numbers".
We always wind you up for not bringing many fans with you, but I have a degree of sympathy for Cork fans in that it is difficult for them to get to Friday night games. I can't speak for Cork fans (it could be argued that very few of them can actually speak ) but I know that Rovers bring far more supporters to weekend away games than they do to Friday night ones.
Maribor claims that the differences in home attendences outweight the differences in away attendence, in which case it makes sense for clubs financially. It is a pity, however, because it is better for all concerned to have a large away following inside the stadium.

[NY Hoop]

NY Hoop as someone who has been involving in doing attendance counting and compairing gates receipts for numerous games to assess the difference, let me tell you it is not minimal. Do you think we swapped back to Thurtsday night midway through last season for ne reason- there was a big difference in numbers

As for away fans, there is a difference about seventy(for the better supported clubs). The difference in home fans far outweighs that!

Have to take your word for it then. But still thursday is a disaster however well you dress it up. Not only for the fans but for the players who are working. Hopefully we'll never see it again.

Friday night should be for derbies only with games sat night or sun afternoon.


KOH

[dortie]

no one who holds down a Monday - Friday job can attend a game on a Friday night if it is several hundred miles away on. As I said, only derby games should be played on Friday nights.

If your prepared to use your holidays you can !!! Like me
On the Derry issue, Im praying we move to a Friday night, purely for the social element and to give away fans the chance...I have always despised Thursday night football.

[CollegeTillIDie]

NY Hoop

Originally Dundalk and Derry City started playing on Thursday nights cause that is dole day

[dortie]

NY Hoop

Originally Dundalk and Derry City started playing on Thursday nights cause that is dole day

Never 'dodged tax' either as a STUDENT or through being Unemployed

[oú est j.cotter]

Friday night should be for derbies only with games sat night or sun afternoon.


KOH

but 'Friday night is eircom league night'

[mypost]

Night-time games in most European countries kick off on, or after 8 in the evening. Portuguese games, (same time zone as here) start at 9, or 9.30pm. Only games in Ireland, and Britain have night-time games that usually kick-off before 8pm. Ireland's home International games during the week begin at 7.30pm, and even worse at 3pm on weekends, when there is no afternoon football culture here.

I, like many others can't attend most Friday night games because of work commitments. National League games here should all kick-off at 8.30pm on Saturday nights, when there is the least competition from other sports, work commitments, and tv football. It benefits all players, and away fans who wish to travel. That's why games at Longford and Finn Harps, who play their home games on Saturday nights, are great trips for away fans.
If only more clubs followed their lead.

[MariborKev]

I, like many others can't attend most Friday night games because of work commitments. National League games here should all kick-off at 8.30pm on Saturday nights, when there is the least competition from other sports, work commitments, and tv football. It benefits all players, and away fans who wish to travel. That's why games at Longford and Finn Harps, who play their home games on Saturday nights, are great trips for away fans.
If only more clubs followed their lead.

And what about people who like going out on a Saturday night?

8.30 on a Saturday means the game isn't over, and you out of the stadium till 10.30

[Éanna]

And what about people who like going out on a Saturday night?

8.30 on a Saturday means the game isn't over, and you out of the stadium till 10.30

yeah, thats the problem. Mypost makes a good case, the only flaw is that in most european countries, there aren't the restrictive pub opening hours that we have here.

[CollegeTillIDie]

Night-time games in most European countries kick off on, or after 8 in the evening. Portuguese games, (same time zone as here) start at 9, or 9.30pm. Only games in Ireland, and Britain have night-time games that usually kick-off before 8pm. Ireland's home International games during the week begin at 7.30pm, and even worse at 3pm on weekends, when there is no afternoon football culture here.

I, like many others can't attend most Friday night games because of work commitments. National League games here should all kick-off at 8.30pm on Saturday nights, when there is the least competition from other sports, work commitments, and tv football. It benefits all players, and away fans who wish to travel. That's why games at Longford and Finn Harps, who play their home games on Saturday nights, are great trips for away fans.
If only more clubs followed their lead.

If games here kicked off at 8:30 or 9:00 p.m. there would be even less coverage in the national newspapers because the Papers claim they have deadlines needing the reports by 9:30 -10:00 otherwise they cannot carry them for the following morning's editions.

I know what you are about to say... Spanish newspapers manage it and you are quite right about that!

[CollegeTillIDie]

Never 'dodged tax' either as a STUDENT or through being Unemployed

Never said you did. Only question is when did men in Derry start getting jobs up there ?

[CollegeTillIDie]

And what about people who like going out on a Saturday night?

8.30 on a Saturday means the game isn't over, and you out of the stadium till 10.30

They usually get drunk or take too many drugs and kick the crap out of some poor other drunk in a city street at 2 a.m.
On the whole going to football matches is a better idea !

[liambo]

They usually get drunk or take too many drugs and kick the crap out of some poor other drunk in a city street at 2 a.m.
On the whole going to football matches is a better idea !

hi laddie,you'd need to put some vinegar on those chips on your shoulders.

[mypost]

Mypost makes a good case, the only flaw is that in most european countries, there aren't the restrictive pub opening hours that we have here.

You can always go to the pub, and drink responsibly before the game, but if you're really desperate to booze after the game, there are pubs at most league grounds that you can go to, there are also local nightclubs. If that doesn't suit, then you can go out another night. Like I said, considering the alternatives, with work commitments, local traffic, and tv football been the main reasons why fans can't/don't go to games, games on Saturday evenings are the best time to play league games.

Regarding media coverage of games, it's not that great as it is anyway, so I can't see why a later start time would affect much coverage. If all games started later at the same time, the press would simply have to include reports on the games. Different newspapers have different deadlines to meet, other papers have second editions, so match reports would be available in the papers the next day.

[Mad Moose]

I'm sure there are loads of people out there who just can't get the time off work so a lot of research needs to be done on this but i wouldn't hold my breath.

This is very much the reason I expect I'll see very few away games this season.The last few season's antic's were enough to cost me my job and let me tell ya working was often a greater pleasure, trips to Limerick (Nice people involved at that club), Kilkenny and Athlone spring to mind. I couldn't even make it over to Coleraine tonight. Its a catch 22. I don't particularly like giving up Saturday commitments to travel and I cant afford to lose a day duing the week to travel. I'm sure i'll reach some sort of compromise .

Brendan

[Mad Moose]

and you out of the stadium till 10.30

Kev....................what stadium!!!!!!

Brendan