Harps to play friday Nights

[fbtn]

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

Where you in Finn Park last season?

[harpskid]

Finn Harps will struggle again in the Division next season

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

[harps1954]

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

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]

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]

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??

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

What rulebook?? 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]

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

[dfx-]

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]

I know lads. I was just bored

[mypost]

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.

[fbtn]

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.

[DvB]

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.


It was an entertaining scoreless draw by the way.

Ah yes, remember it well, we arrived up there in plenty of time for pre match refreshment, the pints aferwards were equally enjoyable due to the lateness of their consumption!!

Personally i prefer friday games as having a social life fill's up my saturdays well in advance, friday night is footy night as far as i'm concerned! Once the fixtures come out well in advance i'm lucky enough to be able to organise part of my holidays into a few half day batches that allow me to see away games outside the pale!! The only away game i missed last season funnily enough was the harps game on the tuesday night, work commitments meant i had no chance of taking the half day, though that was of my own making to be fair!

Koh

[WeAreRovers]

[QUOTE=mypost;605751]We'll remember that the next time they bring their race night begging bowl to our fans. [QUOTE]

It hardly needs to be said but the above quote in no way represents the feelings of Rovers fans.

Good luck to Harps, without us there'll be sod all away fans in the 1st this season anyway.

One point though, as Doctor Nightdub says, why can't people take half days? That's what we all have to do and it makes no difference what division we're in.

KOH

[NY Hoop]

What rulebook?? 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.

There is a rulebook:

20.4 Clubs are obliged to fulfill fixtures at the appointed time and venue as per the fixture list. Clubs are entitled to arrange their home fixtures for a Thursday night, Friday night, Saturday, or Sunday, provided that at least 16 calendar days notice in writing is given to the opposing club and the General Manager in relation to a change of date, or in relation to a change of time, at least 9 calendar days notice is given in writing to the opposing club and the General Manager.


Mypost has there been a point in your life where you have been happy?

KOH

[mypost]

why can't people take half days? That's what we all have to do and it makes no difference what division we're in.

People can't take half days, because they'd be sacked if you asked/took the amount of half days NL fans need to see games. And for those that don't work, school/college commitments mean taking regular half days to travel up to 500 kilometres up/down the country a matchnight nigh on impossible. Bosses/principals have a rigid schedule, which can't be interfered with every couple of weeks. Then there's the financial hit from taking half days, that fans who can go, have to take. LOI football is an expensive business, and by taking half days, the ordinary fan loses more money. Just because most other clubs do it, doesn't make it right.

If games were at weekends, fans wouldn't lose work time, lose money, kids wouldn't miss out on schoolwork, and you can go to games in comfort, not scratching your head wondering how to beat the traffic for ko. It works for 50 other UEFA associations, but we have to be different.

Mypost has there been a point in your life where you have been happy?

The irony is, for all my whingeing, whining, and so-called WUMming, the only time I have been banned from a forum, was on our mb at the end of last season, for being "too positive". After the win in Limerick, coupled with the other results in the league that night, I stated the blindingly obvious that with 2 home games left, we had effectively won the league, and for the whole week I got abused, warned, sworn at, ridiculed, Pm'd, infractions, and finally a ban, so of course, we won the two games, and won the league. Even Scully himself, would later say, that we won the league in Limerick.

Unlike most Irish people, when I don't like something, or something is wrong, I don't shut up about it. I complain, and whinge about it until it's put right. Obviously whining works. At least I don't get banned for it.

[Dodge]

Yeah but thats very personal viewpoint mypost. In my experience most people CAN take half days and incur no extra cost whether game is on Friday or Saturday. Not to mention people who work saturdays.

it doesn't suit you, we get it. Most away fans don't mind.