Fixtures out

[Snake]

Indeed, but no more Setanta means you can at least get your travel arrangements committed in advance without worrying about the date of the game changing at short notice.

But there may be a sub for Setanta waiting to come off the bench.

I doubt it.

We had more TV coverage than Leeds United got last season – the last undiscovered TV commercial goldmine remains in the lower reaches of the Football League.

[slappy]

I've yet to do a full analysis, but it looks like lots more traditional kick-offs at 3pm on a Saturday, which will probably disappoint those who would rather watch the game on Monday/Tuesday/Thursday/Friday night on Setanta rather than travel 200miles|| for Barrow, Gateshead and York in September.

I expect that the average fan will choose Gateshead as the new ground to visit this season, and Barrow will be given a miss, particularly after their &quotfans&quot welcome to some OUFC supporters. York ??

[Baboo]

Indeed, but no more Setanta means you can at least get your travel arrangements committed in advance without worrying about the date of the game changing at short notice.

But there may be a sub for Setanta waiting to come off the bench.

I doubt it.

We had more TV coverage than Leeds United got last season – the last undiscovered TV commercial goldmine remains in the lower reaches of the Football League.

I doubt it too, but there is a small chance twill happen.

[boris]

I've yet to do a full analysis, but it looks like lots more traditional kick-offs at 3pm on a Saturday, which will probably disappoint those who would rather watch the game on Monday/Tuesday/Thursday/Friday night on Setanta rather than travel 200miles|| for Barrow, Gateshead and York in September.

I expect that the average fan will choose Gateshead as the new ground to visit this season, and Barrow will be given a miss, particularly after their &quotfans&quot welcome to some OUFC supporters. York ??

Not sure quite what defines an average fan, but I was certainly planning to do Gateshead and give Barrow a miss, until that blasted fixtures compiler decided to have us visit Holker Street on the weekend of my 50th birthday. So now it looks like there's a weekend in the Lakes in the pipeline (hopefully in addition to a long-haul drive to Tyneside).

[Snake]

A quick search shows that if you want to fly up and back on the same day then you have to buy two single tickets. If you fly up on the Sat and back on the Sun from LHR the cheapest flight I've found was GBP104. It's considerably cheaper (but less convenient) to fly from Luton or Stansted. Flights take about an hour (plus booking in time and getting to and from the airports).

Driving will take about 4.5 hours each way (depending on traffic) and will cost approx GBP85 in petrol costs.

I may be taking bookings on the Feverbus soon.

This is the best I’ve found so far..

Depart Heathrow 11:35 Saturday morning, arrive Newcastle 12:50
Depart Newcastle 20:10 Saturday evening, arrive Heathrow 21:25

Carrier is BA and the cost is £89.20 inclusive of all charges.

[boris]

That ain't bad. Cheaper than the train, although obviously you've still got the bus fare to and from Heathrow and at t'other end.

And BA too, better than some tinpot outfit like Easyjet.

[Andrewmaha]

And BA too, better than some tinpot outfit like Easyjet.

I use Easyjet on a weekly basis to commute from Bristol to Newcastle. I have to use the 'flying orange' because BA pulled the plug on the route some time ago. Anyway, On average I reckon that at least 10% of the time the late night return flight is cancelled due to lack of passengers - it becomes more cost effective to put me up in the on site travel in that it does to fly 10 people to Bristol. This is very frustrating on a working day but would be even worse dressed in football gear and with a developing hangover. GO FOR THE BA OPTION!!

Also, the journey from Newcastle airport to Gateshead is approx 10 miles across the city.

[Mally]

A quick search shows that if you want to fly up and back on the same day then you have to buy two single tickets. If you fly up on the Sat and back on the Sun from LHR the cheapest flight I've found was GBP104. It's considerably cheaper (but less convenient) to fly from Luton or Stansted. Flights take about an hour (plus booking in time and getting to and from the airports).

Driving will take about 4.5 hours each way (depending on traffic) and will cost approx GBP85 in petrol costs.

I may be taking bookings on the Feverbus soon.

This is the best I’ve found so far..

Depart Heathrow 11:35 Saturday morning, arrive Newcastle 12:50
Depart Newcastle 20:10 Saturday evening, arrive Heathrow 21:25

Carrier is BA and the cost is £89.20 inclusive of all charges.

I've spent the last 20 years being a loyal BA customer and have managed to accumulate over a 3rd of a million BA miles in the process. Paying with 9000 miles for the same flights the charges I have to pay are £69.20 for my &quotfree&quot flights. £20 saving! Thanks BA.

This isn't just taxes they have transferred most of the cost of tickets to &quotsecurity, insurance and fuel surcharges&quot which makes a mockery of the whole scheme.

[slappy]

Apologies for the &quotaverage fan&quot comment which was unmerited. The majority of fans will clearly attend none of those 3 games (mathematically with home crowds of 5,000 and I predict away attendances of say 300 to York and Barrow, perhaps 700 to Gateshead as the new ground).

Back to the fixture list, we have been treated more than fairly by the Conference this year. All of the really long-distance away games are scheduled for a Saturday. Of the bank holiday games, we have 3 homes and 2 aways. Tuesday games we have 5 home and 5 away. Opening day and Boxing Day are home games, reversing last season's away fixtures. The Boxing Day/New Year's Day double header is at Rushden &amp Diamonds, who are slightly better to cope than Salisbury with 2 turnstiles and a portaloo.

[Snake]

Indeed, and once Jon Murray untwists his knickers he’ll realise that by March the Saturday that is currently blank will be filled by a previously postponed game.

Or maybe a tie in the new “Brian Lee Shield

[Mally]

[quote=&quotSnake&quot]Indeed, and once Jon Murray untwists his knickers he’ll realise that by March the Saturday that is currently blank will be filled by a previously postponed game.

Or maybe a tie in the new “Brian Lee Shield

[Dr Bob]

According to the OM report, &quotConference general manager Dennis Strudwick says the blank Saturday problem has come about because they do the fixtures manually.&quot Is it really beyond their resources, first, to computerise the system and second, to incorporate constraints or at the very least, after an initial fixture allocation, follow it up with manual adjustments if needed in search of (Pareto) improvements?

[Radley Rambler]

According to the OM report, &quotConference general manager Dennis Strudwick says the blank Saturday problem has come about because they do the fixtures manually.&quot Is it really beyond their resources, first, to computerise the system and second, to incorporate constraints or at the very least, after an initial fixture allocation, follow it up with manual adjustments if needed in search of (Pareto) improvements?

But amazingly it is not beyond the capabilities of the Football Association and also many other leagues including some Sunday League organisations!

I despair.

[A-Ro]

Also, one of the reasons for this was because of some teams objecting to long distance travel on a Tuesday. By not filling all available Saturdays you ensure that there are more games on a Tuesday not less.

[OUFC4eva]

[quote=&quotRadley Rambler&quot

But amazingly it is not beyond the capabilities of the Football Association and also many other leagues including some Sunday League organisations!

I despair.[/quote]

Agree 100% - the level of maladministration at Conference HQ is
too shocking for words.

I listened to Brian Lee give a 24 second interview with Jerome on the BBC site and my flesh crawled. Lee and Strudwick must go quickly.