The East Fife Thread

[Beachbum]

50 minutes ago, Specky Ginger said:

No, the challenge cup started in 1990 to celebrate the centenary of the Scottish League (sponsored by B&Q at that time, I think). Since then it's had various sponsors, but it's only the last three seasons we've had this farce of allowing Colts and non Scottish teams into it. As I said earlier, it would have been done to try to sell Celtic and Rangers colts games to TV companies. Thankfully that has, thus far, backfired spectacularly, but it's ended with this farce of inviting teams to play in it outwith their own season. 

That's the bit I was referring to - Eric Drysdale's work.

[smuggfifer]

Ryanair sold out on the 3rd, cheapest available is nearly £300 guess no travelling support now!

[Brucelee1973]

Scott has said nothing is 100% yet, if any of you have booked it may be a Guinness trip only and no football☹️

[fiferjon]

Ryanair sold out on the 3rd, cheapest available is nearly £300 guess no travelling support now!

Scott has said nothing is 100% yet, if any of you have booked it may be a Guinness trip only and no football☹️

Rugby on that weekend !

[Big Fifer]

Absolutely magnificent work if we reschedule for a date when no fans can travel and the only option for the players is a ferry to Belfast. This quarter final keeps on giving!

[smuggfifer]

There's rugby on every weekend, Ireland play all blacks into he 17th, but flights not as dear

[Hank Scorpio]

Pardon my ignorance and laziness on this, and my apologies if it’s already been answered, but who’s at fault here? And who’s bending over and taking a shafting with the rescheduling? I see there’s a couple of Fife fans now inconvenienced with the change of date due to already having flights booked that are now for the wrong date - that’s pretty annoying.

I’m all for the sides from outside Scotland being involved in the competition, it provides a potential great weekend away for fans of clubs who would otherwise never get that, but this seems like a bit of a riot.

[Gordon EF]

9 minutes ago, Hank Scorpio said:

Pardon my ignorance and laziness on this, and my apologies if it’s already been answered, but who’s at fault here? And who’s bending over and taking a shafting with the rescheduling? I see there’s a couple of Fife fans now inconvenienced with the change of date due to already having flights booked that are now for the wrong date - that’s pretty annoying.

I’m all for the sides from outside Scotland being involved in the competition, it provides a potential great weekend away for fans of clubs who would otherwise never get that, but this seems like a bit of a riot.

SPFL have to be taking the blame here. Apparently Bohemians told them from the beginning they couldn't fulfil a potential QF fixture, SPFL said they sort it out if and when it became an issue. Bohemians have now said they can't play on the 17th and wanted it moved forward. East Fife fans understandably go a bit radge at the prospect of the tie being moved to a midweek that would massively disadvantage the club and the supporters. The story now seems to be that they're looking at playing it on the Saturday the 3rd which, apart from tickets to Dublin being more expensive that weekend, seems like it's probably a fair compromise from East Fife's point of view. But that would mean rescheduling our game against Arbroath at Gayfield to a midweek. As some Arbroath fans have said, that could leave them out of pocket and inconvenience them in the league so why should they agree to that.

All a bit of a fucking mess that the SPFL should have thought about ages ago.

[King Kebab]

As some Arbroath fans have said, that could leave them out of pocket and inconvenience them in the league so why should they agree to that.

All a bit of a fucking mess that the SPFL should have thought about ages ago.

Not "could leave them out of pocket" Gordon but "WILL leave them out of pocket", the main reason being given is that as we're such a big draw [emoji6] their hospitality has already been Sold Out for our game, around 100 people at £80 a head, plus whatever money over the bar is a wedge any League One side could do without losing!!!

But don't worry it's not all bad news, Bohemians got their demands met and it only meant that two member Clubs were inconvenienced by the SPFL to do so!!!

Go Neil Doncaster yeah!!!

[EFFC1938]

Actually feel for Arbroath! Terrible way to treat clubs who rely on hospitality. Can't we just withdraw and tell them to stuff there cluster f**k cup!

[WullieBroonIsGod]

Anyone seen a pot?  It's made of tin....

 

 

[McBrian]

Why not re-schedule till after the New Year?

The semi's are not scheduled till 17/18th February  and  the the Irish league starts up again around this time, I assume BoH will need to have a squad and play pre season, so why not organize it around this for the end of Jan or beginning of Feb? probably still have to postpone a fixture  although 9/02/19 is SC 5th round -  will we still be in it?

Edited October 18, 2018 by McBrian

[Big Fifer]

2 hours ago, McBrian said:

Why not re-schedule till after the New Year?

The semi's are not scheduled till 17/18th February  and  the the Irish league starts up again around this time, I assume BoH will need to have a squad and play pre season, so why not organize it around this for the end of Jan or beginning of Feb? probably still have to postpone a fixture  although 9/02/19 is SC 5th round -  will we still be in it?

This is a decent shout, but dependant on when the Irish teams start pre-season. I'm not sure how keen Bohemians will be to play us in their pre season, not sure how seriously they're taking this tournament? From a purely selfish point of view at least this way we can book flights a bit cheaper (6 Nations dates dependant of course!).

[King Kebab]

Here's one for@LiamA and @Angusfifer...

Have you still got yours???

And an open question for everybody else, if Alan and the rest of the Programme lads were to do this for this season, which player would you wish to see in "Pennant-Form"???

A Mark Docherty one to keep the kids away from the fireplace???

A Craig Watson one, in mask form so you could pull all the burds???

A Kyle Bell one, again as a mask so you could get asked for proof of age in every pub you go into???

Or somebody else???

 

 

[fiferjon]

There's rugby on every weekend, Ireland play all blacks into he 17th, but flights not as dear

Italy are in Dublin that weekend and not being Smug thats why the flights are sold out

[Skyline Drifter]

16 hours ago, Gordon EF said:

SPFL have to be taking the blame here. Apparently Bohemians told them from the beginning they couldn't fulfil a potential QF fixture, SPFL said they sort it out if and when it became an issue. Bohemians have now said they can't play on the 17th and wanted it moved forward. East Fife fans understandably go a bit radge at the prospect of the tie being moved to a midweek that would massively disadvantage the club and the supporters. The story now seems to be that they're looking at playing it on the Saturday the 3rd which, apart from tickets to Dublin being more expensive that weekend, seems like it's probably a fair compromise from East Fife's point of view. But that would mean rescheduling our game against Arbroath at Gayfield to a midweek. As some Arbroath fans have said, that could leave them out of pocket and inconvenience them in the league so why should they agree to that.

All a bit of a fucking mess that the SPFL should have thought about ages ago.

Arbroath will not get the option to "agree" to it. That's always the potential downside of having scheduled League fixtures which play second fiddle to cup rearrangements. It's not the first and won't be the last time it happens. You could easily go to Arbroath on that date and find a waterlogged pitch or high winds.

10 hours ago, EFFC1938 said:

Actually feel for Arbroath! Terrible way to treat clubs who rely on hospitality. Can't we just withdraw and tell them to stuff there cluster f**k cup!

But you're presumably not bothered that Airdrie would have been similarly affected by the original date? Lower League clubs will always sometimes lose home games to short notice cup fixtures (Scottish Cup Saturday replays are the same). Or to scheduled opponents making cup progress.

5 hours ago, Big Fifer said:

This is a decent shout, but dependant on when the Irish teams start pre-season. I'm not sure how keen Bohemians will be to play us in their pre season, not sure how seriously they're taking this tournament? From a purely selfish point of view at least this way we can book flights a bit cheaper (6 Nations dates dependant of course!).

It is a half decent shout though I suspect Bohemians will argue that it's not really fair to expect their players to be up to competitive sharpness at that stage. To be honest, with the potential that Bohemians could have an entirely different squad signed for next season and entirely different players playing the semi final and final if they get there, the whole thing is a bit odd. I know in theory any Scottish club could also change most of their squad in the January window but it's still odd. Bohemians might for instance sign half a dozen players from Sligo Rovers for next season who would be cup tied for the Challenge Cup having played already in it for Sligo in what is, for them, a different season.

[King Kebab]

19 minutes ago, Skyline Drifter said:

Arbroath will not get the option to "agree" to it. That's always the potential downside of having scheduled League fixtures which play second fiddle to cup rearrangements. It's not the first and won't be the last time it happens. You could easily go to Arbroath on that date and find a waterlogged pitch or high winds.

But you're presumably not bothered that Airdrie would have been similarly affected by the original date? Lower League clubs will always sometimes lose home games to short notice cup fixtures (Scottish Cup Saturday replays are the same). Or to scheduled opponents making cup progress.

Not really the same thing though is it???

Airdrie would have known from the 8th of September that there was perhaps a chance that our game with them on the 17th of November might have to be rearranged and be able to plan accordingly. Arbroath have had this quite unfairly thrust upon them and again for reasons that you cannot even compare to a waterlogged pitch or high winds!!!

They've had a fixture and all its resultant takings taken from them by the serious mismanagement of the SPFL not by any "Act of God" and the rearranging of a fixture which has absolutely no connection to them, as I said it's not the same thing!!!

[Skyline Drifter]

1 hour ago, King Kebab said:

Not really the same thing though is it???

Airdrie would have known from the 8th of September that there was perhaps a chance that our game with them on the 17th of November might have to be rearranged and be able to plan accordingly. Arbroath have had this quite unfairly thrust upon them and again for reasons that you cannot even compare to a waterlogged pitch or high winds!!!

They've had a fixture and all its resultant takings taken from them by the serious mismanagement of the SPFL not by any "Act of God" and the rearranging of a fixture which has absolutely no connection to them, as I said it's not the same thing!!!

It is however pretty much the same thing as a club losing a home league match due to a Scottish Cup replay rearranged for the following Saturday as regularly happens in round 3 even between clubs with perfectly good floodlights. 

Honestly, you have plenty of grounds to be justifiably fizzing about the arrangement of this tie. Arbroath potentially being inconvenienced isnt one of them though.

[theoriginalhedge]

1 hour ago, Skyline Drifter said:

Arbroath will not get the option to "agree" to it. That's always the potential downside of having scheduled League fixtures which play second fiddle to cup rearrangements. It's not the first and won't be the last time it happens. You could easily go to Arbroath on that date and find a waterlogged pitch or high winds.

But you're presumably not bothered that Airdrie would have been similarly affected by the original date? Lower League clubs will always sometimes lose home games to short notice cup fixtures (Scottish Cup Saturday replays are the same). Or to scheduled opponents making cup progress.

It is a half decent shout though I suspect Bohemians will argue that it's not really fair to expect their players to be up to competitive sharpness at that stage. To be honest, with the potential that Bohemians could have an entirely different squad signed for next season and entirely different players playing the semi final and final if they get there, the whole thing is a bit odd. I know in theory any Scottish club could also change most of their squad in the January window but it's still odd. Bohemians might for instance sign half a dozen players from Sligo Rovers for next season who would be cup tied for the Challenge Cup having played already in it for Sligo in what is, for them, a different season.

 

7 minutes ago, Skyline Drifter said:

It is however pretty much the same thing as a club losing a home league match due to a Scottish Cup replay rearranged for the following Saturday as regularly happens in round 3 even between clubs with perfectly good floodlights. 

Honestly, you have plenty of grounds to be justifiably fizzing about the arrangement of this tie. Arbroath potentially being inconvenienced isnt one of them though.

 

I still find it farcical that an invited club from another country  can call the shots over this .  They told the SPFL that they would be struggling to fulfil their QF tie on the original date.  They should have been told at that time by the SPFL that it had to be played then or forfeit the tie.  Simple solution. 

[Skyline Drifter]

18 minutes ago, theoriginalhedge said:

 

 

I still find it farcical that an invited club from another country  can call the shots over this .  They told the SPFL that they would be struggling to fulfil their QF tie on the original date.  They should have been told at that time by the SPFL that it had to be played then or forfeit the tie.  Simple solution. 

Agreed. Not sure why you are quoting me on that. Havent said otherwise, only that Arbroath having to move a home game to midweek isnt anything particularly controversial or something they need to "agree" to.