HibeeJibee Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 Full card across all 3 divisions in 1977:http://www.statto.com/football/stats/results/1977-12-24 So it's been an increasingly uncommon practice. Last occasion when clubs played on Christmas Eve and it wasn't a Saturday was Hibs v Ayr in 1976 (Friday). Last occasion when a Scottish Cup tie was played on Christmas Eve was East Stirlingshire 0-0 Clydebank in 1973 (Monday incidentally). It was a First Round tie which had been postponed a couple of times, so they had to try again 24hrs later on Christmas Day when Clydebank won 1-0. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NavyBlueArmy1876 Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 I was at the Dundee Utd vs Hibs match a few years ago. Was quality, whilst losing the boxing day game is a bit shit, Christmas eve is an acceptable substitute imo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HibeeJibee Posted July 10, 2016 Share Posted July 10, 2016 I think the issue - if you can call it that - stems from the fact that about the start of the decade the SPL held "brainstorming" sessions with managers, all of whom expressed opposition to playing games without 2/3 days rest in between. I remember a big article on SPL website about it all... another thing that came off the back of it was that the 3 series of 11 matches didn't have to be in the same order (although they did have to include 1 game against each club in each round). Following that they stopped playing Saturday-Monday or similar when Boxing Day and New Year's Day have fallen on Mondays. For several years they have played evening games on the Wednesday between Christmas and New Year. They also seem to prefer sticking to Saturdays rather than playing on the public holidays. This year that means playing Christmas Eve and Hogmanary, not Boxing Day and New Year's Day / January 2nd. I think it's very likely that crowds will be lower on Christmas Eve v Boxing Day and Hogmanay v New Year's Day, and some games have already shifted. Go back a decade there would have been games Christmas Eve (Saturday), Boxing Day (Monday), New Year's Day (Sunday) and perhaps even January 3rd (holiday Tuesday). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sergie's no1 fan Posted July 10, 2016 Share Posted July 10, 2016 Just on that, was Clydebank-StMirren the last British football match to be played on Christmas day? 1976 I think? Think I read that on here actually, was probably yourself that mentioned it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HibeeJibee Posted July 10, 2016 Share Posted July 10, 2016 That was the last such match at Football League or Scottish League level, yes, along with Alloa v Cowdenbeath the same day... That was the same year as the Hibs-Ayr case I noted above (which was the last game played on Christmas Eve when it wasn't a Saturday). I suspect you might find non-league games persisted a bit beyond that... Indeed, even today the County Antrim Intermediate Cup Final - known as the "Steel & Sons Cup" - is played on Christmas morning, except when Christmas Day falls on a Sunday. One longstanding tradition in Scottish football was that Third Lanark always hosted Dundee on Christmas Day. I have no idea why. I'll look up the last occasions of Christmas Day games not on Saturdays here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fraser_smfc Posted July 10, 2016 Share Posted July 10, 2016 On 7/8/2016 at 12:33, Mark Connolly said: Not sure about Falkirk, but pretty sure we played ST Mirren on Xmas Eve a couple of years ago. St Mirren played Dundee United on Boxing Day 2013, that's maybe what you're thinking of there. For purely selfish reasons, I really hope our game at Tannadice on Christmas Eve is moved to the Friday night as opposed to Boxing day. I could the finish up work, attend the game then head back to Renfrewshire for Christmas, rather than do another return journey to Dundee on Boxing Day. On the flip side, I like waking up on Boxing Day consoled by the fact there's normally a game to go to. I have to agree with VikingTon, it's a shame the lower leagues can only squeeze two games in during the festive period. South of the border there's games being played every 2 or three days, of which I am rather envious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HibeeJibee Posted July 10, 2016 Share Posted July 10, 2016 Last Christmas Day game in Scotland not on a Saturday was as I mentioned 1973 when Clydebank and East Stirlingshire drew a much-postponed Scottish Cup tie on Christmas Eve and had to try again the next day. Similar thing in 1969 (St Cuthbert Wanderers v Stranraer). Last such leagues games were Celtic-QotS & Dundee-Kilmarnock in 1957 (Wednesday). Special mention should be made of the Football League fixtures in 1940-41. Due to war emergency conditions a number of clubs played 2 games on Christmas Day i.e. back-to-back:10:45am - Northampton 5-2 Leicester 3pm - Leicester 7-2 Northampton 11am - Watford 2-2 Luton 3pm - Luton 4-1 Watford 11am - Rotherham 0-3 Barnsley 3pm - Barnsley 3-3 Rotherham 11:15am - Bradford 0-5 Huddersfield 3pm - Huddersfield 3-4 Bradford 10:45am - Tranmere v Crewe, postponed 3:15pm - Crewe 2-2 Tranmere 10:45am - Doncaster 0-0 Lincoln 3pm - Lincoln 3-1 Doncaster 11am - Oldham v Rochdale, postponed 3pm - Rochdale 2-3 Oldham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Connolly Posted July 10, 2016 Share Posted July 10, 2016 3 hours ago, fraser_smfc said: St Mirren played Dundee United on Boxing Day 2013, that's maybe what you're thinking of there. For purely selfish reasons, I really hope our game at Tannadice on Christmas Eve is moved to the Friday night as opposed to Boxing day. I could the finish up work, attend the game then head back to Renfrewshire for Christmas, rather than do another return journey to Dundee on Boxing Day. On the flip side, I like waking up on Boxing Day consoled by the fact there's normally a game to go to. I have to agree with VikingTon, it's a shame the lower leagues can only squeeze two games in during the festive period. South of the border there's games being played every 2 or three days, of which I am rather envious. Yeah I corrected myself later - we played Hibs on Xmas Eve then played you in the next fixture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Nomad Posted July 13, 2016 Share Posted July 13, 2016 Not sure about Falkirk, but pretty sure we played ST Mirren on Xmas Eve a couple of years ago. We played Hibs at Tannadice. Won 3-1, was moved forward to a 1pm kickoff. Was a decent crowd IIRC. I'm fine with either if Christmas Eve is a Saturday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itzdrk Posted July 14, 2016 Share Posted July 14, 2016 Rather stick to the Saturday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaz FFC Posted September 8, 2016 Author Share Posted September 8, 2016 Well we have 1 result in. Dunfermline v Falkirk will be Boxing day. Any other games moved or confirmed as Xmas eve? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaz FFC Posted September 8, 2016 Author Share Posted September 8, 2016 On Thursday, July 07, 2016 at 10:42, lanky_ffc said: Xmas Eve for me. We've got Dunfermline away, so it'll be into Edinburgh for a sesh after the game. Well played SPFL, well played. Sorry Lanky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionel hutz Posted September 8, 2016 Share Posted September 8, 2016 On 13/07/2016 at 19:31, Desert Nomad said: We played Hibs at Tannadice. Won 3-1, was moved forward to a 1pm kickoff. Was a decent crowd IIRC. I'm fine with either if Christmas Eve is a Saturday. I remember it, it was only £15 PATG iirc. It was 1-30pm kick-off and there was 8,100 there The Thumb, Russell and Daly were the scorers I think Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dazzle Posted September 8, 2016 Share Posted September 8, 2016 I'd much rather have the games on the Boxing Day as there is next to no chance of me making a game away at hibs on Xmas eve however by Boxing Day I'll be bored off the family again and itching to get out the house, would also like a Boxing Day sesh in Edinburgh before and after the game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poet of the Macabre Posted September 8, 2016 Share Posted September 8, 2016 Great decision for the fans; shitty decision for the players + staff at the clubs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AyrshireTon Posted September 8, 2016 Share Posted September 8, 2016 Boxing Day and Ne'erday games are usually great. Not so much the football on show, but most of the crowd are either minging drunk or hungover to f**k, but still able to get out of the house. Since Cockwomble is so keen on copying everything down south, why not follow their model of hunners of games over festive and bank holiday periods? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaz FFC Posted September 8, 2016 Author Share Posted September 8, 2016 35 minutes ago, AyrshireTon said: Boxing Day and Ne'erday games are usually great. Not so much the football on show, but most of the crowd are either minging drunk or hungover to f**k, but still able to get out of the house. Since Cockwomble is so keen on copying everything down south, why not follow their model of hunners of games over festive and bank holiday periods? To be fair the Premier league up here are playing Xmas eve, 28th and Hogmanay. The English Premier league are playing Boxing day, Hogmanay and Jan 2. The rest of the SPFL are just Xmas eve/boxing day and Hogmanay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D.A.F.C Posted September 8, 2016 Share Posted September 8, 2016 Xmas eve is too hectic for a game, the traffic is already mental. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foreverarover Posted September 16, 2016 Share Posted September 16, 2016 Christmas eve. I'm working boxing day. It makes more sense as players can spend time with family. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syd Puddefoot Posted September 16, 2016 Share Posted September 16, 2016 Boxing Day. Xmas Eve is just pure folly. What about having it on Xmas Day evening kick off.? Could break the news over the trifle. That would be as popular as a Brussel sprout fart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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