Fixtures out tomorrow - who will we get first game?

I'm going for Crystal Palace at SMS. Would be nice to finish the season at home too, seeing as we were away first & last games, last season.

Everton away is my guess - don´t know why just a feeling....

I'm going for Crystal Palace at SMS. Would be nice to finish the season at home too' date=' seeing as we were away first & last games, last season.[/quote']

As I said on the other thread we have been away first game 3 seasons running (since we have been back in the PL). Unless this is because Saints are requesting it, we should be home first game, otherwise you would have to think it is a fix.

Home to Aston Villa.

Away for the first game please, for entirely personal holiday related reasons! Don't care against whom as will be able to watch on TV from sunnier climes.

Bournemouth at home.

Stoke

Liverpool at St. Mary's and another plucky, narrow defeat against "one of der big oneshs"

Home to Norwich

As per the other thread:

First game - Everton at SMS

 

Last game - Norwich away.

I've just picked at random from the list of PL teams next season and then tossed a coin for home (heads) or away (tails, obv.)

According to this, we'll have Southampton (Away) as our first game of the season.

I think I may need to review my methodology.

I've just picked at random from the list of PL teams next season and then tossed a coin for home (heads) or away (tails, obv.)

 

According to this, we'll have Southampton (Away) as our first game of the season.

 

I think I may need to review my methodology.

Excellent, 3 point for us, but Ron needs to get us beating these mid-table teams if we are to push on.

For some reason I was thinking Stoke as well

Swansea (H), Man Utd (A), West Ham (H) as our first three. Watford on Boxing Day.

Or just stats. It would be weird if one team didn't get a run like that. 4 of the same result in a 50/50 becomes very likely over time.

If you assume its a random selection. Its not, it is supposed to work out to be fair over a 2 season cycle. It is odd already to have been away first three times.

Watford on Boxing Day.

Easy games at the start and end of the season please and tough games in the middle. That way we can make early headway in the league but whatever the situation we find ourselves in at the end we have a few easier games to fall back on.

Norwich home first please.

Sunderland away. A 0-0 against the side rejuvenated by Advocaat.

Man City at home, put your house on it!

Sunderland away. A 0-0 against the side rejuvenated by Advocaat.

All been there, still feel like crap the next day.

West Ham home - plus I want to be at home on Boxing day for a change.

Any match that I know I can't get to as be at the cricket watching the Aussies stuff us at Trent Bridge. So Swansea away.

The FA will want to ensure that the little clubs are kept in there place so will make it a hard away game for us

Probably Bournemouth at there place

they will be trying so hard to beat us it sunbelievable and our players will be thinking its only our old Polish goalkeeper and Midfielder we didn't need we can win this by not even turning up to the races

People were saying on another thread that we're opposite Boscombe & they don't play at home bank holiday in may or Aug. If that is the case we'll also be home the week before Aug bank holiday as its the Bournemouth airshow.

I'm going to guess we'll be home to Leicester. They usually feed at least one of the promoted teams to the top 6... so Watford v Liverpool and Everton v Chelsea.

Bournemouth to play Stoke away. This is all guesswork.

Decided to run some random fixture pairings which means that when one of these is home the other will be away:

Newcastle/Sunderland

Everton/Liverpool

Man Utd/Man City

WBA/Villa

Stoke/Leicester

Watford/Chelsea

Spurs/Arsenal

Saints/Bournemouth

West Ham/Palace

leaving

Norwich/Swansea who are out on a limb and left over.

They could go with West Ham/Norwich but I vaguely remember than when West Ham are home, it's something mad like Southend are away, Colchester are home, Ipswich are away and Norwich are home, so that wouldn't work...

Anyway, it won't be Bournemouth.

People were saying on another thread that we're opposite Boscombe & they don't play at home bank holiday in may or Aug. If that is the case we'll also be home the week before Aug bank holiday as its the Bournemouth airshow.

Yeah, that was me, based on the Leeds riot there back in the 80s EDIT: It was 1990. There's an article out there somewhere, I'll try and dig it out.

Here it is: http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb/news/news/2013-14/jun/how-the-fixture-list-is-compiled.html

There are the "golden rules" of sequencing. In any five matches there should be a split of three home fixtures, two away or the other way around. A team will never have more than two home or away matches in a row and wherever possible you will be home and away around FA Cup ties. A club will never start or finish the season with two home or two away matches because it would be unfair for a team to finish with two aways, especially if they are looking for points. Around the Christmas period, if you are at home on Boxing Day you will be away on New Year’s Day or the equivalent date and we will also try to maintain a Saturday home-away sequence throughout the season wherever possible.

Most clubs will have a partner club that they cannot clash with. There are the obvious ones - Manchester United and Manchester City, Liverpool and Everton - and then when you get into London it gets a little bit more complex and less obvious. For example, you have got the likes of Dagenham & Redbridge and Leyton Orient, who wish to be away when West Ham United are scheduled a home match.

Last season, for example, there was a requirement from the Metropolitan Police not to play high-profile matches until after 8 September because of the Olympics and Paralympics.

We look at whether we have got clubs from the same area travelling on the same trainlines across the Football League and the Premier League on the same day. We want to avoid having various "pinch points" on the rail and road network. We also tell the computer to try to minimise travel on Boxing Day and New Year's Day.

Also some interesting stuff here: http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/sport/football/football-news/how-201516-football-league-fixtures-9455917

Why would a club want a home or an away game on a certain date? It doesn't matter really, does it?

Clubs must get their requests signed off by police, and must be for good reason.

Usual instances include wanting an away day so as to not clash with a local music festival, event or conference.

For instance, Coventry City FC are unlikely to have a home match on the August Bank Holiday weekend due to the Insomnia Gaming Festival taking place at the Ricoh Arena across the three-day weekend.

Here's the bit about Leeds rioting from the Parliamentary record: http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1990/may/08/football-violence-bournemouth

Saturday a second division football match took place at Dean Court, Boscombe, between Bournemouth and Leeds United. I understand from the chief constable of Dorset, whom I have asked for a full report, that there was serious disorder in the town over the entire weekend, mainly involving Leeds supporters. To date, 104 arrests have been made and criminal damage totalling around £40,000 has been reported. Many police officers were hurt, and 12 received serious injuries.

The scenes of violent disorder witnessed in Bournemouth were absolutely disgraceful. I extend my sympathy to all those police officers who were injured and to all the law-abiding people who suffered as a consequence of the behaviour of vicious hooligans. Once again, the police had to bear the brunt of a ferocious attack, and conducted themselves with great courage and professionalism. In other towns also, they had to cope with hooligan behaviour.

Serious disorder was anticipated by the police at Bournemouth and repeated requests were made to the football authorities to reschedule the fixture, the first such request being made as long ago as last June. It is for the football authorities to explain why they did not respond positively to those requests. I have called in both the Football League and the Football Association to discuss the matter, and I will be seeing the league later today, and possibly a representative of the Football Association. It is high time that the football authorities heeded rather than ignored sensible advice.

...I agree that the Football League has to accept its responsibility and I suggest—I hope that the Home Secretary will endorse this suggestion—that we cannot wait until the last day of the season, when promotion and relegation have to be decided, and when matches have to kick off at the same time, for obvious reasons—[HON. MEMBERS: "Why?"] Because it would give clubs an advantage or a disadvantage. It might be more sensible to ask the Association of Chief Police Officers and the Football League to meet at the beginning of the season before fixtures are published to make necessary changes then rather than wait until trouble is imminent. I hope that the Home Secretary will endorse that suggestion.

Yeah, that was me, based on the Leeds riot there back in the 80s. There's an article out there somewhere, I'll try and dig it out.

 

Here it is: http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb/news/news/2013-14/jun/how-the-fixture-list-is-compiled.html

 

There are the "golden rules" of sequencing. In any five matches there should be a split of three home fixtures, two away or the other way around. A team will never have more than two home or away matches in a row and wherever possible you will be home and away around FA Cup ties. A club will never start or finish the season with two home or two away matches because it would be unfair for a team to finish with two aways, especially if they are looking for points. Around the Christmas period, if you are at home on Boxing Day you will be away on New Year’s Day or the equivalent date and we will also try to maintain a Saturday home-away sequence throughout the season wherever possible.

 

Most clubs will have a partner club that they cannot clash with. There are the obvious ones - Manchester United and Manchester City, Liverpool and Everton - and then when you get into London it gets a little bit more complex and less obvious. For example, you have got the likes of Dagenham & Redbridge and Leyton Orient, who wish to be away when West Ham United are scheduled a home match.

 

Last season, for example, there was a requirement from the Metropolitan Police not to play high-profile matches until after 8 September because of the Olympics and Paralympics.

 

We look at whether we have got clubs from the same area travelling on the same trainlines across the Football League and the Premier League on the same day. We want to avoid having various "pinch points" on the rail and road network. We also tell the computer to try to minimise travel on Boxing Day and New Year's Day.

Looking at that and taking into account Bournemouth bank holiday/airshow situation , I'm guessing they'll be ; Away,home ,away , away. Which, unless we play them , will mean us being ; home,away,home,home.

Bournemouth away

Some more up to date stuff from the Football League: http://www.football-league.co.uk/news/article/2015/behind-the-scenes-at-the-football-league-compiling-the-fixture-list-2487748.aspx

As well as the yearly festivals and other events, we have the Rugby World Cup this year - how has that affected the fixture list?

We've got numerous clubs involved with the Rugby World Cup across all leagues, not necessarily hosting games but being used as host cities, and that will have an impact on their local infrastructure. Exeter is one, and Cardiff is another.

There's been a number of requests from the Rugby World Cup organisers, who we've been liaising with for a couple of years to make sure we can get the games on at our stadiums, which is in the clubs' interests, and in the World Cup organisers' interest that they can get their games played on schedule.

As always there are a number of clubs refurbishing their stadiums over the summer, which has had an impact around the opening set of fixtures in particular. Those clubs ideally want to buy an extra few days at the start of the season by playing away first, just in case they have a slight delay in building work. (Could be relevant to Bournemouth)...

we also have a responsibility to maximise clubs' revenue. We try to ensure that local derbies and the other high profile fixtures are played on the best days possible, so as many fans as possible can attend. - usually not midweek, but also not in summer when people are away, or the last game which is well attended anyway

Each of those requests has an impact on not only that club's fixtures, but the club they pair with, and if they're in a multi-club policing area, then those clubs also. In the West Midlands, for example, one date request will have an effect on all six clubs within that area. It's a case of knitting together a web.

Looking at that and taking into account Bournemouth bank holiday/airshow situation , I'm guessing they'll be ; Away,home ,away , away. Which, unless we play them , will mean us being ; home,away,home,home.

Certainly wouldn't hurt to have 3 early homes with the Europa League PlayOff round matches around the middle/end of August. Then again, that means more aways later when the games could be more important. Depends who we're playing of course.

PS that sequence wouldn't change even if we did play them, one of us would be home and one away.

Since we've been back in the prem, all our openers have been away; got to be due a home game, preferably not on TV.

And finally: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/paulfletcher/2009/06/secrets_of_the_fixture_compute.html

West Ham, it turns out, are paired with Dagenham and Redbridge. But for reasons of revenue Southend request they do not play at home on the same day as the Hammers as they believe it impacts upon their attendance.Football League fixtures officer Paul Snellgrove, Glenn Thompson of Atos Origin and FSF president Ian Todd with the actual fixtures computer

Southend, though, are in Essex, as are Colchester, so they cannot play together on the same weekend. Colchester share stewards with Ipswich so those two clubs also request they do not play home games on the same weekend. Transport links dictate Ipswich and Norwich do not play together on the same weekend either. In other words, when West Ham play at home can have an impact on when a club as far away as Norwich (108.8 miles) play their home fixtures. And there are 12 other professional clubs in London....

the games either side of an FA Cup fixture should not both be away from home.

These might include issues such as potentially sensitive fixtures being played on the opening or final weekends of the season and derby fixtures taking place in midweek. - which obviously contradicts the "maximising revenue" stuff from the FL, so their opinion on this may have changed since 2009...

Since we've been back in the prem, all our openers have been away; got to be due a home game, preferably not on TV.

Why preferably not on tv? It's going to be on a Sunday (or Monday for tv) anyway.

Actually, given that we're playing the Europa League 3rd Qualifying Round 2nd Leg on the Thursday before (August 6th) but not the Thursday after, Monday night would probably suit us.

Since we've been back in the prem, all our openers have been away; got to be due a home game, preferably not on TV.

I reckon there's a very good chance it will be on TV, as it's on Sunday and the TV companies will be looking for a game to show that day.

I'm going for Home against Norwich

I'm going for Crystal Palace at SMS. Would be nice to finish the season at home too' date=' seeing as we were away first & last games, last season.[/quote']

 

That brings back memories of a centre back pairing of Alan Bennett and Chris Makin.

That brings back memories of a centre back pairing of Alan Bennett and Chris Makin.

So bad they made Jamie Scowcroft look world class.

Everton home - watch this space

Arsenal v Crystal Palace

Aston Villa v Newcastle

Chelsea v Liverpool

Everton v Leicester

Man Utd v Watford

Saints v Norwich

Stoke v West Brom

Sunderland v Man City

Tottenham v Bournemouth

West Ham v Swansea

Just a guess... Maybe reverse Arsenal v Palace

My entrails say Naaaarrrrch at home and we will win 4-3

Arsenal v Crystal Palace

Aston Villa v Newcastle

Chelsea v Liverpool

Everton v Leicester

Man Utd v Watford

Saints v Norwich

Stoke v West Brom

Sunderland v Man City

Tottenham v Bournemouth

West Ham v Swansea

 

Just a guess... Maybe reverse Arsenal v Palace

There's a lot of not-twinning going on there... you've got Arsenal and Spurs both at home for a start.

There's a lot of not-twinning going on there... you've got Arsenal and Spurs both at home for a start.

As I've just changed

It won't be Hull City away, sadly for me.

It will be away to Bompey. Or possibly them at ours. It has fix written all over it.

If I was to place money- it would be a top 6 club I reckon- either at home or away.

This is because our game will almost definitely be moved to Sunday (or Monday) as a result of our Europa League game, and therefore to make our game worth watching to the wider public it will be a massive game to a top 6 club.

1st Wet Spam away.......... You read it here first.

Last Leicester Home.

I'm going for Leicester away.

There's a rumour that Man City will play Chelsea on the opening day & Man U have got Bournemouth.