Bristolhibby Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 It appears in the infinate wisdom of Scottish Football the final game between the Championship champions and one of the main playoff contenders has been moved to Sunday 3rd MAy beacuse of TV coverage. This was announced on the SPFL website, as if it were just an average fixture. http://spfl.co.uk/news/article/fixture-amendment-90/ WTF!?! Giving Rangers a distinct advantage in the race for second, to know exactly what is required of them to secure second. THE FINAL GAMES OF THE SEASON ALL HAVE TO KICK OFF AT THE SAME TIME. How much clearer can we be, really brings into question the sporting integrity. J Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
At U Peter Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 They'll have to move them all surely? That's outrageous Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_B81 Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 Hibs will be (rightly) seething at this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shotts56 Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 (edited) Giving Rangers a distinct advantage in the race for second, to know exactly what is required of them to secure second. THE FINAL GAMES OF THE SEASON ALL HAVE TO KICK OFF AT THE SAME TIME. How much clearer can we be, really brings into question the sporting integrity. J Agree, its a fundamental principle of football all over the world that deciding league games all have to be played at the same time. Has been that way since the 1982 World Cup game that saw West Germany and Austria fix a 1-0 result that put them both through and eliminated Algeria, who had already played. Sadly, the SPFL must be the only association in the world who completely ignore that. They did the same with the split this season. Going into Saturday there, the last two top-six places were between St Johnstone, Dundee and Hamilton. St Johnstone and Hamilton's fixtures finished at 5pm on Saturday, and Dundee have a two week rest before their last pre-split game against Celtic on 22 April. Hamilton made a balls-up of it so it didn't matter, but we could very easily have had a scenario of everyone finished apart from Dundee, giving them a clear advantage going into their outstanding game in a knowing exactly what they have to do, and nothing anyone else could do about it. Edited April 15, 2015 by Shotts56 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dipped flake Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 Not often I agree with Peter Lawell but we really should just tell Sky and BT to bolt and get back to playing all our games on a Saturday at 3pm. Get a half-decent highlights package on a SATURDAY evening and that's it. If fans want to watch a game they have to go to it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShedTA Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 Not often I agree with Peter Lawell but we really should just tell Sky and BT to bolt and get back to playing all our games on a Saturday at 3pm. Get a half-decent highlights package on a SATURDAY evening and that's it. If fans want to watch a game they have to go to it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wembley67lisbon Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 Not often I agree with Peter Lawell but we really should just tell Sky and BT to bolt and get back to playing all our games on a Saturday at 3pm. Get a half-decent highlights package on a SATURDAY evening and that's it. If fans want to watch a game they have to go to it What did lawwell say? If he is saying this that's only a good thing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swifty's cakes Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 Not often I agree with Peter Lawell but we really should just tell Sky and BT to bolt and get back to playing all our games on a Saturday at 3pm. Get a half-decent highlights package on a SATURDAY evening and that's it. If fans want to watch a game they have to go to it There is surely nobody in Scotland that could disagree with these sentiments. As for the original post, what a ridiculous decision. Hopefully there will be a fall-out from this and the decision will be reversed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErsatzThistle Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 There is surely nobody in Scotland that could disagree with these sentiments. Only opposition I can think of would be the thousands of armchair Old Firm fans that profess to be "super fans" but haven't been to a single game in over twenty years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giblet Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 Leanne's no happy, “I have been in contact with the SPFL following its announcement that one final round fixture would kick off after all the other results are known. I have reminded them in very clear terms that - as the organiser of the competition - the responsibility for protecting its unimpeachable sporting integrity lies with them.” Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pool Q Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 Totally indefensible, they surely can't seriously think it is acceptable to play this after games involving other clubs involved in chasing the play-off places. Nothing to do with the teams involved, just basic principles of integrity (don't laugh) and fairness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
At U Peter Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 Only opposition I can think of would be the thousands of armchair Old Firm fans that profess to be "super fans" but haven't been to a single game in over twenty years. The kunts who ruin it for the actual supporters who keep the club going Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddardStark Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 ach the Hearts v Rangers game wont matter by then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AberdeenAngus Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 ach the Hearts v Rangers game wont matter by then. Another administration or liquidation? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
braveheart_lynch Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 Do Hearts and Rangers receive extra TV £££ for the fixture change? Or are these things ironed out before the season kicks off? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hannibal smith Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 Shocking decision although not surprising nice to see Ann Budge speak out on this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giblet Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 Shocking decision although not surprising nice to see Ann Budge speak out on this. Yup, you have a cracking one there Hannibal. Great statement. At 10.43am today, the club received notice from the SPFL that our last home game of the season v Rangers is to be moved to Sunday 3rd May at 12.30pm. This was the first notification of any change that we received. This has been done following selection of the game for a live TV broadcast. While we all knew that this was likely to be a strong candidate for televising and that the time might well change, we did not for one minute think that at this late stage, it would be moved to the Sunday….especially given our belief that all Championship games would require to be played at the same time. Previously in the season we delayed the sale of tickets for the first Rangers game as long as we could as we realised that this fixture was highly attractive to broadcasters and likely for selection. In relation to this game, we attempted to do the same but in this case, it would seem to no avail. On learning of the change, I immediately attempted to contact the SPFL and objected in strong terms to the proposed late change to this fixture on the grounds of it having a total disregard for the interests of supporters of both clubs and an apparent disregard for sporting integrity. I also spoke directly to Police Scotland who share our frustration and informed me that they had written with some strong reasons for objecting to the changed fixture, including duplication of work for them, re-allocation of resources, etc. but once again, to no avail. Being given 17 days’ notice of this change is extremely disruptive and potentially very expensive for the fans, the sponsors and indeed the club. Overseas supporters have been in touch to advise that they will lose substantial amounts on travel; others have advised of lost earnings, holiday problems, etc. None of this is good for any of us and on behalf of the club, I can only apologise. When it also became apparent to us that our fixture was the only game to be moved, we were equally alarmed as rightly or wrongly, this casts a shadow over the sporting integrity of the Championship. While it may not be enshrined in the newly merged rule book of the SPFL, it is protocol the football world over for fixtures such as the last day of the Championship to be played simultaneously. To move only one, (or even 2 or 4) out of 5 fixtures would seem to be leaving our game wide open to unsavoury accusations. I wrote, raising this point, to the SPFL, copying all clubs. Correspondence received from the SPFL asking Championship clubs to state their case for a move, does little to alleviate our concerns re the perception of this matter. I will be sending in a formal complaint to the SPFL in relation to this appallingly late decision. It is no wonder that clubs are finding it harder and harder to gain support from their fans when their interests can be so blatantly disregarded, especially at such short notice. I am advised that this complaint will likely have no impact on the original decision but nevertheless, I want our supporters to know that we have taken all and any action that we could have and I will further comment on the situation once we have been updated by the League. Ann Budge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnie x Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 I was on here a month or so ago castigating the rugby saying how stupid it was that all the games kicked off at different times and one team had a huge advantage knowing what target they were aiming for. I forgot I was a fan of Scottish football Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wembley67lisbon Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 I was on here a month or so ago castigating the rugby saying how stupid it was that all the games kicked off at different times and one team had a huge advantage knowing what target they were aiming for. I forgot I was a fan of Scottish football Yeh usually the rugby won't have such a situation but England had a huge advantage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnie x Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 SPFL now saying they don't see any problems with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OLAS Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 Great statement from Budge. She's a keeper. Hope she digs deep and ensures Hearts win at all costs with a tasty win bonus. It's a shocking decision by the SPFL who clearly want to get back in the good books with their newest club. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Menschlich Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 By the looks of tonights game it won't matter anyway and Hibs will have 2nd wrapped up before then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toepoke Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 SPFL now saying they don't see any problems with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toepoke Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 The statement is "an embarrassment to the SPFL" says Tom English there... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rabmania Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 Richard Gordon apoplectic on radio now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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