League 1 extra fixtures

[Barley Mow]

With the fixtures for League One having been arranged for an 11 team division and West Wales having folded, the remaining clubs are down to nine home and nine away regular season league matches this year.

On the two weeks where West Wales were scheduled to have a bye, all ten teams will be playing each other, but every other week there will be two teams who now have a bye. Does anyone connected with any of these clubs know whether they are considering friendly matches between the two clubs that have byes each week? Would it be worthwhile for the clubs?

[Jughead]

They considered loop games to boost the fixture list but decided against it. 

As for friendlies, unless there’s big gaps in the fixture list I don’t know if clubs would arrange friendlies. 

[Barley Mow]

1 minute ago, Jughead said:

They considered loop games to boost the fixture list but decided against it. 

As for friendlies, unless there’s big gaps in the fixture list I don’t know if clubs would arrange friendlies. 

Yes, as I understand it, loop games were ruled out because the clubs thought it was too close to the start of the season to rearrange the whole schedule.

As for gaps in the fixture list, they have 18 league matches over 22 rounds. Then there will be additional empty weeks once teams are knocked out of the Challenge Cup.

I was thinking there is a good opportunity for extra matches and income, but risk of injuries and potentially smaller crowds for a friendly, etc may mean it isn't worthwhile.

I'd be interested to know if any club has considered it, I think Rochdale are still advertising season tickets as being 10 home matches and I think it was them who said that they were planning a further announcement when they issued their statement about West Wales' demise.

[Anita Bath]

I think it was Oldham who said in a statement that they were deciding on how best to compensate season tickets holders for the ‘lost’ home game.

However I dont do twitterweb or facebook so Hornets might have said something on those feeds.

[Gerrumonside ref]

How about a new cup competition between L1 and lower part of the Championship?

You could perhaps have a regional group phase to regulate the number of guaranteed home games and maximise local derbies.

Then have a short knockout phase to create a final played at a neutral venue.

Edited January 12, 2023 by Gerrumonside ref

[gingerjon]

3 minutes ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

How about a new cup competition between L1 and lower part of the Championship?

Or just put the 1895 Cup back as it was?

[Gerrumonside ref]

Just now, gingerjon said:

Or just put the 1895 Cup back as it was?

Maybe, I can’t remember it’s exact format, but I just think the competition level between the bottom of the Championship and League 1 is closer so I would exclude the Championship top teams.

The regional groups was an idea for guaranteed local derbies like Oldham/Swinton/Rochdale.  Also there’s a guaranteed income stream there for home games.

From a punter perspective in L1 then maybe the chance of competing in a cup that you could hold your own in is more interesting than loop fixtures in a league that is already settled.

Obviously though this is easier to float than organise.

 

[Chris22]

The Northern Rail Cup in the mid to late 00's was outstanding, even the group stages at the start. I've never understood why we got rid.

[EssexRL]

25 minutes ago, Chris22 said:

The Northern Rail Cup in the mid to late 00's was outstanding, even the group stages at the start. I've never understood why we got rid.

Totally agree. 

[gingerjon]

29 minutes ago, Chris22 said:

The Northern Rail Cup in the mid to late 00's was outstanding, even the group stages at the start. I've never understood why we got rid.

I have a vague memory it was because they couldn't find a sponsor.

[RigbyLuger]

And moved the final to a home stadium of a club involved in the competition!

[Jughead]

I liked the Northern Rail and the finals on tele were often great games that had a good crowd in Blackpool and felt like a relatively big event. 

I’m not sure how it fits in when the Championship has a 25 game season and commitments to the Challenge Cup on top of a group stage that used to be 3-4 games, from memory. 

[Blind side johnny]

I am told, and please correct me if you know this to be incorrect, that players don't get match fees for friendlies.

[Barley Mow]

25 minutes ago, Blind side johnny said:

I am told, and please correct me if you know this to be incorrect, that players don't get match fees for friendlies.

Will that not depend on the individual arrangements between the players and the clubs? If the clubs thought it worthwhile, there wouldn't be anything preventing them paying match fees would there?

[Midlands hobo]

1 hour ago, Blind side johnny said:

I am told, and please correct me if you know this to be incorrect, that players don't get match fees for friendlies.

It's interesting what if they signed a contract for 10 matches. Who knows the wording of the contracts

[Griff]

6 hours ago, Barley Mow said:

Yes, as I understand it, loop games were ruled out because the clubs thought it was too close to the start of the season to rearrange the whole schedule.

They don't need to rearrange the whole schedule.  They could easily add in extra fixtures between the two clubs "resting" on the day.   The fact that they don't suggests that the clubs don't want extra fixtures.

[Griff]

1 hour ago, Barley Mow said:

Will that not depend on the individual arrangements between the players and the clubs? If the clubs thought it worthwhile, there wouldn't be anything preventing them paying match fees would there?

Nothing preventing it but I've never come across players being paid for friendlies.

[Griff]

4 hours ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

How about a new cup competition between L1 and lower part of the Championship?

You could perhaps have a regional group phase to regulate the number of guaranteed home games and maximise local derbies.

Then have a short knockout phase to create a final played at a neutral venue.

When are you thinking that these games will be played ?   I'm thinking of the very busy Championship schedule, rather than the League One schedule here.

[Barley Mow]

1 minute ago, Griff said:

They don't need to rearrange the whole schedule.  They could easily add in extra fixtures between the two clubs "resting" on the day.   The fact that they don't suggests that the clubs don't want extra fixtures.

I thought that after I'd written that post. I can only assume that some of the clubs couldn't guarantee that their ground would be available for additional home matches at short(ish) notice and that was the scheduling issue they had. My suggestion of friendlies would mean there would be no obligation on those clubs - it may be that clubs aren't interested in the extra matches though.

[Griff]

Just now, Barley Mow said:

I thought that after I'd written that post. I can only assume that some of the clubs couldn't guarantee that their ground would be available for additional home matches at short(ish) notice and that was the scheduling issue they had. My suggestion of friendlies would mean there would be no obligation on those clubs - it may be that clubs aren't interested in the extra matches though.

Commercially, I doubt if there's much appetite for one home friendly and a possible huge away trip, depending on how the cards fell.  It'd be a lot cheaper to offer to refund some of the season ticket money - an offer which few season ticket holders would take up, as we discovered a couple of years ago.

[Gerrumonside ref]

32 minutes ago, Griff said:

When are you thinking that these games will be played ?   I'm thinking of the very busy Championship schedule, rather than the League One schedule here.

I don’t know tbh, I’m just floating it at this stage as a cup competition must be better than friendlies for the L1 clubs.  I would completely exclude most of the clubs in the top section of the Championship anyway.  I’m sure where there’s a will, there’s a way in terms of the fixture list.  

Edited January 12, 2023 by Gerrumonside ref

[Joe Aitcheson]

5 minutes ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

I don’t know tbh, I’m just floating it at this stage as a cup competition must be better than friendlies for the L1 clubs.  I would completely exclude most of the clubs in the top section of the Championship anyway.  I’m sure where there’s a will, there’s a way in terms of the fixture list.  

Or, League 1 could just have its own cup competition??? Format to be decided.

[Gerrumonside ref]

22 minutes ago, Joe Aitcheson said:

Or, League 1 could just have its own cup competition??? Format to be decided.

Got to be better than friendlies!

[Griff]

1 hour ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

I don’t know tbh, I’m just floating it at this stage as a cup competition must be better than friendlies for the L1 clubs.  I would completely exclude most of the clubs in the top section of the Championship anyway.  I’m sure where there’s a will, there’s a way in terms of the fixture list.  

I can guarantee Championship clubs won't be involved.

[Blind side johnny]

1 hour ago, Griff said:

They don't need to rearrange the whole schedule.  They could easily add in extra fixtures between the two clubs "resting" on the day.   The fact that they don't suggests that the clubs don't want extra fixtures.

That is probably true. What would be the benefit of such fixtures after all?