Boxing day fixture

[Larry_LCFC]

Is it me or do we always seem to have Ipswich on Boxing Day? (Obviously don't take 'always' literally, we didn't have them last season on Boxing Day, but we seem to have them very often on Boxing Day)

Even as a kid (I'm talking 17 years ago) when I was bought a ticket for the Boxing Day game for Christmas, I think it was for Ipswich, it was called off though because of snow.

[The Doctor]

at least its on the christmas bank holiday - never bloody snows on christmas eve, christmas day or boxing day so we should be able to play on a pitch rather than an ice-rink.

[Bert]

The club request a home fixture for boxing day, mainly due to it being one of the bigger selling games, whoever we play.

[Mike the Metal Ed]

Is it me or do we always seem to have Ipswich on Boxing Day? (Obviously don't take 'always' literally, we didn't have them last season on Boxing Day, but we seem to have them very often on Boxing Day) Even as a kid (I'm talking 17 years ago) when I was bought a ticket for the Boxing Day game for Christmas, I think it was for Ipswich, it was called off though because of snow.

I went to that too, found out it had been called off just as we were crossing the Upperton Road bridge.

[Matt]

I went to that too, found out it had been called off just as we were crossing the Upperton Road bridge. <br style="text-shadow: none;"><br style="text-shadow: none;">

I did exactly the same thing!

I was crossing the road, and everyone was saying 'It's been called off, you may aswell turn back', but we didn't believe them so carried on!

Do you remember what year it was? For some reason I reckon that was the first 'proper' match I went to but not sure (Although, obviously the match never happened on that day) I had only been to FNF before that.

[Mike the Metal Ed]

I was crossing the road, and everyone was saying 'It's been called off, you may aswell turn back', but we didn't believe them so carried on! Do you remember what year it was? For some reason I reckon that was the first 'proper' match I went to but not sure (Although, obviously the match never happened on that day) I had only been to FNF before that.

Boxing Day 1995. Got a ticket for the cup match against Man City as a replacement.

[Matt]

<br style="text-shadow: none;"><br style="text-shadow: none;">Boxing Day 1995. Got a ticket for the cup match against Man City as a replacement.<br style="text-shadow: none;">

Hmmmm dunno then, reckon I went before then, atleast 1994, maybe even 1993.

This game that was called off is certainly one of my first memories of the proper match, Don't remember the Man City cup match so not sure if I went to that

[Donut]

They'll most likely have a few games live on Boxing Day so it's a potential.

And how do we manage to get Ipswich / Leeds so much around Boxing Day?!!

Its because you can only get certain teams as the boxing day fixture.

The boxing day fixture is not random. It is hand picked from a choice of teams and listed as the first fixture on the list.

Its done so to try to limit travel as much as possible (because there is no public transport) and minimize policing cost/ make stewarding as easy as possible (again to reduce cost)

[Donut]

in fact, none of the fixtures that the mystical computer produces are truly 'random'..................its one huge jigsaw that has to be put together to create the fixture list

[Topman]

, I went to that same Ipswich game when it got called off, I was like 13, walked to the ground and thought filbo was a bit empty,didn't know it was postphone, should of checked the good old teletext!

[millzi]

Its because you can only get certain teams as the boxing day fixture.

The boxing day fixture is not random. It is hand picked from a choice of teams and listed as the first fixture on the list.

Its done so to try to limit travel as much as possible (because there is no public transport) and minimize policing cost/ make stewarding as easy as possible (again to reduce cost)

I could think of many games closer to Ipswich than us...Any team in London for example

[Donut]

I could think of many games closer to Ipswich than us...Any team in London for example

Problem is though, a multitude of factors prevent this from happening. Two actual examples that frequently occur are:-

1) The people compiling the fixture lists observe the requests of the clubs that when certain teams are at home, that they play away, and that they DO NOT wish to play at home on the same day as another team. This can be for example, a smaller club attracting a 'casual' fan base from another club, but it is most often where efforts are made trying to limit the proximity of several sets of fans in and around the same close area.

This problem is worse on a 'normal' fixture day particularly in london where several sets of fans are all making travel arrangements across london

2) Some clubs share stewards. For instance, Ipswich Towns stewards also work for Colchester United. Hence, Ipswich Town and Colchester United are 'pegged' together. the fixture alogrithm will make sure that Ipswich's fixtures, and Colchester's dont clash. there are other examples of pegged clubs, I believe West Ham are pegged with Dagenham & Redbridge as a notable example. Other clubs are pegged to ensure police resources arent overstretched, both at games, transport police etc.

You can now see the problem

One teams fixtures can impact another teams fixtures for no apparent reason when you look at the fixture list

Hence, there are only a few teams that Leicester can play on a boxing day fixture.

[Donut]

To illustrate my point, ill share with you a fixture equation that shows you how difficult computing the fixture list is.

This is taken from http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/paulfletcher/2009/06/secrets_of_the_fixture_compute.html

West Ham are paired with Dagenham & Redbridge

Southend wish not to play on the same day at home as West Ham, for reasons of attracting a casual fan base

Colchester cannot play at home when Southend are at home

Colchester's stewards also work for Ipswich, hence, Ipswich cannot be at home on the same day as Colchester

When Ipswich are at home and have use of the stewards, this means that Norwich have to be away, because of transport links

So we now have a situation where West Ham, 100 miles away from Norwich, are affecting each others fixtures, for no 'apparent' reason

[millzi]

Problem is though, a multitude of factors prevent this from happening. Two actual examples that frequently occur are:-

1) The people compiling the fixture lists observe the requests of the clubs that when certain teams are at home, that they play away, and that they DO NOT wish to play at home on the same day as another team. This can be for example, a smaller club attracting a 'casual' fan base from another club, but it is most often where efforts are made trying to limit the proximity of several sets of fans in and around the same close area.

This problem is worse on a 'normal' fixture day particularly in london where several sets of fans are all making travel arrangements across london

2) Some clubs share stewards. For instance, Ipswich Towns stewards also work for Colchester United. Hence, Ipswich Town and Colchester United are 'pegged' together. the fixture alogrithm will make sure that Ipswich's fixtures, and Colchester's dont clash. there are other examples of pegged clubs, I believe West Ham are pegged with Dagenham & Redbridge as a notable example. Other clubs are pegged to ensure police resources arent overstretched, both at games, transport police etc.

You can now see the problem

One teams fixtures can impact another teams fixtures for no apparent reason when you look at the fixture list

Hence, there are only a few teams that Leicester can play on a boxing day fixture.

To illustrate my point, ill share with you a fixture equation that shows you how difficult computing the fixture list is.

This is taken from http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/paulfletcher/2009/06/secrets_of_the_fixture_compute.html

West Ham are paired with Dagenham & Redbridge

Southend wish not to play on the same day at home as West Ham, for reasons of attracting a casual fan base

Colchester cannot play at home when Southend are at home

Colchester's stewards also work for Ipswich, hence, Ipswich cannot be at home on the same day as Colchester

When Ipswich are at home and have use of the stewards, this means that Norwich have to be away, because of transport links

So we now have a situation where West Ham, 100 miles away from Norwich, are affecting each others fixtures, for no 'apparent' reason

Wow, thank you for that bit of information. It really is amazing, I really feel for the people that has to come out with the fixtures, it must/well is, such a long winded process, it's not just football you have to think about either, you have to think of things like rugby as well to avoided the likes of Leicester and Tigers playing at home on the same day. It really is interesting the amount of detail they have to go in to come out with the fixtures. Thank you.