2011/12 Season Start Date

[heppy1]

The SPL Board have announced that the 2011/12 Clydesdale Bank Premier League Season will start on Saturday 23 July 2011.

 

An earlier start date is an important part of the SPL

[Foster14]

SPL clubs can request that one fixture early in the season be postponed to take part in such tournaments. As an example, the SPL Board has given permission for Celtic to participate in the Dublin Super Cup over the weekend of 30 and 31 July.

 

LOL!

 

When the fixtures are announced each of Celtic's first 4 or 5 opponents should arrange a tournament against some local sides and get the SPL fixture called off. :idea:

 

Other than that, seems like a sensible idea to start a bit earlier and give the opportunity for more breathing space round the winter.

[spamspamspam]

LOL!

 

When the fixtures are announced each of Celtic's first 4 or 5 opponents should arrange a tournament against some local sides and get the SPL fixture called off. :idea:

 

Other than that, seems like a sensible idea to start a bit earlier and give the opportunity for more breathing space round the winter.

[K-9]

The SPL Board have announced that the 2011/12 Clydesdale Bank Premier League Season will start on Saturday 23 July 2011.

 

An earlier start date is an important part of the SPL

[boboisared]

Absolutely ridiculous.

And when Celtic are moaning they have to play a build up of games at some point mid week they'll no doubt forget about this pish.

[seanthesheep]

And when Celtic are moaning they have to play a build up of games at some point mid week they'll no doubt forget about this pish.

 

I am flockin sick of this Old Firm pandering.

[rossafc92]

The SPL allowing the ugly sisters to walk all over them yet again.

 

If it was up to me, I would insist on them playing on the dates the SPL decided on. Say for example on the opening day of the season, Celtic are meant to come to Pittodrie. However, they've chosen to play in their meaningless pre-season tournament. I'd press on as usual as if we they were still coming and just wait for them on the pitch. They fail to turn up, and we are awarded a 5-0 victory. This happens for every league game that they don't play on the planned date.

 

Absolutely fed up with the Old Firm, however I'm more fed up with the way everything is done to suit them.

[RUL]

I seriously can't believe I just read this! Total fkn joke.

[Tommy]

Geez WTF are these clowns who are ruining the game thinking of.

[Jaws]

So basically if the OF want to play n a meaningless mini tournament at the start of the season then they can postpone a game? Wtf is that all about? Lets face it, no one else in the league will be fannying around in meanigless events when the season is starting. This definitely reeks of pandering to the OF.

[Westhill Red]

Total farce from the OFA good way to make our league look even more unprofessional when the huns and tims are swanning off after the start of the season to play in pre season friendlies! I hope trigger this clause if a few of our key players are out injured and we're due to play either sides of the OF.

[zander]

Authorities bowing to the pressure of the scum again, f**k them.

[MightyDons]

Total farce from the OFA good way to make our league look even more unprofessional when the huns and tims are swanning off after the start of the season to play in pre season friendlies! I hope trigger this clause if a few of our key players are out injured and we're due to play either sides of the OF.

 

Lets be honest, no matter what the SPL do, people would still moan about it!

 

Our season is starting earlier, something we have all wanted to happen for some time to help clubs in europe and also help the fixture schedule in winter time. Most summer leagues allow breaks for their clubs to compete in tournaments, so why just because we have included it, does it make our league look unprofessional?

 

I'm sure clubs will have to still make requests to the SPL, so using injuries as an excuse is not going to be allowed. It might actually play into the hands of Non Old Firm teams, as they will have played more competitive games than these "glamour" friendlies.

 

Give credit where its due. Positive changes being introduced. Now all we need is synthetic surfaces (for us at least) and dropping the 10 team league idea and we are sorted!

[K-9]

The SPL allowing the ugly sisters to walk all over them yet again.

 

If it was up to me, I would insist on them playing on the dates the SPL decided on. Say for example on the opening day of the season, Celtic are meant to come to Pittodrie. However, they've chosen to play in their meaningless pre-season tournament. I'd press on as usual as if we they were still coming and just wait for them on the pitch. They fail to turn up, and we are awarded a 5-0 victory. This happens for every league game that they don't play on the planned date.

 

Absolutely fed up with the Old Firm, however I'm more fed up with the way everything is done to suit them.

So basically Celtic and Rangers can decide to cancel a Saturday SPL game away to Aberdeen, Hearts, Dundee United, St Johnstone, Motherwell or whoever, in order to go and play some money making tourney, meaning game at wherever will be re-scheduled for midweek and undoubtedly a much lower crowd leading to club losing a lot of cash.

 

Basically giving Old Firm license to screw over other SPL club into losing money just for them to be able to go off and make more money. If AFC and other SPL clubs don't stand up to SPL and tell them straight here then they deserve everything coming to them.

 

Imagine opening day of season Aberdeen v Celtic - probably 18-19k fans in the sun with big hope for season. Celtic cancel as they want to play Emirates friendly tourney to make load of cash and game is then re-scheduled for September midweek as Celtic have European games. Crowd could then be 12/13k midweek meanign AFC lose out on 6k fans at 22 quid a head. Completely barmy and clubs must speak out.

[K-9]

LOL!

 

When the fixtures are announced each of Celtic's first 4 or 5 opponents should arrange a tournament against some local sides and get the SPL fixture called off. :idea:

 

Other than that, seems like a sensible idea to start a bit earlier and give the opportunity for more breathing space round the winter.

This is exactly what the other clubs should get together and threaten to do.

[madjockmcferson]

If I wanted to give the SPHell the benefit of the doubt I'd say they have given everyone the option to cancel their first game as clubs have already made arrangements for the start of next season.....I would not expect this after next season.

 

....that is IF i wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt.....f**k its hard...

[muttonhumper]

This is pretty f**king astonishing stuff.

 

 

Even by Scottish Football standards.

f**k me.

[Bamber]

here's a thought

 

Season starts on 23rd July - which will enhcnce the opportunities for clubs in europe with the earlier start date

 

yet clubs can now postpone gmames to play glamour friendlies

 

Say the old computer throws up hearts ve rangers first match and celtic hearts 2nd match

 

hearts season opener could be in august - BUt have a european game in July

 

So the aim of helping the euro co-efficient goes out the window by starting the season early goes out of the window

 

terrible terrible decision.

 

I have no problem with Celtic playing in this friendly none whatsoever

 

Celtic should have to chose

 

first whether to take part in the friendly

 

secondly which player in their squad will play in the spl and which will take place in the tournament

 

there is NO reason why celtic should not have just been told you want to play in that tournie fine but you WILL meet the spl fixture list. How you do so is your choice.

 

yet again the OF bring the SPL into disrepute by their actions belittling the SPL

[K-9]

here's a thought

 

Season starts on 23rd July - which will enhcnce the opportunities for clubs in europe with the earlier start date

 

yet clubs can now postpone gmames to play glamour friendlies

 

Say the old computer throws up hearts ve rangers first match and celtic hearts 2nd match

 

hearts season opener could be in august - BUt have a european game in July

 

So the aim of helping the euro co-efficient goes out the window by starting the season early goes out of the window

 

terrible terrible decision.

 

I have no problem with Celtic playing in this friendly none whatsoever

 

Celtic should have to chose

 

first whether to take part in the friendly

 

secondly which player in their squad will play in the spl and which will take place in the tournament

 

there is NO reason why celtic should not have just been told you want to play in that tournie fine but you WILL meet the spl fixture list. How you do so is your choice.

 

yet again the OF bring the SPL into disrepute by their actions belittling the SPL

Celtic already been given 2nd weekend of season off. Now assuming Celtic win league their first game will be at home so 2nd will be away. Which club will the SPL then CHOOSE to lose out financially by having to reschedule their home game against Celtic?

[heppy1]

I can tell you right now which club it won't be.

 

There was talk of this on Sportsound the other week, there was an idea being mooted around regarding playing the 2nd round of the League Cup on the weekend of the 30th (Euro qualifying teams given a bye) which would potentially resolve the issue.

 

Not the point though I know.

that would work unless rangers ask for week 1 or 3 off to play a money spinning game

[Tord31]

The way this announcement has been worded makes the spl look like an even bigger joke when you'd have thought it couldn't get any worse.

 

So seriously any team can cancel a fixture if they have a friendly well I hope afc or another spl side have the audacity to make a statement of 'oh rangers away on the first day of the season that's a pity we forgot to mention we've actually darren mackies testimonial that day aye remember him wellbit of a glamour tie organised for that against loco works certainly gonna be one of the glamour games in the shire this summer so anyway better scrap that fixture away to rangers'.

 

You just frickin' know no other spl team will cancel a match though, infuriating

[scarlet pimpernel]

a friendly should not be allowed to take precedence over a competitive league fixture. any team who had already arranged a pre-season game should be told if they must go ahead with the game they will need to field a second string at the friendly.

[madjockmcferson]

a friendly should not be allowed to take precedence over a competitive league fixture. any team who had already arranged a pre-season game should be told if they must go ahead with the game they will need to field a second string at the friendly.

 

It should if the friendly was organised before this announcement, which appears to be the case. Can't blame clubs for arranging games when they don't think the league would have started and they have signed contracts for friendlies.

 

Agree about clubs losing money if a re-arranged game is midweek but other than that i don't see that the OF could have forseen this .....

[red donut]

if the huns & the tims are off the same weekend for their annual humbling in the preaseason quartet thingy down south, then they should be paired to play each other and then settle on a date later to play their rearranged game..

[scarlet pimpernel]

It should if the friendly was organised before this announcement, which appears to be the case. Can't blame clubs for arranging games when they don't think the league would have started and they have signed contracts for friendlies.

 

Agree about clubs losing money if a re-arranged game is midweek but other than that i don't see that the OF could have forseen this .....

 

nonsense. they just send a second eleven to the friendly. they mean the square root of sod all anyway.

[thebladder]

if the huns & the tims are off the same weekend for their annual humbling in the preaseason quartet thingy down south, then they should be paired to play each other and then settle on a date later to play their rearranged game..

 

good shout.

[RUL]

Its the only sensible shout.

[Ron1903]

Not much more to add to what has already been said, feckin ridiculous decision as usual from the SFA.

 

Whoel point of the change is to start the season early to help teams be better prepared for UEFA cup games but then they will just cancel the games if the OF are away cashing in elsewhere. So not only will teams lose out a possible bumper payday large crowd at start of the season against the OF they will still ne unprepared for their UEFA cup game.

 

100% agree with one of the earlier posts, all teams playing the OF in first few weeks of season should arrange a diddy friendly and ruin the OF's games.

 

Actualyl getting to the point I feel liek refusing to go to any games in the SPL any mroe, these f**kwits don't deserve a single penny, and I include our team in this as surely this decision had to come from a vote by all teams?

 

FTOF

[K-9]

I can tell you right now which club it won't be.

 

There was talk of this on Sportsound the other week, there was an idea being mooted around regarding playing the 2nd round of the League Cup on the weekend of the 30th (Euro qualifying teams given a bye) which would potentially resolve the issue.

 

Not the point though I know.

Would defeat the purpose of the early start which is to help teams get up to speed for early rounds in Europe. So we can guess it won't be Hearts who Celtic play that weekend or whoever else eventually qualifies for Europa.

[K-9]

Crazy that as things stand if Celtic were to become champions (more than likely will this season) they will be due to play Qualifying round 3 of the Champions League on 26/27 July with the 2nd leg on 2/3 August yet inbetween they are cancelling an SPL game to go to Dublin to play 2 games over weekend in a friendly tournament. It is crazy.