Football

[JD2168]

Was Accrington really the nearest suitable venue? I'd have thought somewhere like Valley Parade (Bradford) or Spotland (Rochdale) would be more convenient for supporters... there's even Huddersfield, as nothing that could be described as football is being played there at the moment! Even the Tetley's Stadium (Dewsbury RLFC) would be easier than Accrington.

Valley Parade (Bradford) is probably out of the question as the pitch there is terrible, there is hardly any grass in places with most of it mud. Huddersfield has the same Rugby League problem as Halifax. Barnsley could have been an option but if they are in the Playoffs then Barnsley would want it more often.

 

[Bantamzen]

Valley Parade (Bradford) is probably out of the question as the pitch there is terrible, there is hardly any grass in places with most of it mud. Huddersfield has the same Rugby League problem as Halifax. Barnsley could have been an option but if they are in the Playoffs then Barnsley would want it more often.

Yeah, our pitch has been shot since we played Liverpool U21s in the Bristol Street Motors Cup, the pitch tore up then the frost got underneath it and it never recovered. Its scheduled to be re-laid again over the summer.

 

[SteveM70]

Huddersfield has the same Rugby League problem as Halifax

They don't though, that's the thing

There are two underlying problems at the Shay. One is that the drainage, especially on the east stand side of the pitch, is absolutely wrecked, and has been since the new stand's foundations were put in during the mid-2000s. There is a lot of talk of concrete having been (presumably inadvertently) put into some of them, and often in the same sentence former chairman Jim Brown's building company gets mentioned. The second problem is the composition of the pitch - it's pretty much a conventional grass pitch, and not a Dessi pitch, which is grass with artificial fibres added to it. These are far more hard wearing and resilient and are considered the gold standard for multi-use (generally football and rugby) pitches, and Huddersfield and Rochdale both have them

Given the council own the ground, its down to them to fix the problems, but (a) they have no funding, (b) there's no political desire to fix it

 

[AndyHudds]

Was Accrington really the nearest suitable venue? I'd have thought somewhere like Valley Parade (Bradford) or Spotland (Rochdale) would be more convenient for supporters... there's even Huddersfield, as nothing that could be described as football is being played there at the moment! Even the Tetley's Stadium (Dewsbury RLFC) would be easier than Accrington.

I did wonder if they had approached Town, I suspect we might have declined though given our current predicament not wanting the pitch damaged for the important games v Swansea and Birmingham. I suspect there might have been a cost issue to Halifax as well in terms of catering given we don't 'own' the catering side of things if they had indeed wanted any catering.

 

[Haywain]

They will get paid some sort of hire fee (which Halifax will recharge to Calderdale Council - let’s see how that pans out) plus obviously their costs

Accrington chairman Andy Holt has said that Halifax will pay the costs of staging the match and keep the proceeds of ticket sales. Accrington will receive 'match day spend' such as food and drink.

 

[Norm_D_Ploom]

They don't though, that's the thing

There are two underlying problems at the Shay. One is that the drainage, especially on the east stand side of the pitch, is absolutely wrecked, and has been since the new stand's foundations were put in during the mid-2000s. There is a lot of talk of concrete having been (presumably inadvertently) put into some of them, and often in the same sentence former chairman Jim Brown's building company gets mentioned. The second problem is the composition of the pitch - it's pretty much a conventional grass pitch, and not a Dessi pitch, which is grass with artificial fibres added to it. These are far more hard wearing and resilient and are considered the gold standard for multi-use (generally football and rugby) pitches, and Huddersfield and Rochdale both have them

Given the council own the ground, its down to them to fix the problems, but (a) they have no funding, (b) there's no political desire to fix it

What I find quite strange is that if they think the drainage is blocked, why they haven't camera surveyed the drainage from the main connection and to try to find the issue to see if it can be cleared without resorting to digging up the pitch.

Of course the pitch being natural turf rather than hybrid may still be an issue Feb to April when the fat lads start using it !

 

[Haywain]

What I find quite strange is that if they think the drainage is blocked, why they haven't camera surveyed the drainage from the main connection and to try to find the issue

Perhaps because the drains are stone or sand filled channels and not pipes (I don't know, but this is possible). It's clear from the problems that Colchester are also having that installing drainage isn't the simple science we would like it to be.

 

[Old Yard Dog]

Given the likely crowds for the Barnet & Ebbsfleet games, Halifax could have played on our 3G pitch at Horsfall which is just 4 or so miles from the Shay.

They have been there for derbies in National League North & the FA Trophy in recent years.

 

[Norm_D_Ploom]

Given the likely crowds for the Barnet & Ebbsfleet games, Halifax could have played on our 3G pitch at Horsfall which is just 4 or so miles from the Shay.

They have been there for derbies in National League North & the FA Trophy in recent years.

National league North being the key word

 

[SteveM70]

Given the likely crowds for the Barnet & Ebbsfleet games, Halifax could have played on our 3G pitch at Horsfall which is just 4 or so miles from the Shay.

They have been there for derbies in National League North & the FA Trophy in recent years.

The trophy game was great. Tom Bradbury last minute equaliser in a 3-4 draw and then win on penners

 

[JD2168]

Biggest shock in the Europa League first legs was Liverpool losing 3-0 at home to Atalanta with Gianluca Scamacca scoring twice. The other matches look fairly close.

The Premier League has announced it will use Semi Automated Technology in VAR decisions to speed up the process. This will start next season.

Sheffield United will start their next EFL season on -2 points after they defaulted on payments to other clubs during the promotion season of 22-23.

 

[Bald Rick]

Sheffield United will start their next EFL season on -2 points after they defaulted on payments to other clubs during the promotion season of 22-23.

next season, then.

 

[Haywain]

Sheffield United will start their next EFL season on -2 points after they defaulted on payments to other clubs during the promotion season of 22-23.

But they'll still have around £60 million more than most other Championship clubs available to spend.

 

[Harvester]

Plymouth 1 Leicester 0. Automatic promotion for Leicester is looking far from certain, as they come away pointless from Plymouth!

 

[75A]

Leeds have just lost at home to Blackburn, don't these teams want to go up?

 

[Iskra]

Leeds have just lost at home to Blackburn, don't these teams want to go up?

Personally, I'd like the £200m prize money, but be able to stay in the Championship.

Farke's football became tired and predictable about 2 months ago, but he's kept playing exactly the same way regardless and subsequently we're dropping points. We also lack the killer instinct to be successful in the play-offs I fear.

 

[DarloRich]

Darlington 3 v Farsley 1.

The great escape is complete. We. Are. Staying.Up!

 

[DannyMich2018]

Leeds have just lost at home to Blackburn, don't these teams want to go up?

Very interesting none of the top 3 teams won this weekend in the Championship and none of them won midweek too so still no clear winner yet. In fact Leeds and Ipswich haven't won in 3 games and us Leicester not won in 2. What is going on?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Northern Premier League...Premier Division

Ashton United and Hyde United are both trying their hardest NOT to qualify for the final available play-off place.

Ashton United 1 ... Ilkeston Town 2

Gainsborough Trinity 4 ... Hyde United 1

*******************************************************************************************

North West Counties Football League...Premier Division

Today's results make for a very tight end to the season for both the two Wythenshawe clubs and for Bury.

Chadderton 1 ... Wythenshawe Town 0

Wythenshawe 1 ... Burscough 1

The Bury v Padiham game was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch. It has been re-scheduled for Tuesday, 16th April to be played at Broadhurst Park, the home of F C United of Manchester.

 

[75A]

Herr Kliperty Klopp isn't so smug now is he?
Two home defeats in 4 days, scoring nil and conceeding 4 means that Liverpools season is looking a bit scraggy now.
Todays scores were:
Liverpool 0 Palace 1 Arsenal 0 Villa 2,
leaving Man City 2 points clear at the top with all having 6 games to play

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Herr Kliperty Klopp isn't so smug now is he?
Two home defeats in 4 days, scoring nil and conceeding 4 means that Liverpools season is looking a bit scraggy now.
Todays scores were:
Liverpool 0 Palace Arsenal 0 Villa 2,
leaving Man City 2 points clear at the top with all having 6 games to play

I wonder what odds the national bookmaking chains would have offered on all three of those fixtures ending in away wins.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I wonder what odds the national bookmaking chains would have offered on all three of those fixtures ending in away wins.

Crystal Palace were, I believe, quoted at 11-1 against with Paddy Power and Aston Villa were 19-2 with Sky Bet, so that's a nice double. Not sure what Luton Town were priced at to win at Manchester City on Saturday, but you'd have lost your money backing them.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Crystal Palace were, I believe, quoted at 11-1 against with Paddy Power and Aston Villa were 19-2 with Sky Bet, so that's a nice double. Not sure what Luton Town were priced at to win at Manchester City on Saturday, but you'd have lost your money backing them.

The third of the three matches played today was that of West Ham United v Fulham, not Manchester City v Luton Town, which was played on Saturday.

 

[1D54]

And 15/8 on a Fulham win at Hammers today.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

The third of the three matches played today was that of West Ham United v Fulham, not Manchester City v Luton Town, which was played on Saturday.

Did you actually quote or mention the West Ham v Fulham game? Anyhoo, as @1D54 mentions, maybe 15-8 against a Fulham win.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Did you actually quote or mention the West Ham v Fulham game? Anyhoo, as @1D54 mentions, maybe 15-8 against a Fulham win.

I thought that it was the three matches being played today that were being discussed.

I see that the Bury match that was cancelled on Saturday because of a waterlogged pitch is scheduled to be played this coming week on the Broadhurst Park ground of FC United of Manchester.

 

[JD2168]

What a crucial weekend this weekend may prove to be in title races as besides the results in the Premier League in Scotland Rangers had a shock 3-2 defeat away at Ross County.

In Germany Bayer Leverkusen have won the Bundesliga title with 5 matches left to play after a 5-0 home win against Werder Bremen with Florian Wirtz scoring a hat trick.

 

[Norm_D_Ploom]

What a crucial weekend this weekend may prove to be in title races as besides the results in the Premier League in Scotland Rangers had a shock 3-2 defeat away at Ross County.

In Germany Bayer Leverkusen have won the Bundesliga title with 5 matches left to play after a 5-0 home win against Werder Bremen with Florian Wirtz scoring a hat trick.

The 1st of his 3 goals was a cracker, as was B04's 2nd goal.

 

[JD2168]

St Johnstone’s McDiarmid Park has emerged as the substitute ground if the game between Dundee & Rangers is unable to be played at Dundee. Dundee would still be treated as the home side. A pitch consultancy firm has been appointed by the SPFL to check on the pitch as well as the referee doing a pitch inspection on Tuesday. Fans will still be able to attend if it is played at St Johnstone.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Money talks, even at National League level. Having said that, well done Chesterfield, and best of luck back in the EFL.

I know that Chesterfield had built a very large points gap over the second-placed club. but after last night's match, they have now lost five of their last six league matches, gaining less points in that time period than any other team in the division. They do say that "football's a funny old game".