Fixture Changes

[cdbearsfan]

I was looking forward to a messy all day Saturday session in Shepherds Bush as a poor substitute for Fulham. Now it's going to be a couple of swifties after work before the game on a Monday.

Unless either of us are still in the League Cup.

[Chico Hamilton III]

I was looking forward to a messy all day Saturday session in Shepherds Bush as a poor substitute for Fulham. Now it's going to be a couple of swifties after work before the game on a Monday.

Unless either of us are still in the League Cup.

So it will be a few swifties after work on a Monday night in Shepherds Bush then

[cdbearsfan]

QPR might get through...

[cheltenhamlion]

The 140th anniversary that some are championing all seems rather pointless to me. It isn't a proper milestone so I wouldn't beat Sky about ruining that.

Buggering about with the fixtures is something they do need a boot up the arse for though.

Something in place where they can't change them without 3 months notice would be a good start.

[cdbearsfan]

They could've announced the live August and September televised fixtures before the World Cup. Then have another announcement of the October, November and maybe Christmas period live games about now. Wouldn't have cost Sky any extra viewers, and would've made life a lot easier for travelling fans to book holidays around games and purchase train tickets at a more reasonable price.

I think we have to accept that the fixtures are always gonna be buggered about with... but it's not unreasonable to ask that they give fans sufficient notice and try to avoid giving teams away games at Newcastle kicking off before the first train of the day arrives (as seems to happen most years).

The Government could also encourage train companies to offer cancellation deals. I don't think many would mind paying an extra couple of quid per ticket if it meant they could save fifty pounds plus if the event they're attending gets cancelled or rearranged.

[cdbearsfan]

I'm also not that arsed about the 140th Anniversary but would like us to make a fuss over the 150th.

Amfy, where did you get the date in November from out of interest? I didn't think anyone knew the exact date we were founded on?

[amfy]

I think Trevor Fisher came up with it. I have no idea beyond that.

[cdbearsfan]

Thanks AM.

[peter w]

Any idea how?

[The Laughing Policeman]

I'm pretty sure that AVFC were formed in March 1874 so maybe the November date is the date of our first official match.
It's all in The Aston Villa Chronicles so I'll have a look this evening.

[cdbearsfan]

The Aston Brook St Mary's half-football, half-rugby game that is generally considered to be our first match was played in March 1875.

[peter w]

If we were formed as a way of doing something out of the cricket months it would be unlikely to be as early as March 1874 but after the end of the cricket season that year. Although that depends on he cricket calendar in 1874.

[cdbearsfan]

Two different Wikipedia articles list the founding date as March 1874, although in one case the article references a dead link and in another it cites an ancient edition of The Times which I couldn't find anywhere, certainly not without paying anyway.

Another article lists our founding date as "early 1874" so I see little to back up Trevor's claim of being founded in November, but happy to be proven wrong.

I'm pretty sure that when we celebrated our Centenary, against Dirty Leeds in one of Brian Clough's few victories with that team, it was just done pre-season in 1974, rather than targeted at any specific date.

I'd be happy to commemorate the 150th at any point in 2024 really. Maybe pick a start of season or pre-season game when we won't all be nervous wrecks thinking about relegation and there is a decent chance of the weather being nice.

A friendly against Bayern Munich would be the best way to mark it, I reckon. Maybe preceded by an Old Stars game against our Double-Winning season FA Cup Final opponents Everton so we could commemorate the club's two greatest achievements in one go.

Obviously that's assuming we haven't conquered Europe or won a Double/Treble in the intervening decade.

[cdbearsfan]

Just checked and the Leeds Centenary game was on 7th August 1974.

[Holte L2]

My brother is getting married on Saturday 4th October at 1.30.  With the fixture change for the Man City game, he's said I'm perfectly fine to go to the service, have photo's taken - then nip out to go to the game and then pop over for the evening do.

I'll be in the Holte in a nice tweed suit!!