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Worth pointing out that we are starting to get a bit of an backlog of fixtures to re-arrange. We already had the Sutton game to re-arrange, the Chesterfield game is now also off, and the Halifax game is being re-arranged too. If we get past Stockport then Aldershot on the 5th of Jan is a fourth game that needs to be rearranged.

So we could be entering the New Year with four games that need to be replayed midweek. And that's before we hit the period of the year when games are most at risk from postponement due to weather. Plus when the FA trophy kicks in, that is another possible source of postponements if either ourselves, or potential opponents get through the early rounds. So the overhang could build up further

I guess four games is not a massive amount to reschedule, if you can spread those over a four month period. But if we are unlucky we could end up with a tricky situation on our hands. As we get towards the end of the season, the number of midweek slots narrows, and you might run into the problem that the other side already has a midweek game in a given week, which narrows your options further. I remember Grimsby in 2014 getting into some serious congestion in March/April time.

In some ways, I imagine the club is not so bothered about four games being shifted into the second half of the season because its moving the games from a period in which our squad has been quite depleted by injuries into a period when we are likely to have more players to pick from.

But there is a bit of a risk here too: Given our league position, if we are to reach the playoffs, we are going to have to pick up form a bit and start stringing some wins together. If we are really flying and soaring up the league, it might be tricky to sustain this form if we are playing a lot of matches. Not so much the fitness / tiredness point as just less preparation time tactically and mentally for each game.

I hope the club looks to re-arrange a couple of the games relatively soon (Jan or early Feb) to avoid the risk of us suddenly getting a pileup of games in March - April.

barnetjohn wrote:Worth pointing out that we are starting to get a bit of an backlog of fixtures to re-arrange. We already had the Sutton game to re-arrange, the Chesterfield game is now also off, and the Halifax game is being re-arranged too. If we get past Stockport then Aldershot on the 5th of Jan is a fourth game that needs to be rearranged.

So we could be entering the New Year with four games that need to be replayed midweek. And that's before we hit the period of the year when games are most at risk from postponement due to weather. Plus when the FA trophy kicks in, that is another possible source of postponements if either ourselves, or potential opponents get through the early rounds. So the overhang could build up further

I guess four games is not a massive amount to reschedule, if you can spread those over a four month period. But if we are unlucky we could end up with a tricky situation on our hands. As we get towards the end of the season, the number of midweek slots narrows, and you might run into the problem that the other side already has a midweek game in a given week, which narrows your options further. I remember Grimsby in 2014 getting into some serious congestion in March/April time.

In some ways, I imagine the club is not so bothered about four games being shifted into the second half of the season because its moving the games from a period in which our squad has been quite depleted by injuries into a period when we are likely to have more players to pick from.

But there is a bit of a risk here too: Given our league position, if we are to reach the playoffs, we are going to have to pick up form a bit and start stringing some wins together. If we are really flying and soaring up the league, it might be tricky to sustain this form if we are playing a lot of matches. Not so much the fitness / tiredness point as just less preparation time tactically and mentally for each game.

I hope the club looks to re-arrange a couple of the games relatively soon (Jan or early Feb) to avoid the risk of us suddenly getting a pileup of games in March - April.

Some sensible comments John!

My worry is that the club will re-arrange games for later on because they think they'll get a lower attendance on a cold midweek night in January. Even if it costs a little of money in lower gate receipts, I think it's worth going for an early rescheduling to avoid the risk of a fixture pileup which could be very costly on the footballing side late on in the season.

Yes over the years there have been some insane run ins in the NL or equivalent due to cup runs. One year when I lived in Woking they had something like 7 matches in 10 days at the end of the season as semi professionals. Postponing Halifax "for football reasons" just doesn't wash because you can end up with the Woking situation. We are a professional club (at least the players are, admin is a different story) and as such should be able to cope with playing Halifax on the Tuesday before. Not sure if they are professionals too though. I suspect they were the instigators , if so, we should have said no, rather than postpone the problem.

The problem with playing twice in a week is not so much the fitness. It's more about not having much training/preparation time to work on tactics, set yourself up, tweak your style for the opposition etc. FWIW- I think moving the Halifax game was a smart idea. But crucially, we need to guard against the risk of pileup later on, which means getting some of the games replayed soon after New Year just in case weather or cups give us even more rearrnaged games.

I’ve lost track of what is happening with our fixtures. Do we have, or are we expecting, a game on the weekend of 16th/17th December ?

Hiveoccupier wrote:I’ve lost track of what is happening with our fixtures. Do we have, or are we expecting, a game on the weekend of 16th/17th December ?

FA Trophy time!

rudebwoyben wrote:

Hiveoccupier wrote:I’ve lost track of what is happening with our fixtures. Do we have, or are we expecting, a game on the weekend of 16th/17th December ?

FA Trophy time!

Thanks Ben.

rudebwoyben wrote:

Hiveoccupier wrote:I’ve lost track of what is happening with our fixtures. Do we have, or are we expecting, a game on the weekend of 16th/17th December ?

FA Trophy time!

Thanks Ben.

We don’t have to worry about the play offs as, at present, there is no way we’re going to get into them.

rudebwoyben wrote:

Hiveoccupier wrote:I’ve lost track of what is happening with our fixtures. Do we have, or are we expecting, a game on the weekend of 16th/17th December ?

FA Trophy time!

IF we draw that trohpy game then the replay will be the coming week (so the Tuesday after the original date) BUT this could cause a issue as we have Dover at 12.35 on the following Saturday.

For very excellent reasons our game at home to Aldershot on 5th January also needs to be re-scheduled.

I always enjoy the New Year's Day match and it's a good one this season with Boring Wood making the journey to THL.

Please, Barnet. Don't postpone it unless we get a winnable tie in the FA Cup third round. Then I understand.

Why suddenly have we gone all snowflake and are only able to play one game per week?

letchbee94 wrote:

rudebwoyben wrote:

Hiveoccupier wrote:I’ve lost track of what is happening with our fixtures. Do we have, or are we expecting, a game on the weekend of 16th/17th December ?

FA Trophy time!

IF we draw that trohpy game then the replay will be the coming week (so the Tuesday after the original date) BUT this could cause a issue as we have Dover at 12.35 on the following Saturday.

The Dover game is on TV so that won't be changed. Just rotate the squad for the FAT if necessary.