Halifax

[becbee]

Their match v York today has been postponed, waterlogged pitch. This means they have 4 home and 2 away matches to fit in between now and 20th April.

Presumably they will try to fit in match v York for sometime this week, then they are away next Saturday, 6th.

They are currently due to be at home on Wedns 10th, Sat 13th, Tues 16th April. 13th April is v us.

If their match v us is postponed , the only available date currently available would be Thursday 18th. That would be the 4th match on that pitch in 8 days - i.e. the pitch would never cope with it.

Surely contingency plans should be made to play their remaining home matches elsewhere?

[HertsBee]

Re-arranged for tomorrow night 7.45pm.

[beew]

Their match v York today has been postponed, waterlogged pitch. This means they have 4 home and 2 away matches to fit in between now and 20th April.

Presumably they will try to fit in match v York for sometime this week, then they are away next Saturday, 6th.

They are currently due to be at home on Wedns 10th, Sat 13th, Tues 16th April. 13th April is v us.

If their match v us is postponed , the only available date currently available would be Thursday 18th. That would be the 4th match on that pitch in 8 days - i.e. the pitch would never cope with it.

Surely contingency plans should be made to play their remaining home matches elsewhere?

You're right. The NL should be telling them to find a better pitch to finish their home games. The forecast for our game on the 13th is preceded by 8 straight days of rain. Their pitch isn't fit for the amount of use they want to get from jt, and its affecting the integrity of the competition.

[rudebwoyben]

Halifax fans have explained the issue. The Shay is owned and operated by Calderdale District Council, who are not willing or able to make the necessary investment to make the play playable for both the football and rugby league teams.
They’re pretty pissed off about this too.

[Tuesds]

If we end up having to play Thursday-Saturday heading into the play-offs, including a long trip back from the Thursday game in the early hours of Friday, it’s going to be sub-optimal…

[rudebwoyben]

If we finish top-3 it will be irrelevant.

[ninestein]

Hopefully a top 3 finish will be all but secured by then anyway, and we can set up for a one-off agricultural approach to get through 90 mins of hoofball

[PBBee]

As above, currently no chance our game goes ahead on that pitch with further rain & another game next week!

[jerroll]

As above, currently no chance our game goes ahead on that pitch with further rain & another game next week!

it has to go ahead on that date or they find a suitable alternative venue - league can't risk fixture not being played by 20th April

[pgbee]

There are several clubs across the league's in similar situations due to poor fixture scheduling earlier in the season combined with earlier dates due to CL final and the weather.

[jerroll]

There are several clubs across the league's in similar situations due to poor fixture scheduling earlier in the season combined with earlier dates due to CL final and the weather.

Spot on.

[hoofer2]

Ridiculous that Non-League and domestic football dictated to by CL. Should be a midweek distraction.

[jerroll]

Ridiculous that Non-League and domestic football dictated to by CL. Should be a midweek distraction.

its because the final is at Wembley so all finals have had to move forwards by a week, lg1 and 2 playoffs 3rd week in may instead of bh weekend.Trophy/vase final date our play offs would be hence we had to move forwards to w/e of 4th may! i can't stand the stupid competition but its the biggest club game in European football so deserves a showcase final on a Saturday.

[Tuesds]

I think it’s great that the Champions League Final is happening at Wembley and it’s great that The National League hasn’t used it as an excuse to save some money and move the play-off final to Milton Keynes or Stoke or some other crappy identikit provincial bowl.

The problem is not the Champions League being at Wembley necessitating an early finish to the league season, the problem is the the Champions League being at Wembley necessitating an early finish to the league season and the National League failing to schedule a couple more fixtures in the late summer/early autumn in response!

[Tuesds]

If we finish top-3 it will be irrelevant.

Less of a concern, yes, but not quite irrelevant. Even if we ultimately secure a top 3 spot, playing 2 games in 3 days with a mammoth through-the-night journey in between will heighten the risk of injuries going into the play-off campaign.