What a brilliant idea that was... :007:

Shame cos I don't think it'll be a sell out like normal. Aberdeen have been mucked about with the Hibs game the week before being moved to a Monday too. Friday night would probably have been better.

What are your views on games being moved to suit Setanta and not the fans?

I'm another who will be unable to attend due to the switch. I predict that the crowd will struggle to reach 5,000 which means that the club will lose something over £30,000 in revenue compared to playing on saturday.

I think I'm in the minority here and am actually happy with the switch, this change means the P&B gang can attend as we are at a family do in Peterborough on the Saturday. woohoo!!! I predict a 2-1 win for ICT!

Charlie is right about the TV money being greatfully received. I can see both sets of fans having grievances and we might lose money.

We have a great chance to get a first win if Aberdeen continue to whinge.

If it wasn't for Setanta the SPL would be dead by now but that shouldn't give them the right to move matches around. Put all games on on saturday at 3pm then everyone's on a level playing field.

BBC and Sky have interactive buttons to show multi choice matches so the technology is available to show all SPL matches at the same time.

I know of at least 1 person from the central belt who didn't buy a season ticket this season because some matches may be moved to Friday/Monday.

It may be contriversial but would it be worth starting a petition to get all fans boycot all SPL midweek matches which have been moved because of TV?

[move]SATURDAY AT 3PM IS FOR FOOTBALL[/move]

I sent a rather sarcastic e-mail to Setanta sports yesterday which, basically, thanked them for spoiling my planned weekend in the highlands. Here's what I wrote:-

I'm a football fan who likes to watch live football. Now, because of work commitments I can not always get to games each week to watch my team - Inverness Caledonian Thistle. I get ONE weekend off work every FOUR weeks and would usually look forward to a trip up North.

I was planning on going up for the scheduled game against Aberdeen on SATURDAY 4th Nov. I now see that, to satisfy TV viewers and Setanta Sports that the fixture has been moved to MONDAY 6th Nov'.

I'd just like to say thanks a lot for ruining my weekend away. Money rules and TV rules eh!?

You people really arn't clued up in the lives of football supporters and probably care even less. 

Yours disgusted and upset.

Now, I wasn't expecting a reply to my winging, moaning, disgruntled rant but I did. Here's what bollox they had to say:-

In response to your e-mail I can confirm that it was not our decision to move this game it was on direction from the SPL and the police who have advised that this fixture should be moved to the Monday evening for safety issues. If there is anything further I can assist with, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours sincerely

Karen Robertson     

Setanta Sports Customer Services

So, from that then, what I can read is Saturday football in Inverness is unsafe and all fixtures should now be moved to Monday. As you can see from that bollox of a reply is wasn't the decission of Setanta but it was "on direction from the SPL and the police...". What a load of bollox that is. Spread the word folks - football is unsafe on a Saturday afternoon. Feck off Setanta and SPL - may the hairs on your backsides turn into bicycle spokes and back-pedal up your ersehole.

In response to your e-mail I can confirm that it was not our decision to move this game it was on direction from the SPL and the police who have advised that this fixture should be moved to the Monday evening for safety issues.

What they conveniently fail to mention is that SETANTA requested the SPL to organise a number of FRIDAY fixtures and wanted to move the ICT V Aberdeen game to Friday 3rd November and other games for other teams to other fridays. When the Association of Chief Police Officers of Scotland (ACPOS) dismissed this out of hand, (and they have to agree for it to go ahead) it is my understanding that the SPL suggested the Monday.... so while it 'TECHNICALLY' may not be SETANTA's fault, they are certainly being economical with the truth in their response.

Reading between the lines in the Courier report, if would seem the club maybe happy for its fans to miss out just as long as they don't loose out on the money.

Courier report

I'm going to spend my money at Walsall on Nov 4th. Walsall v Torquay Utd at the Bescot Stadium.....can't see um movin' that fecker eh!

We have our season tickets, and so would not benefit from this but would it be worth offering a pay for an adult get a kid in free to fill the stands. I am sure that we don't want to look like we can't manage to get a decent crowd to follow our team, and offer support in what is really a derby match for us.  Might increase the cash coming in,  and yes I know we get some from the TV company but wouldn't it be nice to have both! :003:

Well I am most peeved cos I will miss the game now, but the on plus side I will be in Aberdeen watching Muse.

Problem is not Setanta but the Scottish Police Forces. If there's 4or5000 home fans watching football on a Friday evening its 5000 fewer people to be in the city centre getting blazing at that time.

Friday nights would work for TV and it would work for a lot more fans than any other evening game. Shame on the Scottish Police forces, it should have at least been taken on a case by case basis. Not sure I like the Police's ability to put blanket bans on legal activities? Do we live in a Police State? :006:

Reading between the lines in the Courier report, if would seem the club maybe happy for its fans to miss out just as long as they don't loose out on the money.

Courier report

I'm going to spend my money at Walsall on Nov 4th. Walsall v Torquay Utd at the Bescot Stadium.....can't see um movin' that fecker eh!

That's certainly what I got from CCs comments as well. Now I have to say that it is impossible to get from Aberdeen to Inverness in time for this game. There is one train just after 5 which won't be enough. Most folk still won't be able to get that due to finishing work at half 5 either. Scotrail have already said that there isn't enough time to arrange extra trains or delay the late train from Inverness. That train is packed enough with commuters already.

The Stagecoach bus is useless. Four hours to get between Sneck and Dire.

By car you are looking at 3 hours at least given that it takes 45 minutes to an hour to get out of Aberdeen in the rush hour.

I guess half days/sickies are called for?

I now have to find a pub in Aberdeen showing the game that will allow 'Home' fans to watch it and hopefully not get my head kicked in while watching it. The joy.