That time of year again...

[TopSix]

Summer football please. I imagine the weather is going to decimate the SPL card sporadically between now and the big thaw. It's particularly frustrating relying on booking trains and not knowing if games will be off.

Summer football is the way forward.

[TheKnowledge]

It's a bit like the smoking ban. When it finally happens everyone*, will be wondering what took so long.

*or maybe not everyone, but intellectuals and revolutionaries at the very least.

[KingBeastie]

I think that the powers that be may be missing a trick by not opting for the summer football option. My reason being that I like many others after about 2 weeks hate the close season - it so dull!

I think having summer football would see more TV coverage (and money) hence a raised profile of the SPL and in turn further investment/sponsorship still.

The only real question I can think of is how to handle the league when there is a world cup / euro championships on (an even numbered year!!). I'm sure we could just break for 4 weeks or so and then carry on.

[TopSix]

Scotland comprehensively beat the Faroes - unfortunately I feel that for the foreseeable future that's going to be about the level of the national side.

[KingBeastie]

I'm not talking about Scotland playing in any tournaments I am on about actually having SPL (and SFL?) games while these tournaments are on. The league would get no coverage during a world cup and also there are other nationalities other than Scots playing in the SPL.

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

It could well be time fer the ICT Pantomime and the Festive Fives ?!!

[caley100]

It could well be time fer the ICT Pantomime and the Festive Fives ?!!

Thats a good idea mun... know anybody that could set one up?

[KingBeastie]

Game on!

[TopSix]

It could well be time fer the ICT Pantomime and the Festive Fives ?!!

Thats a good idea mun... know anybody that could set one up?

Innes bar after the match is usually a bit of a pantomime. I've booked a train ticket up on Friday. I think it may well be wasted journey though.

[TheKnowledge]

http://www.wsc.co.uk/content/view/6150/38/

[TopSix]

According to this article you'd think Aberdeen and Inverness were 1000 miles away from the central belt. I wonder if the punter who wrote that article has visited Pittodrie or TCS.

[PaderbornCaley]

I'm not talking about Scotland playing in any tournaments I am on about actually having SPL (and SFL?) games while these tournaments are on. The league would get no coverage during a world cup and also there are other nationalities other than Scots playing in the SPL.

I think i'm right in saying that the Euros / World Cups usually finish by end of June. So 3 weeks in June or something. The proposal that the press are talking about is the SPL/SFL starting at beginning of July. So a month earlier than usual. Unfortunately winter lasts a lot longer than that!! The cold snap could be in Nov/Dec/Jan/Feb so it will still be tricky to sort.

[+HawkeyeTheGnu]

I'm not talking about Scotland playing in any tournaments I am on about actually having SPL (and SFL?) games while these tournaments are on. The league would get no coverage during a world cup and also there are other nationalities other than Scots playing in the SPL.

I think i'm right in saying that the Euros / World Cups usually finish by end of June. So 3 weeks in June or something. The proposal that the press are talking about is the SPL/SFL starting at beginning of July. So a month earlier than usual. Unfortunately winter lasts a lot longer than that!! The cold snap could be in Nov/Dec/Jan/Feb so it will still be tricky to sort.

WCF was on 11 July this year. You only though it finished in June because England went out in June. Four of the last 5 have finished in mid to early July. Euros sometime sneak into early July.

[SanMiguel]

Winter world cups? If they are planning it for Qatar, then why not start them 10 years early!! :rotflmao:

[IT86]

I'm sorry to go against what appears to be be the prevailing view but I don't particularly want to watch football in the Summer. I love the thought of getting home to Inverness over the festive season and catching up with people that I haven't seen in a year before and after the games. Check attendances accross the country and the Boxing Day/ New Year fixtures are generally some of the highest attendances of the season. People are happy of the excuse to get out of the house post Christmas. Witness the fast selling of edinburgh new year derdy tickets recently. A lot of those calling for Summer football are directly involved in football. To be sure they probably do want to see a better standard of pitch and conditions but undoudtedly they also see the lure of a 'normal' Christmas Day also. This is not to mention what on earth happens to the Summer season if our national team were to qualify for a major tournament.