date of announcement for split

[sotonict]

hi all,

my next game will be hibs v ict on the 26th feb, but also looking to come sat april 23th.

when do games normally become announced - literally the sunday after the last game (17th april)?

just wondering as i cant do a weekend flight to and from inverness but can do a weekend flight from southampton to edinburgh (hence coming up for hibs game)

should i go ahead and book and try my luck that we play in the vicinity?

Edited January 31, 2011 by sotonict

[Scotty]

The dates for games after the split were announced long ago .... but the reality is that it wont be until the split is upon us that the league decide the make-up of games and the TV companies then decide which ones will be moved for TV.

Dates as follows:

23/04/2011 - 15:00 (SAT)

30/04/2011 - 15:00 (SAT)

07/05/2011 - 15:00 (SAT)

11/05/2011 - 19:45 (WED)

14/05/2011 - 15:00 (SAT)

As ICT have 17 home games before the split then you should expect only 2 home games after it but that will depend on which half of the table we are in and who is in it with us.

The league sometimes give clubs 20-18 or 18-20 if they cannot get a 19-19 split and aim to average it out at 38-38 over two years. By the split we will have played the following teams H/A as indicated and should expect the final fixture against each team to be as shown ....

ABE - 2xH, 1xA (A expected)

CEL - 2xH, 1xA (A expected)

DUN - 1xH, 2xA (H expected)

HAM - 2xH, 1xA (A expected)

HEA - 2xH, 1xA (A expected)

HIB - 1xH, 2xA (H expected)

KIL - 1xH, 2xA (H expected)

MOT - 2xH, 1xA (A expected)

RAN - 1xH, 2X1 (H expected)

STJ - 2xH, 1xA (A expected)

STM - 1xH, 2xA (H expected)

[Charles Bannerman]

when do games normally become announced - literally the sunday after the last game (17th april)?

To my recollection, the actual fixtures are announced as soon as the composition of top and bottom six are known. Given the relatively short timescale, that's a necessity to ensure fans can make arrangements. Typically it's been 5pm on the last pre split Saturday. Of course it could in theory be the Sunday before the exact line ups are known. Can someone tell me if I am right in vaguely recollecting that in such an instance they once issued fixtures on the Saturday, some of them on an "either/or" basis for the 24 hours until the final line up was confirmed?

[Iain]

I've come out of TCS, walked back to the car and heard them announce fixtures just after crossing the Kessock bridge.

[Scotty]

From the SPL Website:

?The split system does throw up issues and imbalances. These happen when a club who finished in the top six one year, finishes in the bottom six the next year or vice versa. But if Celtic, Dundee United, Hearts, Hibernian, Motherwell and Rangers finish in the top six this season then all clubs will play 19 home games and 19 away games. Also, if this happens, clubs in each half of the split will play their opponents twice at home and twice away.

?Most of the games have also been reversed from last season. For example, the first Old Firm derby was at Ibrox last year, so this year it will be at Celtic Park.?

For ICT this would mean the SPL expect us to finish in the bottom 6 along with St Johnstone, St Mirren, Hamilton, Aberdeen, & Killie. That would give us an expected final 5 (in no particular order) of

STJ - A

STM - H

HAM - A

ABE - A

KIL - H

From the SPL's own 'fixturing golden rules' document ..... the following also applies

• Each Club should play 3 home matches and 2 away matches or vice versa
  
• Where possible each Club should play a total of 19 home fixtures and 19 away fixtures during the Season
  
• Where possible and subject to seeding each Club should play the other 5 Clubs in its section such as to ensure that 2 home matches and 2 away matches have been played against these other 5 Clubs
  
• No Club should finish the Season with 2 home matches or 2 away matches
  

[Charles Bannerman]

For ICT this would mean the SPL expect us to finish in the bottom 6 along with St Johnstone, St Mirren, Hamilton, Aberdeen, & Killie.

Scotty... you are music to the ears of Hibs fans! :biggrin:

[Scotty]

also looking to come sat april 23th.

should i go ahead and book and try my luck that we play in the vicinity?

If I had to guess right now, I would say NO. Here is my reasoning ...

• Two of our last three fixtures before the split are at Home
  
• We (should) have 2xH and 3xA fixtures so it is reasonable to assume we will start the split with an away fixture
  
• As we (should) have 2xH and 3xA fixtures it is unlikely we will start the split at home as that would mean 3 of 4 remaining games would be away.
  
• There are way too many 'what-if's to be booking travel right now.
  

[Scotty]

For ICT this would mean the SPL expect us to finish in the bottom 6 along with St Johnstone, St Mirren, Hamilton, Aberdeen, & Killie.

Scotty... you are music to the ears of Hibs fans! :biggrin:

LOL ... indeed. Was just looking at the table to see what has to happen for the SPL pre-season top/bottom six prediction ... Ourselves and Killie would need to drop into the bottom six (possible) and Motherwell and Hibs would need to reach the top six. Its possible for 'well to reach top six relatively easily but it needs a miracle for Hibs !