Post Split Fixtures - Out Now

[CaleyD]

Whilst I appreciate we are dealing with the SPL and anything is possible, I found this article on the possible permutations for post split fixtures.

http://splstats.wordpress.com/2012/04/01/post-split-fixtures/

[Tug]

interesting

just wonder if it is possible that we could go from never having lost to hibs in inverness to not beating them at all this season?

[+DoofersDad]

A possibility of Aberdeen, Hibs and Dunfermline at home! That should offer plenty of scope for unremitting negativity on this forum

[Tichy_Blacks_Back]

A possibility of Aberdeen, Hibs and Dunfermline at home! That should offer plenty of scope for unremitting negativity on this forum

Ah but just think of the potential spondoolicks from those - better for the coffers to have 3 home games than 3 away games ;-)

[PaderbornCaley]

It's looking very possible that us Highland Marchers will be walking from Killie to Sneck.

I wish they'd just hurry up and release the fixtures!

[+Fraz]

A possibility of Aberdeen, Hibs and Dunfermline at home! That should offer plenty of scope for unremitting negativity on this forum

Unless of course we pump each of them!

[+DoofersDad]

A possibility of Aberdeen, Hibs and Dunfermline at home! That should offer plenty of scope for unremitting negativity on this forum

Unless of course we pump each of them!

That's what I like to hear

[12th Man]

The SPL are releasing the fixtures this week.

[ICTRoughi]

April 21st - Aberdeen (H)

April 28th - Killie (A)

May 2nd - Dunfermline (H)

May 5th - St Mirren (A)

May 12th - Hibernian (H)

All Saturday and 3PM Kick offs except May 2nd which is a Wednesday night and kicks off at 7.45

Edited April 3, 2012 by ICTRoughi

[tm4tj]

2nd of May should find out who is going down.

Edited April 3, 2012 by tm4tj

[DALNEIGHCALEY]

3 out of 5 at home again

[TopSix]

Will the county testimonial match still be played on the 22nd at 3pm? Need to book train tickets...

[Scotty]

Highland March ~ Paisley to Inverness !!!

[RiG]

Unless I take some time off work mid week I'll only be able to make the game against Aberdeen at home.

Good post split fixtures though to be fair.

[+Fraz]

Will the county testimonial match still be played on the 22nd at 3pm? Need to book train tickets...

As far as I know yes. If ur on the old Bookface they have a page. Like it and check it out!

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Highland March ~ Paisley to Inverness !!!

And I was hoping fer two home games in the final week and the biggest pisss up and the shortest march/crawl ever !!

[PaderbornCaley]

Highland March ~ Paisley to Inverness !!!

And I was hoping fer two home games in the final week and the biggest pisss up and the shortest march/crawl ever !!

And I was thinking you were joining us from Paisley to Sneck....

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Perhaps the last 2-3 days again ?!!

[Renegade]

Why is there another Hibs home game? That'll be the third this season.

[PaderbornCaley]

Perhaps the last 2-3 days again ?!!

I'm sure that can be arranged. If you're struggling you could always do the final stage. Innes to the stadium. If your feeling adventurous you could try the Alamo to the Innes and just miss out 1 mile in Paisley and 1 mile in Sneck.

[Scotty]

Why is there another Hibs home game? That'll be the third this season.

Because the split is a stupid idea !!!!

Basically, the SPL aim is 19 home and 19 away games for every team but that is based somewhat on their own prediction of who will be top six and who will be bottom six as they take that into consideration when they work out the first 33 weeks of the season where everyone plays everyone else 3 times.

If they screw up their prediction then it is not always possible to get the even split of 2H/2A for the 5 teams each club plays 4 times .... You got to figure that they didnt expect St Johnstone to be top six, and instead thought maybe Aberdeen/Hibs or Killie might have been there. It throws an almight spanner in the works !

As a result, one year you might end up having 3H and 1A (or vice versa) against a team because either your fixtures or their's require it as teams having 19/19, 18/20 or 20/18 has priority over the actual opponents .... but they will take that into account the following year and .... assuming the same teams are in the top and bottom halves (which never normally happens, so its another cluster#$%^) they reverse it to balance it up if they have to.

Bottom line is that every team should play a minimum of 38 home games over the course of TWO seasons. If you get 19/19 one season its perfect and you might get 18/19/20 next season but if you get 18 one season you are literally guaranteed to get 20 the following one .... maybe

There's a Q&A here: http://www.scotprem....s2&newsid=11230

[PaderbornCaley]

I am disapointed that we don't have another away day at Hibs. It is a very good away day but hey ho!

[Yngwie]

Why is there another Hibs home game? That'll be the third this season.

The kind folk at the SPL figured that if they give us enough chances to beat Hibs, eventually we won't f*ck it up.

[alternative maryhill]

Will the county testimonial match still be played on the 22nd at 3pm? Need to book train tickets...

More importantly, you need to book tickets to Paisley - you're paying me in.

P*ssed off about the Hibs game being the one to be switched - it's a far better away day than any of the other four.

[Alex MacLeod]

Highland March ~ Paisley to Inverness !!!

And I was hoping fer two home games in the final week and the biggest pisss up and the shortest march/crawl ever !!

Ye'll just hae tae wait till next year for the possibility of the shortest march ever.

I note on Scotprem that there are two televised bottom half games. St Mirren v Hibs and Hibs v Dunfermline.

And here are some Scotprem Q&A's

Post-split fixtures Q&A

How are the fixtures for rounds 34-38 determined?

The most important thing is to try to ensure clubs finish the season having played 19 games at home and 19 away. In two of the previous three years this has been achieved but, unfortunately, it was simply impossible to balance the list for 2011/12. As a result, Kilmarnock will play 20 home games and St Johnstone have only 18 home games. Various versions of the round 34-38 fixture list are produced and we then select the one that provides the best fit overall. In line with previous seasons, all clubs will finish the season either home/away or away/home.

Will some clubs play certain opponents three times at home and once away?

Fixture reversals, to a greater or lesser extent, have been required in each of the 12 seasons that the split has been around.

So what games have been switched?

In the top six, St Johnstone travel to Celtic and Motherwell for a third time but to compensate they host Rangers and Dundee United for a third time. In the bottom six, the Inverness CT v Hibernian fixture will be played at the Caledonian Stadium for a third time.

How do you decide which fixtures are reversed?

We try to achieve as balanced a fixture list as possible. Also, among the things we look at is what has happened in previous years. For example, Kilmarnock had only 18 home games in 2006/07 but will gain a home game this season. St Johnstone are losing a home game but they have gained one in the past.

Is it possible to avoid reversing fixtures?

The fixtures for the whole season are based on where the clubs finished in the league in the previous campaign. If Kilmarnock had made the top six, at the expense of St Johnstone, as they did in 2010/11, then we would have achieved the perfect balance of all clubs playing 19 games at home, 19 away, playing each of the teams in their half of the split twice at home and twice away.

Why was the Rangers v Celtic game scheduled for Sunday April 29?

This decision was taken following consultation between the clubs, the SPL and the police.

Why is there a fixture on a Thursday night?

In the regular season, Celtic/Rangers and Hearts/Hibernian always play at home on alternate weekends but, given the many constraints when compiling the post-split fixtures, it is sometimes impossible to avoid a city clash. With both Celtic and Rangers at home in the midweek of May 2, it forced us to switch one game to the Thursday. Tuesday was ruled out due to the Old Firm game the previous Sunday.

Why have the split at all?

In order to accommodate a league of 12 clubs, without forcing them to play too many matches (44), the split is essential. It also provides additional interest in the run up to the split itself. The final five games then involve teams playing each other to chase a common objective, whether that is European qualification or to retain their SPL status by avoiding relegation.

Do you ever see the split being consigned to the history books?

It would certainly make life easier from a fixturing point of view! However, as long as the 12-team league remains in place, then so will the split – as it has done since we moved from a 10-team set-up to the current system for the 2000/01 season. There has been much debate about league structure over the past couple of years but, ultimately, it is up to the clubs to vote on any change to the size of the league.