8pm kick off time

Latimer

Why do we have 8pm K/O at The Valley when the majority of teams are 7.45pm? Notice Palarse was 8pm too is this a London thing. Someone suggested that it was down to The Dome! That 15 mins would make a world of difference for getting home earlier for those of us with a 180 mile round trip

ISawLeaburnScore

works both ways though, i quite like them as you get a bit of extra time to get to the ground and/or have another beer

Salad

I was wondering the same thing, most London clubs are 7:45 too. The earlier ko would be better for kids too, of course it would make it harder for some people to get there on time.

I seem to remember there was a consultation exercise a few years back, so it is probably as a result of that.

StanmoreAddick

I think it had something to do with parking restrictions at the time- most parking bays about the area are ok from 6.30.

Salad

[cite]Posted By: StanmoreAddick[/cite]I think it had something to do with parking restrictions at the time- most parking bays about the area are ok from 6.30.

that sounds right, it would've been Dome related.

We could probably do 7:45 now.

Ledge

so people who live further away can get there - like me.

And the medway lot on their coaches

LenGlover

[cite]Posted By: Ledge Knows[/cite]so people who live further away can get there - like me.

And the medway lot on their coaches

Agreed.

I couldn't go last night but if i was to go (and take my daughter) I can just about do it by 8. any earlier and I'd be struggling.

I agree with Latimer (from the opposite perspective) that 15 minutes makes a big difference!

Oggy Red

I thought it was to do originally with Sky live matches when we were on the telly.

Backalong (it is 'talk like a Pirate day....'), all Valley night matches traditionally kicked off at 7.45.
Yet, in those days, most other club's matches kicked off in even earlier at 7.30.

ns_eb_rj_s?

the later the better. Make it 8.30 More time to get home from work.

Salad

[cite]Posted By: LenGlover[/cite]I can just about do it by 8. any earlier and I'd be struggling.
I agree with Latimer (from the opposite perspective) that 15 minutes makes a big difference!

compromise ........ let's kick-off games at 19:52½

InspectorSands

[cite]Posted By: Latimer[/cite] That 15 mins would make a world of difference for getting home earlier for those of us with a 180 mile round trip

Also makes a world of difference for those coming back from work! And even then 8pm feels early for me, and if you consider how long the rush hour goes on for now, you'll miss those 15 minutes if they were taken away, however you get to The Valley.

The last time I looked, most Prem clubs in London kick-off at 8pm (also Arsenal seem to stick with 7.45). Not sure I care what Palarse and QPR do, really.

bingaddick

I live in Norwich. To get there with a chance to park up somehwere within a mile or so of the ground, I need to be in the area by just after 7.00pm. I left at 3.30pm but I needed to pick my mate up who lives at Sidcup. The journey was horrendous yesterday and I ended up meeting him at the ground. I parked up at about 7.15pm. So it took me 3 hours 45 mins!! Making it 7.45pm makes it even more difficult. I know I'm not typical but 8.00pm feels about right to me.

Salad

you have no need to go anywhere near Sidcup, tell your mate to get the train!

bingaddick

[cite]Posted By: Salad[/cite]you have no need to go anywhere near Sidcup, tell your mate to get the train!

If I go via the Dartford Crossing/A2, I've got to go pretty close to his gaff on the way. He lives on the north west side of Sidcup. Problem last night was there was a hold up on the A12 which I take for the bottom part of the journey to the M25. The alternative route is A11/A14/M11/Blackwall. I took that route but got stuck in a huge jam in the Cambridge area. So I had to go past the Valley to get to his place - hence he agreed to meet me there.

Which ever route I take, it takes a f*cking long time. It's not so bad on Saturdays as you don't have the rush hour problems to overcome. I got home in just over 2.5 hours from getting into the car.

raddickle

I'm with Latimer on this one. I would prefer to miss the start of the game than the end, which is what happens now in order to catch the train home.

Tavern

8pm is a great time more beer before

InspectorSands

Aw, for feck's sake:

http://www.cafc.co.uk/newsview.ink?nid=31520

Stoke on 29 January will kick off at 7.45pm. That's going to be a mad dash to the match, then.

Rothko

Got to make it easier for the people from Kent, sod people who have to travel down from Central London

BDL

What time do you two finish then?

Latimer

Good news for me, means I will be in bed before 12am instead of 1am

w/sladeaddick

Go to all the home matches but have to work in the week, 8.oo is a rush from Medway to the Valley and find parking, 7.45 will make things more difficult. Far enough we will get home earlier but not much use if we arrive to late to find somewhere to park.

Rothko

[cite]Posted By: BDL[/cite]What time do you two finish then?

6, for me, so the extra 15 minutes to get something to eat, get to North Greenwich, get a bus to Charlton helps.

InspectorSands

6 in west London, so the 8pm kick-off gives decent time to allow for feck-ups on the Tube/trains, or to bolt home and change/ grab some food.

The earlier kick-off is also going to make the trains a lot busier - some of the trains to Charlton are murderous on non-matchdays (6.30pm from Charing Cross, I mean you), and it'll get worse with more people trying to get to the match earlier, the extra 15 minutes allowed people to spread their journeys out a little. The last train you can comfortably catch before a 7.45pm kick-off is at 7.04 from Cannon Street, which is only four cars long.

(These are the trains I use most days, so I've an excuse for this appalling rail spoddery.)

letthegoodtimesroll

on a point of order, surely the programme got it wrong when it said the traditional kick off time used to be 7.45pm...i thought we always kicked off at 7.30 and it was only in later years it got put back, first to 7.45 then to 8pm...

LenGlover

As stated previously 8 o'clock suits me better.

In the old days (pre Selhurst) I can only think we were not compelled to work such long hours as I do not recall either 7:30 or 7:45 causing a problem.

Maybe the deterioration in the standard and reliability of public transport and worse road conditions with roadworks, buslanes etc are factors.

Off_it

Jeez, it's only 15 minutes people!

This thread just goes to show that you can't please all of the people all of the time. I bet the "Your views" section of the club website will be groaning under the strain of this topic in the weeks to come. Ridiculous really.

Still, if all people have got to moan about is a 15 minute change in kick off time things must be going well!

PassItToLeaburn

True, it is only fifteen minutes.

Would be annoyed if I missed the first fifteen minutes of a game just so some fans can get back home and have a cup of cocoa fifteen minutes earlier though. Go on, go crazy, stay up 'til 10.45!

AFKABartram

I personally think its a bit more sensible. Most of us here aren't fully representative of the large amount of family based support we get. The 8pm KO's rarely finish till 10pm now, the earlier one will suit better those who have kids who have school the next day IMO.

As said, you can get a Cannon St at 7.04pm that gets you there in time

suzisausage

I think personally if I had kids, I wouldn't take them to evening games unless it was half term. But thats just me!

I used to sit near people who had kids and for evening games they used to bring other people as it was too late for the kids to stay out especially if they were coming from work and didn't have time to go home, pick the kids up and then get to the game.

I think the case for and against is pretty much 50/50.

Off_it

[cite]Posted By: suzisausage[/cite]
I think the case for and against is pretty much 50/50.

I reckon that's about right - wont stop people moaning though, you mark my words!

Maybe we could alternate between the two, just to please everyone and no-one? That would be funny!

Salad

so how about kick off times of 19:52½ ?