Rovers Fixtures 2018-19

[Mattyblue]

https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2018/june/rovers-on-the-road/

Article on the official site about the away games, it asks the question

"So, can we top last season’s away support and back the lads even better on the road next term?... "

In a word - no.

[Mattyblue]

2 hours ago, tomphil said:

Underwhelming at the start but a real opportunity maybe to get some points on the board. Wigan & Nobbers back to back away with no doubt some tv involved will see a couple of sub par followings no doubt which is annoying.

Oct/Sept look hellish.

Like last season all our derbies seem to be very close together...

[tomphil]

Just now, Mattyblue said:

Like last season all our derbies seem to be very close together...

The away support will average out at about just over a thousand this season i'd wager, just like the previous championship years. Respectable when you take into account a lot of the prices, daft midweek treks and TV but at the same time embarrassing when we probably take 3/400 to Derby etc.

PNE & Wigan home and away back to back and treks to Yorkshire back to back then Swansea and the like away in midweek, idiotic !

Edited June 21, 2018 by tomphil

[Mattyblue]

If we'd had, say one derby early on, one around Christmas, one in the run in, we'd have seen massive followings for all three (well maybe not Bolton at £35), alas we'll be lucky to take 2,000 to Wigan.

Edited June 21, 2018 by Mattyblue

[gumboots]

2 hours ago, AllRoverAsia said:

I went on the BBC Rovers web page to look for our full fixture list to be met by headlines ..... Lampard, Lambard........

It will be a very long Lampard season.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/teams/blackburn-rovers

Will only be long if he doesn't get sacked

[arbitro]

2 hours ago, JHRover said:

Is it this season that all midweek games can be watched online and via Sky? If so expect very small travelling numbers to those places. We often seem to have Reading away midweek, must be the 4th time in 5 visits.

I hadn't heard anything about watching games online. It irks me the lack of consideration given to travelling fans for evening games. As well as time off work for many for everybody on the day of the game the day after can normally be written off owing to an early hour of the morning arrival at home.

[perthblue02]

Just now, tomphil said:

The away support will average out at about just over a thousand this season i'd wager, just like the previous championship years. Respectable when you take into account a lot of the prices, daft midweek treks and TV but at the same time embarrassing when we probably take 3/400 to Derby etc.

PNE & Wigan home and away back to back and treks to Yorkshire back to back then Swansea and the like away in midweek, idiotic !

Or a clever move to get the subscription numbers up for EFL ifollow considering the broadcast of midweek games?

Edited June 21, 2018 by perthblue02

[tomphil]

Just now, perthblue02 said:

Or a clever move to get the subscription numbers up for EFL ifollow ?

Aye probably, another step to empty stadiums and every game live on some form of media.

[Mattyblue]

Sure I read that it was the clubs themselves that lobbied for midweek games to be largely against teams from afar, due to wanting to maximise away followings on a Saturday. 

[perthblue02]

3 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

Sure I read that it was the clubs themselves that lobbied for midweek games to be largely against teams from afar, due to wanting to maximise away followings on a Saturday. 

Yes I am sure you are right, I also remember reading something along those lines.

Regarding the ifollow midweek games for those in the UK, they are an addition to the standard UK subscription and are 10 quid per game

https://www.efl.com/ifollowUK  

Edited June 21, 2018 by perthblue02

[JHRover]

7 minutes ago, arbitro said:

I hadn't heard anything about watching games online. It irks me the lack of consideration given to travelling fans for evening games. As well as time off work for many for everybody on the day of the game the day after can normally be written off owing to an early hour of the morning arrival at home.

We can always rely on at least one or two horrific long midweek games. This time round it is Reading and Swansea to start off with, potentially another couple depending on cup progress and tv games.

For me Swansea will be probably 2 days off work. To get down there it will be a late morning or lunchtime departure, so working that morning is probably pushing it, then with motorway closures we're looking at potentially not getting home until 3am or beyond, so the following morning is a write off.

These 2 midweek slots should be arranged so we play Northern Teams, or midlands at a push. I accept when the cup gets going it becomes more difficult but it isn't difficult to split the Championship into northern and southern for the midweek slots and ensure clubs only play teams from the same section. That would rule out 10 hour round trips to South Wales on a Tuesday afternoon with work the following day, but then again those making the decisions will be on travel expenses and complimentary tickets so they don't care.

[tomphil]

8 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

Sure I read that it was the clubs themselves that lobbied for midweek games to be largely against teams from afar, due to wanting to maximise away followings on a Saturday. 

They should offer discounted away travel for the regulars then to balance it out a bit as surely they want as many of their own fans backing them on travels. Or the old 20 is plenty on away tickets anywhere in midweek over 100 miles away even if that was only for regulars.

[JHRover]

https://www.stokecityfc.com/news/free-coach-travel-to-continue

Good effort from Stoke, more should do the same.

[Bigdoggsteel]

Great fixtures. Top 6 at Xmas

[AllRoverAsia]

2 hours ago, gumboots said:

Will only be long if he doesn't get sacked

True. I fear that Derby do well and we get a season long Lampard fest. Quite like him as a pundit 

[cesus]

2 hours ago, JHRover said:

We can always rely on at least one or two horrific long midweek games. This time round it is Reading and Swansea to start off with, potentially another couple depending on cup progress and tv games.

For me Swansea will be probably 2 days off work. To get down there it will be a late morning or lunchtime departure, so working that morning is probably pushing it, then with motorway closures we're looking at potentially not getting home until 3am or beyond, so the following morning is a write off.

These 2 midweek slots should be arranged so we play Northern Teams, or midlands at a push. I accept when the cup gets going it becomes more difficult but it isn't difficult to split the Championship into northern and southern for the midweek slots and ensure clubs only play teams from the same section. That would rule out 10 hour round trips to South Wales on a Tuesday afternoon with work the following day, but then again those making the decisions will be on travel expenses and complimentary tickets so they don't care.

I remember the Stanley chairman discussing this last year and he said it was a long standing vote agreement between the FL clubs that to maximise attendances the long distance games would be used for midweek games. He said losing 100’s of potential local away fans due to midweek commitments wasn’t worth the risk weighted against the probability that long distance travelling teams wouldn’t bring too many anyway. I’d guess the voting for long distance midweek travel was probably weighted heavier in league one and two.

[McClarky]

Looking at the fixtures from mid-September to the end of October, we need a good start.

[barry_]

The difference between the 2 seasons is last year, for many reasons, we got pretty decent support but the worry for this year is that the perception from our own support will be that we're smallfish, been here before and the motivation to get out to support the team won't be as strong. 

I hope that the club and players make a massive effort to help the supporters through what are bound to be some difficult times. 

[JHRover]

27 minutes ago, barry_ said:

The difference between the 2 seasons is last year, for many reasons, we got pretty decent support but the worry for this year is that the perception from our own support will be that we're smallfish, been here before and the motivation to get out to support the team won't be as strong. 

I hope that the club and players make a massive effort to help the supporters through what are bound to be some difficult times. 

Don't accept the smallfish part. I hope nobody approaches this season with that attitude given we're bigger than many clubs in the Championship.

Last season we were top of the league expecting promotion, this season we aren't and probably won't be up there. If we start like a house on fire and are in promotion contention like Sheff Utd were last season then our followings will be as big or probably bigger than last season, even with scandalously high prices for some tickets.

[philipl]

That Ipswich away opener is going to be massive. The away following will be substantial so going to be important to give them a great start to the season.

Seem to remember too many good performances with bad results at Portman Road.

[Mattyblue]

Won’t be at touching £40 a ticket...

[philipl]

2 hours ago, Mattyblue said:

Won’t be at touching £40 a ticket...

Why I said substantial and not massive. Will be over 1,000 for sure.

[JHRover]

2 hours ago, philipl said:

That Ipswich away opener is going to be massive. The away following will be substantial so going to be important to give them a great start to the season.

Seem to remember too many good performances with bad results at Portman Road.

I've never seen us win at Ipswich, it's certainly a 'bogey ground' and we're due a win there. Best it has been in recent times was that Marshall free kick last minute equaliser, other than that it has been by and large dross, quite often on very cold Tuesday nights in the winter with about 300 away fans.

[JHRover]

2 hours ago, Mattyblue said:

Won’t be at touching £40 a ticket...

Start as we mean to go on. Whatever Ipswich charge our fans we should reciprocate by shoving them upstairs in the Darwen End and charging the exact same prices when they come to Ewood.

Maybe eventually if enough clubs do it Ipswich fans will apply pressure to their club to change their ways.

Edited June 22, 2018 by JHRover

[MarkBRFC]

Just now, JHRover said:

Start as we mean to go on. Whatever Ipswich charge our fans we should reciprocate by shoving them upstairs in the Darwen End and charging the exact same prices when they come to Ewood.

Ive always been in favour of that, but I think its been proven time and time again that it will never, ever happen.

I think we're in for a shock with away ticket prices this season after having it pretty good last season.