SPL post-split fixtures

Can any of the bhoys on here explain why the huns have avoided a trip to Tynecastle after the split? Instead, they’ll be going to Easter Road for the third time this season, while they play Hearts at home again having already played them at Ibrox twice. The method of the split is a bit dodgy to say the least.

One of Celtic’s remaining home games is on a Tuesday night, which is going to be a bit of a cunt to get to. I’m not too displeased with the schedule of Celtic games but I had expected the huns to have to go to Tynecastle where they usually struggle.

http://www.scotprem.com/content/default.asp?page=s2&newsid=7765&back=home

ROUND 34
Saturday May 2

Aberdeen v Celtic – 12.30pm (Setanta)

Sunday May 3
Rangers v Hearts – 3.30pm (Setanta)

ROUND 35
Saturday May 9

Rangers v Celtic – 12.30pm (Setanta)

ROUND 36
Tuesday May 12

Celtic v Dundee United – 7.45pm (Setanta)

Wednesday May 13
Hibernian v Rangers – 7.45pm (Setanta)

ROUND 37
Saturday May 16

Rangers v Aberdeen – 12.30pm (Setanta)

Sunday May 17
Hibernian v Celtic – 1.00pm (Setanta)

ROUND 38
Sunday May 24

Celtic v Hearts – 1.00pm
Dundee United v Rangers – 1.00pm

[quote=“Bandage”]Can any of the bhoys on here explain why the huns have avoided a trip to Tynecastle after the split? Instead, they’ll be going to Easter Road for the third time this season, while they play Hearts at home again having already played them at Ibrox twice. The method of the split is a bit dodgy to say the least.

One of Celtic’s remaining home games is on a Tuesday night, which is going to be a bit of a cunt to get to. I’m not too displeased with the schedule of Celtic games but I had expected the huns to have to go to Tynecastle where they usually struggle.

http://www.scotprem.com/content/default.asp?page=s2&newsid=7765&back=home

ROUND 34
Saturday May 2

Aberdeen v Celtic 12.30pm (Setanta)

Sunday May 3
Rangers v Hearts 3.30pm (Setanta)

ROUND 35
Saturday May 9

Rangers v Celtic 12.30pm (Setanta)

ROUND 36
Tuesday May 12

Celtic v Dundee United 7.45pm (Setanta)

Wednesday May 13
Hibernian v Rangers 7.45pm (Setanta)

ROUND 37
Saturday May 16

Rangers v Aberdeen 12.30pm (Setanta)

Sunday May 17
Hibernian v Celtic 1.00pm (Setanta)

ROUND 38
Sunday May 24

Celtic v Hearts 1.00pm
Dundee United v Rangers 1.00pm[/quote]

Why is there a split?

that split is ridculious, surely every team should play the same fixtures - its inequiable the way it is

12 teams in the league so you play 33 games (11 x 3). Then top six and bottom six split and you play your final 5 games against the other six teams in your half. Celtic have already played Aberdeen, Hibs and the huns at home twice this season so that’s why we’re away to these sides after the split. But I don’t get why the huns are going to play Hearts at home 3 times, while playing 3 times away to Hibs.

Crazy system. They came up with the midwinter break and the Split in the same year. Kept the stupid one and got rid of the good idea.

Still it’s Celtic’s to lose at this stage but we better not fucking lose it.

rocko, Bandage, DB, NCC, any of you lads heading over for the mini huns game on the 24th? the heiniken cup is on that weekend and fucking up the prices of flights. Thats twice the pea nut hugging has cost us loads for matchs this season!!!I’m going to go but fly home via london! trying to sus it out at the moment!

That was the fear, Tipper. Christ, I hate rugby football. What about flying to and from Newcastle or somewhere?

looked at newcastle but its 160 to fly home that night, the lads I usually go with already booked newcastle last week hoping we had a home game on the final day so they got lucky!
the best (cheapest) option I have found is
Dub - Prestwick (Ryanair) 15
Glagow Int 17.oo - luton (easy jet) 23 GBP
luton - dublin 20.35 GBP
There are cc charges on top of that, all in all it’d be less that 100 yo yo’s but we’d have to head straight to the airport after the match, game will be over at 3ish!
I’m gona have another look as would like to get a later flight outa glasgow!

It’s 130 sterling home from Prestwick that night. Not worth the saving to go through London I don’t think.

its 160 GBP home from prestwick with ryanair when ya add charges? pretty steep?

What about that Tuesday night game? I was mentally preparing to attend both remaining home games and will try to get across to this one. What say the rest of ye? Tipper, check the flights please!

gona try to get to the tuesday aswell, going to italy the day after so have to sus out flights, it could clash with times but I’m on the case, this will have to be an over nighter… haven’t told the missus yet though!

Good work Tipper. I expect you to have a range of flight options for both games up here by tomorrow morning at 11am. :rolleyes:

Dub - edinburgh 9.15-10.20 30 Euro hopefu lly the kilkenny lads will hve the bus organised, i’ll sus that out tomorrow!
Glasgow Int - Luton 17.00 25 GBP
Luton - Dub 20.15 25 GBP
Booked, not too happy about having to leggit straight to airport after we win the league but tough shit!
Bandage, I’ll update ya on the flights for the tuesday match in the morning!

That is insane.

Its hard to know what it achieves.

How much is it to fly over on Sat evening/night for the Hertz game ?

Dub - prestwick 23rd May 21.20 - 22.10 cost 8.00

Return flights for the tuesday game 14 euro.
Early flight over on the Tuesday though 7.55

It’s just a method to get up to 38 games, I suppose. A 12-team league causes difficulty as a 33 game (11 x 3) programme would result in the distortion of playing some sides twice at home and once away and vice versa.

But even with the split the league’s decided based on a programme where the challengers don’t have the same fixture list. It’s not just the anomaly of the huns playing Hearts 3 times at home and Hibs 3 times away, there’s also the bottom six teams (who Celtic and the huns will only play 3 times overall).

For example, Celtic have played Caley Thistle twice away and once at home, while the huns have played them twice at home and once away. There’ll be other bottom six sides that Celtic have played twice at home, with the huns playing them twice away so the fixtures are not a replica for each team.

Scotland’s probably not big enough to justify an 18 or 20 team SPL. There’s not the finances or population to allow it so this system probably here to stay for a while.

Celtic have written to the SPL to request an explanation as to why they’ve allowed the huns to swerve a second trip to Tynecastle (where they’ve lost already this season) and instead been given a third trip to Easter Road (where they’ve won twice already this season). That’s the thing with the split - it encourages conspiracy theories because it’s lop-sided in nature.

There’s also the issue with upcoming bookings/suspensions and there’s always arguments/moans about how there’s bias in the post-split schedule to ensure certain players miss certain games. Caldwell had a decent point the other day in that he reckons there should be a post-split booking amnesty. I think there’s something like that down in England whereby you don’t serve a ban as long as you don’t go through the bookings barrier before Easter.