I would not be surprised to see it moved to Good Friday, 29th March so that we get 2 days between fixtures. Changing the ko by less than 3 hours makes not a jot of difference.
It really pisses me off that the police are able to force these sort of decisions. They're our servants and should just accept how society choose to do things, within the law, and just deal with it. Instead they get to dictate what we can do. Just do your job and police the ****ing game. If they had their way, game would kick off at 10am and pubs shut at 10pm.
Derby game's also moved to Friday 21st December 7:45 KO. So that we don't play on the last Saturday before Christmas apparently.
Some people work saturday mornings. They can make 3pm kick-off's but not 12.45. So they have a problem with it. Some people work all week and may want to get stuff done on a saturday morning before the game. So it's an inconvenience to them. Some people like to meet up with mates before the game, have a few drinks. So it matters to them. And finally, 3pm kick-off's have been a tradition for a long time. This should matter. Some fans have had a routine built around this all their lives. Edit: Forgot to mention early kick off's can be a ball ache for travelling away fans.
Tradition is the only reason given there that could slightly aggrieve people, but as tradition is compromised in all aspects of football these days it's hardly a major issue. All the others you have listed can easily be solved by making arrangements, it's 2 and half hours difference, hardly moving it to 3am is it!? Reports have shown that significantly less arrests have been made at lunchtime kick-off games as opposed to 3pm or 5.45 games. Anything to help reduce potential trouble should be welcomed.
For me the issue is the tail wagging the dog. As someone else points out, we shoud be allowed to carry out a lwaful activity without some nugget flexing their 'muscle'. Despite a high degree of tolerence for lesser crimes, there were still more arrests at Ladies Day at Beverley Races than for the whole season of football. Do they **** about with their race times once they're set up? Basically, our public servants are saying that they are incomepetent and not fit for purpose.
They move almost all our local games, usually to a midweek night, it's a complete pain in the arse and it's unnecessary. Ironically, the last time there was any trouble at a league game it was against Barnsley and it was a game they'd moved to a night match.
It could also be said that the least number of arrests was on Police free days, so statistically an empty space is more effective than a £40k+pa Copper.
Huddersfield have moved their game with Millwall on the 20th April to a 12.30 kick-off also, or should that be The West Yorkshire police have.
I see the Leeds game at your place has been shifted to a Sunday 1.15 kick off too(though this time for the telly).
Why stop there then. Lets ban all away fans and ban alcohol sales within a 10 miles radius of the ground. Because you know the police would do that if you let them. I'd much rather tolerate occasional trouble at a game than go down that route. Nobody wants to see any trouble at games, but the point is it shouldn't be up to the police to makes these decisions. Their job is to police.
I didn't think it was up to the police. I thought that they give advice to the club, but it's the club who decides whether or not they move it?? Or am I wrong? That said, I suppose that clubs aren't likely to go against police advice
It's not a choice between those two options though is it? It's all about finding a happy medium that works and at present moving kick off's has had some success. It's clearly a subject you feel strongly about but making ridiculous statements won't help you make your point. It is their job, they have a whole department specifically for this, match day policing goes far beyond 90 minutes every other Saturday, it's a full time job for a team of people.
I think the police make suggestions which they discuss with the club, when both parties are happy the decision is made.
