7.30 Saturday Kick offs

southparkerimp · Post by **southparkerimp** » 10 Feb 2019, 14:30

Hello all.

Don't hold it against me but I'm a Lincoln City supporter currently enjoying life back in the light of the EFL after five seasons of National League misery ended with one exceptional 2016/17 season. My first visit to Plainmoor to follow City came on a wet night in 1986 and I've only missed the "no away fans" visit since even reaching the ground for the infamous Boxing Day 11am postponement as well as the late postponement on Grand National Day.

I'm currently penning a piece for the Lincoln fanzine regarding non standard kick off times for City games and as City played at Torquay at 7.30 on a Saturday night in 1980 (the only way in those far off days to get the result was to hope it was mentioned on Match of the Day) I'm wondering if anyone knows the reason why Torquay often played early/late season games around that time on a Saturday night. I've heard various reasons such as it gave visiting teams/supporters enough time to get there in the 2 lane M5 days, it allowed local guest house owners the chance to get the change over between arriving and departing guests dealt with and then be able to go to the match or it was to ensure the social club was always full and able to attract good artist's on a Saturday night!

Hopefully someone may have the definitive answer!

Good luck for the rest of the season and a future return to the EFL.

Plainmoor78 · Post by **Plainmoor78** » 10 Feb 2019, 16:34

I thought it was done to give local league footballers who played Saturday afternoons the chance to go up Plainmoor.
Remember the 1980 game, last game of the season, you lot hammered us 2-5.

Porky · Post by **Porky** » 10 Feb 2019, 16:45

I think plainmoor 78 is right, it was because we had a burgeoning south Devon league, and it boosted the gates if I remember correctly.
I remember Lincoln beating us in their promotion season, must have been early 70s. Did you have an ex west ham keeper playing for you.
All the best with your promotion quest this season.

westyorkshiregull · Post by **westyorkshiregull** » 10 Feb 2019, 17:30

Was a touch before my time but I do belive the main reason was higher gates. I'm not sure how common it was accross the football league at that time and I'm not sure really if it was fair on long travelling away fans and also playing games after everyone else has played earlier in the day. I know this day and age games played a lot more spread about due to T.V but back then most games were played on a saturday 3pm. I do belive our 7.30pm kick offs ended when wolves came to town in 1986 and caused trouble during the day and evening more within plainmoor after a day on the beer. So that ended that I belive. Without studying it myself I do belive the fixture for the Crewe game in 1987 was actually originally scheduled for a 7.30pm kick off !! Which being the last game of seasons seems crazy to be at a later time.
I didn't realise the 7.30pm kick offs went back as far as 1980 ...I always assumed it was a Dave Webb thing for making a few extra quid. I wonder if back then if both teams had to agree on a 7.30 kick off as I can't belive many teams would prefer to travel back that late.
Interesting

portugull · Post by **portugull** » 10 Feb 2019, 17:46

United played on Friday Evenings in the early 1960's much to the annoyance of the Pools Companies.
I was playing South Devon League Football and we reckoned it added 400 to the gate because we could not go on Saturday at 3pm.
I think I am correct Plainmoor78 and Porky it all started a lot earlier than 1980.

desperado · Post by **desperado** » 10 Feb 2019, 17:48

Saturday night kick offs started in about 1966/67 Some not all I think, remember a game against Walsall
They were top ,we were second in Division 3, around 9000 there , we won 5-2 (Stubbs 4) What an atmosphere those evening games were with crowds like that.
That Lincoln 2-5 game, didn't Mick Harford score about 4, and the final game when Lincoln were champions was a brilliant game 2-2 Willie Brown got both

DWB · Post by **DWB** » 10 Feb 2019, 17:52

Yes I remember the Friday/Saturday night games at that time. I was playing in the south Devon league (for Stoke Gabriel at that time) and remember the “football special” buses laid on to get me back to Paignton!!

Griff1n · Post by **Griff1n** » 10 Feb 2019, 18:11

My first visit to Plainmoor was a Saturday evening game v Southport on 10/08/68. We then dashed back to Brixham as we didn’t want to miss Match of the Day!

Plainmoor78 · Post by **Plainmoor78** » 10 Feb 2019, 18:12

westyorkshiregull wrote: 10 Feb 2019, 17:30 Without studying it myself I do belive the fixture for the Crewe game in 1987 was actually originally scheduled for a 7.30pm kick off !! Which being the last game of seasons seems crazy to be at a later time.

I haven't heard that myself but it wouldn't surprise me if the club had wanted to try and get an advantage by knowing the results of the other teams fighting relegation.
But at the time the police were very anti football and wouldn't have allowed it anyway.

southparkerimp · Post by **southparkerimp** » 10 Feb 2019, 18:37

Wow thanks for the replies. That wasn't a reason I've heard before but does seem very plausible.

Peter Grotier was the ex West Ham goalkeeper in the 2-2 draw in 1976 when City won the 4th Division title. Gordon Hobson scored a hat trick in the 5-2 1980 game with Harford and Tony Cunningham scoring the others. Harford scored both in our 2-1 win the following season and a hat trick in the 5-0 Sincil Bank victory.

In May 1987 (we try to forget it in LIncoln!) Tranmere played and won on the Friday night and if they had lost they would have possibly gone down so crazy as it seems not everyone did kick off at the same time. I well remember being sat on the terrace at Swansea after City had lost 2-0 listening to the radio and you were losing so we were still safe until Paul Dobson equalised and you went above us. I don't think Orient would have dared do anything other than lose at Burnley but the radio and tv fawning over their survival was embarrassing.

I see someone has Guy Branston down as a favourite player. He certainly had a decent career but his brief spell at Lincoln wasn't anything special. His final game for us was at Torquay and the story (never confirmed) at the time was that he refused to play the second half, we were 4-1 down at half time, because he considered it to be too hot for football!

Was it Alex Russell who missed the penalty at Sincil Bank which would have put you 2 up and ended our hopes of finishing in the play offs in 2003 paving the way for us to equalise a few minutes from time and go on to lose to Bournemouth in the final?

desperado · Post by **desperado** » 10 Feb 2019, 19:04

Good memories, you've got me on the Alex Russell missed pen ! You didn't mention the 3rd round FA Cup game in 1971 when you were 3-0 up in the first half , Percy Freeman and all, we won 4-3 (Mickey Cave John Rudge and Chris Barnard 2
Maybe you aren't that old !

wivelgull · Post by **wivelgull** » 10 Feb 2019, 19:05

Also, don't forget the player who represented (with distinction) both Lincoln City and Torquay United: Sir Tommy Northcott.

westyorkshiregull · Post by **westyorkshiregull** » 10 Feb 2019, 19:36

Yes Lincoln fan your right ....Tranmere did secure safety on the Friday night before the last games. Just unreal really , totally unfair. The Crewe game was listed as a 7.30pm kick off I'm positive ~ before the game in Nov 1986 with wolves where Saturday night kick offs got scraped.

South Devon football 3 o clock....torquay United 7.30 and match of the day at 10ish ...what a feast of football that was!!!!!!

Porky · Post by **Porky** » 10 Feb 2019, 20:19

Pretty sure we played Portsmouth on a Saturday night. Donal Murphy played for us then and we played out of our skins. Good memories.

Whydoibother · Post by **Whydoibother** » 11 Feb 2019, 08:42

I used to enjoy the late Saturday evening games. I quite often watched a local game before going down there afterwards.

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