Just been chatting online elsewhere. There are no trains and hardly any buses on boxing day or National Express.
Maybe I'm getting old, but I don't recall Boxing day games being a problem in the past.
It might well be postponed anyhow, the way things are going..
But if supporters usually come in from places such as Bognor (the original post) Isle of Wight, Fareham etc, they might need to start getting transport organised.
I'm sure British Rail used to run on Boxing Day games, and I'm sure I used to sell programs to Council buses running the usual special service to the Hard. Pretty sure my dad used to be out driving one of said buses too!
Trains haven't run on Boxing Day for years, Hammie.
Not since the mid eighties, I believe, but it is certainly time to bring back public transport to all year round, if people want to cut emissions.
(20-12-2021, 09:09 AM)TBP Wrote: [ -> ]Not since the mid eighties, I believe, but it is certainly time to bring back public transport to all year round, if people want to cut emissions.
Absolutely right TBP, it’s a nonsense that public transport doesn’t run 365 days a year.
It’s not like the whole population is religious is it?
I’m sure there would be enough staff willing to work over the Christmas period to run, at the very least, a reduced service.
Why did the idiots at the PL & EFL decide to put on a full programme on a Sunday Boxing Day when they know there is little or no public transport. So if you don't live within walking distance of a ground you have to use a car or other motorised transport & try to find a parking space near the ground when everyone else is taking them up at home with family etc.
Beggars belief really - with a bit of luck the entire programme will be cancelled !!
The alternative was the Bank Holidays on both Mon 27th & Tues 28th - when there is public transport - it isn't that hard is it.
(20-12-2021, 09:35 AM)exgaffer Wrote: [ -> ] (20-12-2021, 09:09 AM)TBP Wrote: [ -> ]Not since the mid eighties, I believe, but it is certainly time to bring back public transport to all year round, if people want to cut emissions.
Absolutely right TBP, it’s a nonsense that public transport doesn’t run 365 days a year.
It’s not like the whole population is religious is it?
I’m sure there would be enough staff willing to work over the Christmas period to run, at the very least, a reduced service.
Have to agree with TBP and Gaffer on this. Given the number of people who move around at Christmas, especially Boxing day, it's scandalous that there are no trains or buses running. I'm sure there are people more than happy to work but are the privately run rail franchises willing to pay their workers double or triple time? No, me neither.
(20-12-2021, 10:50 AM)exterminator Wrote: [ -> ]Why did the idiots at the PL & EFL decide to put on a full programme on a Sunday Boxing Day
Ext, the Boxing Day fixture is probably the most traditional date in the history of british football - its the second game everyone looks for - who do we open against? where are we Boxing Day?. If its not going to go ahead, its going to be because of omicron, it would never be cancelled because of public transport issues.
Never been any public transport in my time.
I went on my pushbike one year. I was quite surprised the bike was still there when I came out. Wouldn't happen at Anfield.
Another year I walked it.
Won't be there this year. Whether or not it actually happens.
I’ve never done Boxing Day as we’ve always had a big family & neighbours party/ curry piss up. It is ridiculous that there’s no public transport especially if people have had a drink or two at Christmas and their only alternative to get to the game is to drive
(20-12-2021, 01:22 PM)exgaffer Wrote: [ -> ] (20-12-2021, 11:10 AM)Tufnell_Chimes Wrote: [ -> ] (20-12-2021, 10:50 AM)exterminator Wrote: [ -> ]Why did the idiots at the PL & EFL decide to put on a full programme on a Sunday Boxing Day
Ext, the Boxing Day fixture is probably the most traditional date in the history of british football - its the second game everyone looks for - who do we open against? where are we Boxing Day?. If its not going to go ahead, its going to be because of omicron, it would never be cancelled because of public transport issues.
It is very traditional Tuffers and is a good fixture, all the more reason to provide public transport then.
The public transport ‘issue’ is that there fucking isn’t any 
. Actually there are a few buses I think, but they don’t come out this far. I have to scrounge a lift or give it a miss, sadly.
As for Omicron, there is no reason to cancel for a relatively mild disease, well not in a sane world anyway.
I'd have thought not having enough fit players to fulfill the fixture is a very good reason for cancelling a game, which is what happened all over the country last weekend.
Boxing Day lack of transport has been a problem for years. Impossible to go anywhere by train!
Unfortunately, I can see uite a few games called off after the Premier League meeting today. I'd also estimate Pompey v Oxford at 50% being called off.
I won't be going this year, because I've just moved off the island and apart from hours of walking I've no way to get there. I'm not going to ask anyone not to have a drink all day just so they could give me a lift. Seems a shame, but there's no alternative.
Perhaps next year an enterprising fan can hire a couple of minibuses and organise some pickup and drop off points for a reasonable fare.
Quite rightly the traditional Boxing Day was always the biggest supported game of the season. Big crowds all over the country. And nothing would have stopped me going home or away even when my kids were young. But unfortunately today’s family makeup is very different and a lot of men get put under pressure from what I call today’s modern girl who can’t stand any pressure off looking after exited kids for a few hrs. Also it seems half off the young population who have kids are separated or divorced. So said kids could be with Dad every other Boxing Day like my son has with his daughter. So I even have that guilt trip if I was to go to football on Boxing Day and miss out on seeing my granddaughter for the day. So if it’s his turn I look at the fixtures and hope we are away up north.
Let's just hope the game is on! Love a boxing day game. Usually provides a cracking match.
I remember turning over West ham at Upton Park 2-1. I think Linvoy got our second and perhaps Sheringham got the consolation for the hammers.
More recently, Newport away was brilliant. Freezing our bollocks off, 2 nil down and on the stroke of half time, Naesmith is awarded the penalty. We all stood still behind the goal as he picked his spot and BLASTED it over the crossbar! That halftime bocfil was little consolation. Then 2nd half we absolutely steamroller them scoring 3 to win 3-2. Amazing.
(20-12-2021, 11:10 PM)Pedalo_menders Wrote: [ -> ]I remember turning over West ham at Upton Park 2-1. I think Linvoy got our second and perhaps Sheringham got the consolation for the hammers.
Linvoy scored both, I think.