DUTV
STORY OF THE MATCH | RANGERS (A)
25th November 2024
SPL Secretary Iain Blair - the man in charge of producing the fixture list - discusses the 2012/13 fixtures, which, for the fifth year in a row, have been complied with the assistance of Canadian company Optimal Planning Solutions.
Why do the 2012/13 fixtures not include Rangers? Following the failure of Rangers FC to exit administration via a CVA, we have received an application to register the transfer of their SPL share to a newco. Should it be rejected, then another club may be invited to join the SPL for season 2012/13.
The winter break is back for the first time since 2002/03 - why is that? Supporters have often told us that they favour a winter break. Indeed, we have always been open to reviving the break but fitting it into the schedule can be a problem. With no World Cup or European Championship next summer, we are able to finish our own season slightly later and incorporate a shutdown covering two weekends in January.
Why do Celtic not have a game on August 11? The SPL Board agreed to allow Celtic to postpone their fixture to allow them to face Real Madrid in the United States. Their home match against Dundee United will now be played at a later date.
What sort of things do you factor into the fixture list? A number of things are taken into account. For example, all clubs have three home games in their opening six matches and all finish H-A-H-A or vice versa in the four weeks leading up to the split. We also liaise with the police and try to avoid scheduling fixtures against major events that could cause an issue.
What's the situation with midweek matches? The knock-on effect of the winter break is more midweek matches. Putting the Christmas period to one side, we have a midweek card at the end of November, one in late January and one in February. For the vast majority of clubs, anyone at home in the January midweek will be away in February or vice versa. We have also ensured clubs at home on Boxing Day are away at New Year.
Is there anything else that causes a problem when compiling the fixtures? The situation with Champions/Europa League qualifiers in the early part of the season presents us with a significant challenge. For example, in weeks one and four, we had to avoid Celtic/Motherwell playing Hearts/Dundee United/St Johnstone due to the possibility of clubs competing in the Europa League on a Thursday night facing clubs on Champions League duty the following Tuesday.
Why have some pairings not been reversed from last year? Due to the complexities of making the post-split fixtures balance (assuming the top six is the same as 2011/12) it is not possible to switch every fixture. However, the bulk of pairings have been reversed. The requirement to balance the post-split fixtures also means Aberdeen will have 17 home games in rounds 1-33, as they did last year, and St Johnstone will again have 16 home matches before the split.
How do you decide who starts at home? The reigning champions, in this case Celtic, kick off with a home game, as do First Division winners Ross County. For the other clubs, we look at the immediate previous season and also the balance of home and away starts since 1998/99.
Do you try to minimise travelling for fans over the festive period? As much as we can, but the Clydesdale Bank Premier League is a national competition and long journeys are at times unavoidable, particularly when we have four fixture rounds over the Christmas holiday period. We have also retained the popular New Year derbies.
The split still has its critics - is there a way round it? As long as we have a 12-team league then the split is here to stay. I appreciate why some fans are against it but it has undoubtedly helped generate excitement at the top and bottom of the table in recent years. The fixture list has been compiled so that if the top six remains the same as last year then all clubs will play 19 home and away matches and there will be no requirement to reverse any fixtures after the split. However, the unpredictable nature of football means that only once since the split came into being in 2000/01 has the top six been the same two years running!
Why have some games been moved to Sundays? Hearts and Dundee United require to play some Sunday fixtures due to their Europa League qualifiers. Other matches may also require to be moved due to the Europa League.
What are the post-split dates? Fixture round 34 is scheduled for April 20. There will also be fixtures on the weekends of April 27, May 4 and May 11. The season concludes on the weekend of May 18/19, with the bottom-six games on the Saturday and the top-six fixtures on the Sunday.
Why do the 2012/13 fixtures not include Rangers? Following the failure of Rangers FC to exit administration via a CVA, we have received an application to register the transfer of their SPL share to a newco. Should it be rejected, then another club may be invited to join the SPL for season 2012/13.
The winter break is back for the first time since 2002/03 - why is that? Supporters have often told us that they favour a winter break. Indeed, we have always been open to reviving the break but fitting it into the schedule can be a problem. With no World Cup or European Championship next summer, we are able to finish our own season slightly later and incorporate a shutdown covering two weekends in January.
Why do Celtic not have a game on August 11? The SPL Board agreed to allow Celtic to postpone their fixture to allow them to face Real Madrid in the United States. Their home match against Dundee United will now be played at a later date.
What sort of things do you factor into the fixture list? A number of things are taken into account. For example, all clubs have three home games in their opening six matches and all finish H-A-H-A or vice versa in the four weeks leading up to the split. We also liaise with the police and try to avoid scheduling fixtures against major events that could cause an issue.
What's the situation with midweek matches? The knock-on effect of the winter break is more midweek matches. Putting the Christmas period to one side, we have a midweek card at the end of November, one in late January and one in February. For the vast majority of clubs, anyone at home in the January midweek will be away in February or vice versa. We have also ensured clubs at home on Boxing Day are away at New Year.
Is there anything else that causes a problem when compiling the fixtures? The situation with Champions/Europa League qualifiers in the early part of the season presents us with a significant challenge. For example, in weeks one and four, we had to avoid Celtic/Motherwell playing Hearts/Dundee United/St Johnstone due to the possibility of clubs competing in the Europa League on a Thursday night facing clubs on Champions League duty the following Tuesday.
Why have some pairings not been reversed from last year? Due to the complexities of making the post-split fixtures balance (assuming the top six is the same as 2011/12) it is not possible to switch every fixture. However, the bulk of pairings have been reversed. The requirement to balance the post-split fixtures also means Aberdeen will have 17 home games in rounds 1-33, as they did last year, and St Johnstone will again have 16 home matches before the split.
How do you decide who starts at home? The reigning champions, in this case Celtic, kick off with a home game, as do First Division winners Ross County. For the other clubs, we look at the immediate previous season and also the balance of home and away starts since 1998/99.
Do you try to minimise travelling for fans over the festive period? As much as we can, but the Clydesdale Bank Premier League is a national competition and long journeys are at times unavoidable, particularly when we have four fixture rounds over the Christmas holiday period. We have also retained the popular New Year derbies.
The split still has its critics - is there a way round it? As long as we have a 12-team league then the split is here to stay. I appreciate why some fans are against it but it has undoubtedly helped generate excitement at the top and bottom of the table in recent years. The fixture list has been compiled so that if the top six remains the same as last year then all clubs will play 19 home and away matches and there will be no requirement to reverse any fixtures after the split. However, the unpredictable nature of football means that only once since the split came into being in 2000/01 has the top six been the same two years running!
Why have some games been moved to Sundays? Hearts and Dundee United require to play some Sunday fixtures due to their Europa League qualifiers. Other matches may also require to be moved due to the Europa League.
What are the post-split dates? Fixture round 34 is scheduled for April 20. There will also be fixtures on the weekends of April 27, May 4 and May 11. The season concludes on the weekend of May 18/19, with the bottom-six games on the Saturday and the top-six fixtures on the Sunday.
