Northampton Town can confirm a number of changes to the provisional fixture list;
NORTHAMPTON TOWN V DONCASTER ROVERS
Was due to be played on Saturday September 8, will now be played on Friday September 7 at 7.45pm. This change has been made to avoid a clash with the England v Israel Euro 2008 fixture.
NORTHAMPTON TOWN V AFC BOURNEMOUTH
Was due to be played on Saturday December 22, will now be played on Friday December 21 at 7.45pm. This change has been made to avoid a clash with a Northampton Saints home fixture.
NORTHAMPTON TOWN V LEYTON ORIENT
Was due to be played on Saturday January 26, will now be played on Friday January 25 at 7.45pm. This change has been made to avoid a clash with a Northampton Saints home fixture.
HARTLEPOOL UNITED V NORTHAMPTON TOWN
Was due to be played on Saturday February 23, will now be played on Friday February 22 at 7.45pm
BRISTOL ROVERS V NORTHAMPTON TOWN
Was due to be played on Tuesday March 11, will now be played on Tuesday March 4 at 7.45pm. Because of development work at the Memorial Stadium, this game will be played at Whaddon Road, Cheltenham and has been moved to avoid a clash with the Cheltenham Gold Cup racing festival.
NORTHAMPTON TOWN V NOTTINGHAM FOREST
Was due to be played on Saturday March 22, will now be played on (Good Friday) March 21 at 7.45pm. This change has been made to avoid a clash with a Northampton Saints home fixture on Easter Saturday.
All changes are subject to Football League approval. Further changes may still occur for police, TV or any other requirements.
FIXTURE CLASHES
The club did send a copy of the Saints fixtures over to the Football League a couple of weeks before we were given our fixtures to ask them to try and avoid or minimise any clash with Saints home games. Unfortunately the list we have been handed shows 7 such clashes.
After the fixtures came out, we went in to an 8 day period where ourselves, opposing clubs, the police and other interested parties had a chance to assess the fixture list and make any minor changes that may be necessary in order to maximise attendances, relieve traffic congestion, car parking problems and any other issues that affect the staging of matches.
We were in contact with the Saints to see if we could agree a joint plan to minimise the number of clashes we have. That could have meant both of us moving a small number of games, but it is always our plan to have the vast majority of games at 3pm on a Saturday and to also try and work with the Saints to avoid clashes wherever possible.
In view of the 7 clashes, we have decided to move some, and have discussed with the Saints who are working to see what they can do. That is something we have left with them, but our fixtures are now officially confirmed with the changes shown. We do not anticipate any further changes unless TV requirements dictate.
It is clear that from studying our attendances over the last few seasons that Friday nights do encourage more home support on average - 04/5 - 61 more home fans per game on average, in 05/6 - 328 more per game, and in 06/7 - 97 more per game. The figures also show that away support is not particularly adversely affected by Friday night fixtures, especially when you consider that Bradford (660) and Huddersfield (501) brought significant support, despite supporters having to travel down busy motorways on Friday afternoons.
When we clashed head on with the Saints fixtures in season 04/5 we were down 121 home fans on average per game, in 05/6 down 309, which included a big game, and in 06/7 down 182. By adding the losses from the Saturdays to the increase in Fridays, the following differences then apply: 04/5 season - 182 more home fans attended on a Friday night, 05/6 - 637 more, 06/7 - 279 more.
We did look at Sundays but then we have the problem of live Premiership football on TV, the Northampton Youth Alliance play on a Sunday and we are faced with a very short turn around if we have a late arranged game put in on the following Tuesday. Early Saturday kick offs were tried in 2005/2006, but these resulted in lower crowds than Friday nights.
While there maybe a small decrease in the number of away fans, the Friday night average attendance has been higher than the overall seasonal average attendance in each of the last three seasons, all of which indicate it is not in anyone's interest to clash with the Saints and that when we have to move, Friday night games attract bigger crowds.
The revised fixture list
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