If you like evening kickoffs...enjoy tomorrow.

[Mr Popodopolous]

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2022/08/30/efl-considering-early-kick-off-times-avoid-energy-crisis-disaster/

It's only a consideration at this stage but it's clearly on the table- as we get towards Autumn and Winter there is certainly up for discussion the idea of earlier kick off times to limit use of floodlights etc.

[Eddie Hitler]

Maybe everyone could bring a torch.

[Littlesh*t]

2 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2022/08/30/efl-considering-early-kick-off-times-avoid-energy-crisis-disaster/

It's only a consideration at this stage but it's clearly on the table- as we get towards Autumn and Winter there is certainly up for discussion the idea of earlier kick off times to limit use of floodlights etc.

Surely the massive hit on gates would more than counter the electricity spent

[Mr Popodopolous]

4 minutes ago, Littlesh*t said:

Surely the massive hit on gates would more than counter the electricity spent

Possibly on a club by club basis...maybe it'd mean earlier kick-offs on weekends when a lot more people are available, getting dark at 3 or 4 as in winter kinda thing.

Title by me is perhaps a bit clickbaity but it is at least a possibility.

Edited August 30, 2022 by Mr Popodopolous

[Bernard Lerring]

With the number of nobheads that shine their phones torches at each other between the Lansdown and the Dolman, we'll probably be covered

[Bar BS3]

I've always wondered why floodlights are on so early & then still on hours after the games have finished. 

Surely reducing the times they are on either side of the game, would make a difference, rather than altering kick off times..? 

[bcfc01]

3 minutes ago, Bar BS3 said:

I've always wondered why floodlights are on so early & then still on hours after the games have finished. 

Surely reducing the times they are on either side of the game, would make a difference, rather than altering kick off times..? 

The valves need to warm up then warm down after the game...

[Midred]

8 minutes ago, bcfc01 said:

The valves need to warm up then warm down after the game...

Do they end up with a tiny spot in the middle?

[Sheltons Army]

23 minutes ago, Eddie Hitler said:

Maybe everyone could bring a torch.

Or one of them Fork Handles

[BigTone]

17 minutes ago, Midred said:

Do they end up with a tiny spot in the middle?

Like most women and impossible to find

[pongo88]

Amateur teams manage to play Saturdays and Sundays without floodlights. There’s no reason why lower league teams with small gates couldn’t switch to a 2.00 pm k.o. during the winter. (All league teams used to do the same before the advent of floodlights in the 50s) They might lose a few spectators who don’t like it but, on the other hand, they might gain a few 

Edited August 30, 2022 by pongo88

[Homer Simpson]

Problem solved, now a Saturday afternoon in November according to our media team?

[Mr Popodopolous]

I suppsoe for those who remember it (I definitely don't, before my time without doubt).

Maybe case by case as I say size of fanbase, demographics of fanbase, vs cost etc.

Anyway yeah early to mid 1970s when we had power issues...was this a thing then? Would be interesting to know how this compared if indeed it did.

[Sleepy1968]

I wouldn't mind the Lincoln cup game being switched to an early kick off.

Seriously, if they did this generally then they would probably offer live steaming as compensation to season card holders who couldn't make the game - not that this would work for everyone though.

[Red-Robbo]

9 minutes ago, pongo88 said:

Amateur teams manage to play Saturdays and Sundays without floodlights. There’s no reason why lower league teams with small gates couldn’t switch to a 2.00 pm k.o. during the winter. (All league teams used to do the same before the advent of floodlights in the 50s) They might lose a few spectators who don’t like it but, on the other hand, they might gain a few 

 

For a lot of people, that would be the end of them buying a season ticket. 

[gavlin]

Yes , let’s get back to early 70s and 2 pm weekday kick offs . Remember Millwall home , good crowd attendance and like me the number of kids that bunked off school made it all the better. No 9 bus from Hanham was packed to the rafters , poor conductor didn’t know what had hit him. Think it ended in a 1-1 draw. 

Edited August 30, 2022 by gavlin

[Sheltons Army]

2 minutes ago, gavlin said:

Yes , let’s get back to early 70s and 2 pm weekday kick offs . Remember Millwall home , good crowd attendance and like me the number of kids that bunked off school made it all the better. No 9 bus from Hanham was packed to the rafters , poor conductor didn’t know what had hit him. Think it ended in a 1-1 draw. 

My mind immediately goes to Elland Road and a certain , major, FA Upset  !

️

[southside]

4 minutes ago, gavlin said:

Yes , let’s get back to early 70s and 2 pm weekday kick offs . Remember Millwall home , good crowd attendance and like me the number of kids that bunked off school made it all the better. No 9 bus from Hanham was packed to the rafters , poor conductor didn’t know what had hit him. Think it ended in a 1-1 draw. 

5-2 win for City,  att 9,000 ish

[glynriley]

6 minutes ago, gavlin said:

Yes , let’s get back to early 70s and 2 pm weekday kick offs . Remember Millwall home , good crowd attendance and like me the number of kids that bunked off school made it all the better. No 9 bus from Hanham was packed to the rafters , poor conductor didn’t know what had hit him. Think it ended in a 1-1 draw. 

I don't really, but it was the first game my dad took me to.

[Dr Balls]

4 minutes ago, gavlin said:

Yes , let’s get back to early 70s and 2 pm weekday kick offs . Remember Millwall home , good crowd attendance and like me the number of kids that bunked off school made it all the better. No 9 bus from Hanham was packed to the rafters , poor conductor didn’t know what had hit him. Think it ended in a 1-1 draw. 

Of course this was the time of power cuts, and includes that famous victory away at Leeds in the FA Cup. Don’t mind starting earlier on a Saturday, and I don’t think it would overly affect attendance. However in mideeek, I really don’t think it would work. And anyway there is a 4 week break for the World Cup almost as soon as the clocks go back. That might be a lifeline for a few pubs too…

[INCRED]

5 minutes ago, Sheltons Army said:

My mind immediately goes to Elland Road and a certain , major, FA Upset  !

️

Yes, I was about 8 then and went on a city coach 2pm kick off on a Wednesday if I recall correctly 

[Sheltons Army]

5 minutes ago, INCRED said:

Yes, I was about 8 then and went on a city coach 2pm kick off on a Wednesday if I recall correctly 

Yes , I was lucky enough to be there , ( thanks Dad) 

Think it was a Tuesday , not that it matters

One of the greatest results in out history 

[Bas's perfect hattrick]

"Floodlights are often turned on during daylight hours if skies are dull due to demands from broadcasters."

Maybe Sky could stick up some more cash to cover lower league club's energy bills.... 

[One Team]

They could do with turning off the lights in the stands for a start, ruins the under the floodlights atmosphere, brighter there than on the pitch! 

[Mr X]

The savings for smaller clubs kicking off at 2pm instead of 3pm on weekends will far outweigh any potential loss of fans due to an earlier kick off. 

Football was played with big attendances up until the 1950's without floodlights as well. 

[RedRaw]

1 hour ago, Bernard Lerring said:

With the number of nobheads that shine their phones torches at each other between the Lansdown and the Dolman, we'll probably be covered

Wow, probably another ‘south stander’ that doesn’t see or chooses to ignore the fact people in that stand do it as well.

[Super]

Makes sense. Not just households that are going to find it tough.

[Mr Popodopolous]

10 minutes ago, Mr X said:

The savings for smaller clubs kicking off at 2pm instead of 3pm on weekends will far outweigh any potential loss of fans due to an earlier kick off. 

Football was played with big attendances up until the 1950's without floodlights as well. 

Midweek would be the problem here, what with work schedules- an hour or so earlier on weekends maybe not so much.;

Could depend on size and demographics of fanbase too in some respects.

[sglosbcfc]

1 hour ago, gavlin said:

Yes , let’s get back to early 70s and 2 pm weekday kick offs . Remember Millwall home , good crowd attendance and like me the number of kids that bunked off school made it all the better. No 9 bus from Hanham was packed to the rafters , poor conductor didn’t know what had hit him. Think it ended in a 1-1 draw. 

I'd bunk off school to watch the City and I'm a teacher 

[AppyDAZE]

1 hour ago, gavlin said:

Yes , let’s get back to early 70s and 2 pm weekday kick offs . Remember Millwall home , good crowd attendance and like me the number of kids that bunked off school made it all the better. No 9 bus from Hanham was packed to the rafters , poor conductor didn’t know what had hit him. Think it ended in a 1-1 draw. 

 

1 hour ago, southside said:

5-2 win for City,  att 9,000 ish

If this is the one I'm thiking of, a young Gordon Hill was playing for Millwall, not too long before his big move to Manchester United.

Could have this all wrong, it was ages ago.

[Dr Balls]

Talking of evening kick offs and floodlights, have to say this quiz is pretty tough (only scored 8/20):

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/aug/30/football-quiz-name-the-team-from-the-floodlights
 

 

[MelksRed]

3 hours ago, Bar BS3 said:

I've always wondered why floodlights are on so early & then still on hours after the games have finished. 

Surely reducing the times they are on either side of the game, would make a difference, rather than altering kick off times..? 

Steady old chap....that's this old fashioned thing called "common sense" 

[Bar BS3]

2 minutes ago, MelksRed said:

Steady old chap....that's this old fashioned thing called "common sense" 

Ha ha - in fairness, I do know that they need to heat up & cool down - but surely that doesn't take the hours that the lights are left on after games..? 

[Curr Avon]

I remember when midweek games kicked off at 7.30pm with a 10-minute half-time break.

[Northern Red]

1 hour ago, Dr Balls said:

Talking of evening kick offs and floodlights, have to say this quiz is pretty tough (only scored 8/20):

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/aug/30/football-quiz-name-the-team-from-the-floodlights
 

 

Did that earlier and got 13, although most were complete guesses.

[Olé]

12 minutes ago, Northern Red said:

Did that earlier and got 13, although most were complete guesses.

Can't believe you didn't use "shot in the dark". (12/20)

[Sleepy1968]

2 hours ago, One Team said:

They could do with turning off the lights in the stands for a start, ruins the under the floodlights atmosphere, brighter there than on the pitch! 

Pity I can only give you the one like for this. I've made suggestions for improvement, but surely they could easily dial down the brightness.

[Mr Popodopolous]

2 hours ago, One Team said:

They could do with turning off the lights in the stands for a start, ruins the under the floodlights atmosphere, brighter there than on the pitch! 

@Sleepy1968

Fairly sure although could be wrong, it'd be linked to SAG stipulations and such. Apologies, multi quoting across 2 pages- tried a few times.

Perhaps these things would be relaxed with energy bills rocketing but sure it's been linked to this for ages.

Edited August 30, 2022 by Mr Popodopolous

[Sleepy1968]

2 hours ago, RedRaw said:

Wow, probably another ‘south stander’ that doesn’t see or chooses to ignore the fact people in that stand do it as well.

To be fair I had no idea people in my stand (the Dolman) did it either. Thinking about it, it's evident the knob-heads are uniformly spaced around the ground.

[Sleepy1968]

25 minutes ago, Curr Avon said:

I remember when midweek games kicked off at 7.30pm with a 10-minute half-time break.

All over before 9:15 pm. Them were the days.

[exAtyeoMax]

4 hours ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2022/08/30/efl-considering-early-kick-off-times-avoid-energy-crisis-disaster/

It's only a consideration at this stage but it's clearly on the table- as we get towards Autumn and Winter there is certainly up for discussion the idea of earlier kick off times to limit use of floodlights etc.

Perhaps they could turn the lights off in the stands…?

[One Team]

10 minutes ago, Sleepy1968 said:

Pity I can only give you the one like for this. I've made suggestions for improvement, but surely they could easily dial down the brightness.

Always used to be dark in the stands, it is at other grounds and indeed sports and of course concerts.

[Curr Avon]

4 minutes ago, Sleepy1968 said:

All over before 9:15 pm. Them were the days.

Home by News At Ten!

[Sleepy1968]

3 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

@Sleepy1968

Fairly sure although could be wrong, it'd be linked to SAG stipulations and such. Apologies, multi quoting across 2 pages- tried a few times.

Perhaps these things would be relaxed with energy bills rocketing but sure it's been linked to this for ages.

Yes, you're right, it is. The SAG seem to make up their own local rules though don't they, and that's what irks. Seems to be down to the whims and fancies of unelected officials. How many other teams play with their off pitch arena lighting set to 11?

[Sleepy1968]

Just now, One Team said:

Always used to be dark in the stands, it is at other grounds and indeed sports and of course concerts.

Yep and it was infinitely better than now. There are supporters who have no idea how fantastic a night game could look at Ashton Gate.

[Mr Popodopolous]

1 minute ago, Sleepy1968 said:

Yes, you're right, it is. The SAG seem to make up their own local rules though don't they, and that's what irks. Seems to be down to the whims and fancies of unelected officials. How many other teams play with their off pitch arena lighting set to 11?

Thought so- seems to be pot luck by location doesn't it, no uniform standard- I read for example one that might be worse than ours albeit a different issue, Hull apparently narrowly avoided some sanctions or behind closed doors/partial capacity cut from theirs but wasn't aware Hull's ground was a modern hotbed of hooliganism...or just a very stringent SAG?

I digress, it does seem to be based on whims somewhat, and no uniform national standard either probably.

[redsquirrel]

lights in the stands and the wanky advertising hordings,bin them out.

pushing my luck to get there tomorrow,cant finish work early as short staffed. earlier kick off would result in no game for me if it happened in the future

[phantom]

4 hours ago, Littlesh*t said:

Surely the massive hit on gates would more than counter the electricity spent

I wonder with shift work, booking time off work etc how many would be impacted? 

[southside]

2 hours ago, AppyDAZE said:

 

If this is the one I'm thiking of, a young Gordon Hill was playing for Millwall, not too long before his big move to Manchester United.

Could have this all wrong, it was ages ago.

You're almost certainly right, he would have been around 20 at the time, Feb 74

[Curr Avon]

22 minutes ago, phantom said:

I wonder with shift work, booking time off work etc how many would be impacted? 

That was why midweek games were moved to the 7.45pm slot.

[Renaissance Williams]

2 hours ago, RedRaw said:

Wow, probably another ‘south stander’ that doesn’t see or chooses to ignore the fact people in that stand do it as well.

So the South Standers are furtively communicating with the Atyeo? Disgraceful- bloody 5th Columnists!

Edited August 30, 2022 by Renaissance Williams
Spelling error corrected … I know they upset some people!

[PhilC]

40 minutes ago, Sleepy1968 said:

Yep and it was infinitely better than now. There are supporters who have no idea how fantastic a night game could look at Ashton Gate.

Still remember as a youngster that when the lights came on in the stands before half time, that was the signal for everyone to start heading for their half time pint!

[handsofclay]

5 hours ago, Bar BS3 said:

I've always wondered why floodlights are on so early & then still on hours after the games have finished. 

Surely reducing the times they are on either side of the game, would make a difference, rather than altering kick off times..? 

It's to annoy Tilly Vacher in Clifton for longer.

[phantom]

45 minutes ago, Curr Avon said:

That was why midweek games were moved to the 7.45pm slot.

Really? 

Never realised that, though the world has changed massively since those days

[The Bard]

 

1 hour ago, Northern Red said:

Did that earlier and got 13, although most were complete guesses.

Snap.  Guessed according to the colours of seats etc.

[archie andrews]

1 hour ago, Curr Avon said:

I remember when midweek games kicked off at 7.30pm with a 10-minute half-time break.

and radio bristol started coverage from 8.02pm......

[AG City]

Any chance then they could turn off the lights in the Dolman when it’s not half time then? 

[slartibartfast]

8 hours ago, Bar BS3 said:

I've always wondered why floodlights are on so early & then still on hours after the games have finished. 

Surely reducing the times they are on either side of the game, would make a difference, rather than altering kick off times..? 

They could start economizing by turning the lights off in the stands !

[Bristol Rob]

16 hours ago, Eddie Hitler said:

Maybe everyone could bring a torch.

It would be like the end of Cheggers Plays Pop.

[Eddie Hitler]

2 minutes ago, Bristol Rob said:

It would be like the end of Cheggers Plays Pop.

 

Loving the reference!

[Bristol Rob]

16 hours ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2022/08/30/efl-considering-early-kick-off-times-avoid-energy-crisis-disaster/

It's only a consideration at this stage but it's clearly on the table- as we get towards Autumn and Winter there is certainly up for discussion the idea of earlier kick off times to limit use of floodlights etc.

I speculated on The Cost Of Living thread that this might happen. Hopefully it won't, but clubs who are locked in to a good energy contract will be at an advantage.

Staying on this theme, am I right in thinking we have solar panels on some of the stands?

[Eddie Hitler]

11 minutes ago, Bristol Rob said:

I speculated on The Cost Of Living thread that this might happen. Hopefully it won't, but clubs who are locked in to a good energy contract will be at an advantage.

Staying on this theme, am I right in thinking we have solar panels on some of the stands?

 

Assuming that Google Maps is up to date there are 460 panels in four groups of 23 x 5.  These typically generate 250W each so that would be 115kW at peak in the middle of a sunny day in June and July; the typical large domestic system is 16 panels / 4kW.

These are both relatively high amounts and very unlikely to be fully used at peak so hopefully the stadium array is registered as a generator with the local distriribution network operator, I would guess Western Power Distribution, so that the club receives an income on the metered excess production supplied to the grid.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.4399257,-2.6209852,167m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en

 

[Bristol Rob]

5 minutes ago, Eddie Hitler said:

 

Assuming that Google Maps is up to date there are 460 panels in four groups of 23 x 5.  These typically generate 250W each so that would be 115kW at peak in the middle of a sunny day in June and July; the typical large domestic system is 16 panels / 4kW.

These are both relatively high amounts and very unlikely to be fully used at peak so hopefully the stadium array is registered as a generator with the local distriribution network operator, I would guess Western Power Distribution, so that the club receives an income on the metered excess production supplied to the grid.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.4399257,-2.6209852,167m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en

 

'Yes' would have done!

Seriously though, it's good to hear that as a building, Ashton Gate is reasonably well covered.

[jj77]

Why not just put solar panels on the rooves of stands?

[exAtyeoMax]

Get the players to wear head torches?

 

[Eddie Hitler]

The club could buy one of these for the winter evening games.

https://noxton.com/glow-football_en.html

[Red Skin]

Maybe they could finally switch the lights off in the stands.  How I ever managed to find my seat in the past without having a serious accident is beyond me!! 

[bcfc01]

17 hours ago, Dr Balls said:

Talking of evening kick offs and floodlights, have to say this quiz is pretty tough (only scored 8/20):

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/aug/30/football-quiz-name-the-team-from-the-floodlights
 

 

6/20

We're not saying you're dim but you need to be more observant

[nebristolred]

16/20, and I'm not even sure how I got most of them. More worried than impressed 

[phantom]