Post-split home/away games question

S

Sir Walter’s Warriors

Well-Known Member
I think we are due to have played 16 games at home prior to the split which would suggest 3 at home post split but based on current league table it is very likely we would have played all bar one (currently Dundee Untd) of the rest of the top 6 away twice before the split.

I presume it isn’t possible for us to get 4 home games after the split to ensure 2 home 2 away against all top 6 teams, (although I would be delighted to be advised otherwise) in which case how do they decide who we are going to have to play away 3 times?
 
Sir Walter’s Warriors said:
I think we are due to have played 16 games at home prior to the split which would suggest 3 at home post split but based on current league table it is very likely we would have played all bar one (currently Dundee Untd) of the rest of the top 6 away twice before the split.

I presume it isn’t possible for us to get 4 home games after the split to ensure 2 home 2 away against all top 6 teams, (although I would be delighted to be advised otherwise) in which case how do they decide who we are going to have to play away 3 times?
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The only fixture that will ‘balance out’ is us against the mentally challengeds. We will (and have been plenty of times) away for a third time to one of the reat. Sheep or diet papes for a third time is my guess....
 
DougieJones said:
Also played Motherwell twice away and only once at home. Masons though...
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This is a very valid point actually! The only reason that we should end up with something different than 2 home and 2 away games against the rest of the top 6 is if the top 6 is different from last year. However, even if it had been the same as last year, with Motherwell and St Johnstone instead of Hibs and Dundee Untd we would still be in the situation where we had played 4 of the other 5 teams away twice, so we would still have been screwed over. We are just lucky that it hopefully shouldn’t matter this year.
 
RBRFC said:
That would be f.ucking absurd, but I could believe it would happen. Only in Scotland. How can we be handicapped in the final stage games having been handicapped in the opening stage games.
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Stand to be corrected but there’s been plenty occasions of Hibs,Hearts or Aberdeen away 3 times
 
Hazylight1989 said:
If it finished the way it is the now it will be home to Celtic, Aberdeen and Hibs - Away at Livi and Dundee United - its a bastard to have to go to that plastic pitch 3 times in a league year but the split is inhabitantly unfair every year.
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I believe this to be the case.
 
london_bluenose said:
The split has been around for 20 years, it's awful and unfair but surely people should know how it works by now?
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The way it is supposed to work is that prior year positions are taken into account and the fixture calendar up to the split is set accordingly so that, if it is the same top 6 teams as last year, all will have played each other home and away twice.

You can forgive having to play a team away 3 times if the top 6 is full of unexpected teams. However, even if we had the exact same top 6 as last season we would still be screwed over with a 3rd away game against one of the top 6. It’s only due to the current points gap that this isn’t more of a concern.
 
Sir Walter’s Warriors said:
The way it is supposed to work is that prior year positions are taken into account and the fixture calendar up to the split is set accordingly so that, if it is the same top 6 teams as last year, all will have played each other home and away twice.

You can forgive having to play a team away 3 times it the top 6 is full of unexpected teams. However, even if we had the exact same top 6 as last season we would still be screwed over with a 3rd away game against one of the top 6. It’s only due to the current points gap that this isn’t more of a concern.
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That's not how it works any more mate.

The fixtures simply flip each season, it's not set up based on the previous year's league standing.

It's as simple as:
Last season we played Celtic, Aberdeen, Hibs, Livingston, Hamilton & Motherwell at home twice before split.

This season we play all of those teams away twice before split.

It will reverse again next season.
 
london_bluenose said:
The split has been around for 20 years, it's awful and unfair but surely people should know how it works by now?
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Not sure it is unfair in terms of why it was brought in. As I recall it was sold to stop the relegation battle being decided early in the season and mid table games being pretty much meaningless.
 
london_bluenose said:
That's not how it works any more mate.

The fixtures simply flip each season, it's not set up based on the previous year's league standing.

It's as simple as:
Last season we played Celtic, Aberdeen, Hibs, Livingston, Hamilton & Motherwell at home twice before split.

This season we play all of those teams away twice before split.

It will reverse again next season.
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Ah, see this is why I am confused! Sure I read somewhere that it somewhat depended on last year’s placings but that must have been out of date.

Thanks for clearing that up mate.
 
If the Sheep, the Spoon Burners and Rancid mob are all scrapping for second place, all hell will break loose if any of the three get an extra home game against us.
 
RBRFC said:
That would be f.ucking absurd, but I could believe it would happen. Only in Scotland. How can we be handicapped in the final stage games having been handicapped in the opening stage games.
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How were we handicapped in the opening games?
 
What is even more absurd is that both us and the Dhims cannot go to Parkhead/Ibrox for a third time ever

And we both appear to be the only 2 teams that must have 19/19 home and away whereas other side's have had the 20/18 scenario

It shouldn't really be happening at this level
 
Sir Walter’s Warriors said:
Ah, see this is why I am confused! Sure I read somewhere that it somewhat depended on last year’s placings but that must have been out of date.

Thanks for clearing that up mate.
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No worries, I think originally that was the idea.

What's happened is that when we came back into the Premiership a few years back we took on the fixture list of the side who got relegated (think it was Dundee Utd), and ever since then it's just flip reversed each season.

This means the post split fixtures are unbalanced and lopsided every season unless some unexpected teams make the top 6.
 
london_bluenose said:
That's not how it works any more mate.

The fixtures simply flip each season, it's not set up based on the previous year's league standing.

It's as simple as:
Last season we played Celtic, Aberdeen, Hibs, Livingston, Hamilton & Motherwell at home twice before split.

This season we play all of those teams away twice before split.

It will reverse again next season.
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What would happen if Sellick were 6th just before the split? Would we get 3 away games against them?
 
london_bluenose said:
Don't think so, as alluded to in post 27 there is some kind of policy that games between us and them will be equally balanced home and away every year.
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That's what makes our league look like a joke That and trying to rig the fixture list so that the league cannot be won against each other
 
When the split was introduced 2000/01 only us and them were guaranteed 19/19 other sides could have 20/18 or 18/20

City derbies have 2/2 split
 
westl65 said:
That's what makes our league look like a joke That and trying to rig the fixture list so that the league cannot be won against each other
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Yeah the split is ridiculous for the integrity of the league. The fact is that you don't play the same fixtures as your rivals across the course of the season.

However, the split is accepted because it does its job, it maintains 4 derbies per season for Sky.
 
That's why I was unjustifiably pissed off at todays result.

If we take every available point, and 3 points is a must against murderwell, then where we play the last six games won't matter.

Good chance the league could be wrapped up by then!
 
The split has been on the go for 18 years. I dont understand how people dont know how it works by now.
 
Smkz23 said:
How were we handicapped in the opening games?
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We've played the two best teams outside of Celtic away twice, Celtic have played them away once, at time of the split.

The games we have played to get to the split have therefore been tougher by comparison.
 
RBRFC said:
We've played the two best teams outside of Celtic away twice, Celtic have played them away once, at time of the split.

The games we have played to get to the split have therefore been tougher by comparison.
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The fixtures flip each season for 33 rounds presplit

This season for us opposite to last season

Round 1-11 & 23-33
Home - St Mirren, Kilmarnock, St Johnstone, Dundee United, Ross County
Away - Aberdeen, Celtic, Hamilton, Hibs, Livingston & Motherwell
Round 12-22
Away - St Mirren, Kilmarnock, St Johnstone, Dundee United, Ross County
Home - Aberdeen, Celtic, Hamilton, Hibs, Livingston & Motherwell

They, Celtic have the opposite to us as we are paired with them

Round 1-11 & 23-33
Away - St Mirren, Kilmarnock, St Johnstone, Dundee United, Ross County
Home - Aberdeen, Hamilton, Hibs, Livingston Motherwell, Rangers
Round 12-22
Home - St Mirren, Kilmarnock, St Johnstone, Dundee United, Ross County
Away - Aberdeen, Hamilton, Hibs, Livingston, Motherwell, Rangers
 
Sir Walter’s Warriors said:
I think we are due to have played 16 games at home prior to the split which would suggest 3 at home post split but based on current league table it is very likely we would have played all bar one (currently Dundee Untd) of the rest of the top 6 away twice before the split.

I presume it isn’t possible for us to get 4 home games after the split to ensure 2 home 2 away against all top 6 teams, (although I would be delighted to be advised otherwise) in which case how do they decide who we are going to have to play away 3 times?
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I’m hoping we’ve won the league before the split
 
As it stands , I suspect will be scumdee Utd & livi away after the split , sheep poets hivs at home
 
RBRFC said:
We've played the two best teams outside of Celtic away twice, Celtic have played them away once, at time of the split.

The games we have played to get to the split have therefore been tougher by comparison.
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It’s just a flip of last year though so it’s not exactly a surprise, nor is it unfair.

It’s just a bit crap.
 
The split should be scrapped. It was implemented to make games at the end of the season more interesting. This doesnt work. Or at least its doesnt greatly change the outcome. Unless to provide teams at the lower end the chance of redeeming themselves by avoiding some of the better top half teams when they battle for relegation.

In my opinion the league should be a complete league of teams from start to finish and not altered during the season in any way. Just my opinion.
 
I like the essence of the split as it’s exciting playing the better teams at the end of the season. It’s a joke however in its current 12 team format.
Would work much better in a 14 team league splitting after 26 games. Would still keep the 4 old firms but crucially it would give everybody the same set of fixtures. The current set up isn’t real competition
 
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