The East Anglian Derby - Town vs. Budgies (aka. Ipswich vs. Norwich) is always put on early because the local police feel it is safer. Why???. The latest derby game was to be put on at 12:00 noon (now 11:30 for Sky) and this damages the atmosphere.

Does this happen to any other Derby game, shurely it does?

Indeed it does infact last season was the first time United played city at OT at 3 O'clock on a saturday for a long, long time.

Thats common practice ;)

And they are also played on Sundays.

I don't agree with it, but it's easy to see why the Police want these matches to kick off earlier. By their nature, a later kick off isn't as necessary as usual as the away fans don't need to travel as far.

The argument against this early kick off policy from what I've seen at football, and in and around town afterwards is that it means that fans will just decamp to pubs for a few hours after the kick off and then it will kick off in town later.

Probably no real solution to this. I don't mind kick off's being moved to earlier times, say 1.30 or something.I remember years ago watching Exeter v Plymouth, and getting the train to the game with my mates when we were about 16, and drinking beers at 9am for an 11.30 kick off. That just wasn't cricket as far as I'm concerned!

Try drinking beers at 8am for a 3pm kick off. :ph43r:

In Scotland, the Old Firm Derby (Rangers and Celtic) is always a Sunday, 12PM KO, 9 times out of 10 the Edinburgh Derby is a Sunday 2PM, mostly to suit the tele cameras although, an article was produced in the local paper by the local police stating that they want all future Hibs v Hearts games, early on a Sunday. C*nts.

Strangely the last two times we have been to Palace, it has been an evening kick-off.

The 2 games with Newcastle & Sunderland last season were something like 12.45 I think at home, so we had a 'breakfast' party at my mates from about 9am doing cans in. The away game was a standard 3pm on a bank holiday monday so fans had usual time to have a few drinks. Sunderland fans later rioted in the city centre :lol:

Problem with The East Anglian Derby is that the two clubs are at least 40 miles away and a 11:45 kick off is stupid as people have to get up really early to get to the game.

ML - is there a history of trouble at this fixture? I know it is a local derby but wasn't aware either side had a reputation for trouble.

The East Anglian Derby has very rarely seen trouble although the fans are passionate and most generally do hate each other. Both clubs have generally relaxed supporters but as many people have said this is actually a fierce derby (Liverpool and Everton supporters are generally known to have a drink together after the game and many support both teams in one family) but as there is such a large gap between the Town and City, they are not generally on friendly terms, but hardly ever violence.

When we (Town) get to Norwich on the train we are herded down to Carrot road by the police. There is obviously a lot of verbal abuse and chanting but no violence that I have ever seen. It is also the same at Portman Road.

Also every year the PA at Norwich tells all supporters about the ground regulations and that they should sit but there is a fat chance thats ever gunna happen :lol: .

ML - I had a feeling your response would be something like that.

Still, re the early kick off, better safe than sorry, eh?

It is better to be safe than sorry I agree, but it's a shame it's got to this stage that games have to be put on early - Boxing day games back haha :) - O well I was mainly wondering if the Atmosphere had been affected at derbies - due to early games, stewarding, BORING SEATS (not that many people sit at derbies anyway) etc???

ML, in my experience derbies these days are only a notch or two more in atmosphere than any other game. Others may beg to differ though.

Although I tell you what, Reading and Man City tonight sounds like a cracking atmosphere and that isn't even a derby!

I think that derbies for East Anglian's :D is still a big thing and it will be interesting meeting Col U in the league again especially with an away terrace (tickets are on very high demand so it is nearly impossible to get one). Saying that though there are other games which have a loud atmosphere for no reason - as you say Reading tonight had a bril Atmosphere. I noticed that with Ipswich and Sheffeild United there's an excellent Atmosphere for each game (they call them 'The Norwich of the North'??!! - for no reason). Many other games are like that in Prem and League for no reason.

Sadly seating has quietened supporters and some of these games are a shadow of themselves. Seating has started to kill Atmosphere in general! :(

Both Sheffield derby's were both 3pm saturday matches last season.

The first time in well over a decade that it hadn't been a lunchtime or friday evening game, partly because South Yorks police refused to move the kick off for Sky.

The thinking behind it was that there was going to be trouble whatever time you have the match, even more so if its an evening kick off.

So they had it at 3pm and closed most of the pubs.

Wycombe Wds have never had a derby game moved. Strangley enough one of biggest'rivals; is Colchester because of FA Cup giantkilling in 1985 and then the time they pipped us to promotion on goal difference in 1992 (the season they beat us 1-0 by their keeper scoring a 90 minute fluke) Small trouble at their place in 1994 caused by their fans on the pitch.
I know we are no Premier League club but the likes of Oxford, Swindon, Watford and Reading always take close to if not all 2000 away places when we have played them and no trouble has been caused by the 3pm and 7.45pm kick offs. The current 11.30am and 12pm k/o are a bit of an over reaction and kill off atmosphere at many grounds for their biggest game of the season.