Leeds

[mot]

Why oh why is the Reading v Leeds games always a midweek game??

[Winchester Royal]

Probably because the clubs prefer to play the longer distance away games midweek so they can set off in the morning and return home without a hotel stay, when a Saturday game realistically requires an overnight stay if you've got a 4-5 hour drive and want your players fresh for 3pm. And football clubs are either tight or skint.

[bobby1413]

Why oh why is the Reading v Leeds games always a midweek game??

I thought the same

Would much prefer this to be a Saturday, 3pm KO

[Royal Ginger]

I thought it was going to be one of those things that always seems like it's midweek but it's actually not, I've checked and tomorrow will be the 6th midweek game in the last 7 matches against Leeds.

[Nameless]

Why oh why is the Reading v Leeds games always a midweek game??

Welcome Leeds fan.

It's midweek because that's the way the computer decided.

Clubs don't get to chose.

Although don't Bournemouth get to chose when they play you so they can avoid the beach getting spoilt.

With luck next year this won't be an issue....

[murts_the_god]

Probably because the clubs prefer to play the longer distance away games midweek so they can set off in the morning and return home without a hotel stay, when a Saturday game realistically requires an overnight stay if you've got a 4-5 hour drive and want your players fresh for 3pm. And football clubs are either tight or skint.

saw the leeds coach outside pentahotel last night

[UpThePrem]

Thames Valley Police have a say in it and it wouldn't surprise me if that has been the case. Less Leeds fans = less policing.

[Winchester Royal]

Probably because the clubs prefer to play the longer distance away games midweek so they can set off in the morning and return home without a hotel stay, when a Saturday game realistically requires an overnight stay if you've got a 4-5 hour drive and want your players fresh for 3pm. And football clubs are either tight or skint.

saw the leeds coach outside pentahotel last night

Blows that theory out of the water then!

[Gav]

It's the annual "break Jem Karacan's leg" match

Please don't play him tonight SC

[GH Royal]

It's the annual "break Jem Karacan's leg" match

Please don't play him tonight SC

Agreed! Think he's already out with a minor injury though, luckily.

[Beans]

Looking forward to this one. Should be a decent win.

[Nameless]

Thames Valley Police have a say in it and it wouldn't surprise me if that has been the case. Less Leeds fans = less policing.

In that case we'll be playing Sheff Wed on a Monday morning next year given the carnage they caused.....
Doubt TVP would have any influence, Leeds aren't the force they were a few years ago.
And TVP are usually keen to rack up the costs for football, an easy way for them to boost the budget for next to no work.

[TheWhisper]

Thames Valley Police have a say in it and it wouldn't surprise me if that has been the case. Less Leeds fans = less policing.

They still bring an amazing amount of fans. As of yesterday morning there were only 300 tickets left from their 2,600 allocation

[Mr Optimist]

Thames Valley Police have a say in it and it wouldn't surprise me if that has been the case. Less Leeds fans = less policing.

They still bring an amazing amount of fans. As of yesterday morning there were only 300 tickets left from their 2,600 allocation

Hats off to them , they usually are the best away support in terms of number and noise in this division.

[handbags_harris]

I thought it was going to be one of those things that always seems like it's midweek but it's actually not, I've checked and tomorrow will be the 6th midweek game in the last 7 matches against Leeds.

It's actually only three in the last six. In fact it's only three in the last ten. Not sure the two Easter Friday games in 2011 and 2012 can be counted as midweek (admittedly one was an evening kick-off).

04/05 - Home = midweek; away Saturday 3pm
05/06 - Home Saturday 3pm; away Saturday 3pm
10/11 - Home Saturday 3pm; away Easter Friday 7.45pm
11/12 - Home Easter Friday 12.30pm; away Saturday 3pm
13/14 - Home midweek; away midweek
14/15 - Home midweek; away midweek

So it's not "always" midweek, rather that has just been a recent trend. Probably many factors thrown into the equation for that, including TVP advice, club wishes, doubling up of clubs so they do not play at home on the same day etc etc etc. just one of those things. Anyway, I'd have thought Leeds would have had more beef with having every single one of their matches moved for TV purposes...?

[RoyalBlue]

Thames Valley Police have a say in it and it wouldn't surprise me if that has been the case. Less Leeds fans = less policing.

They still bring an amazing amount of fans. As of yesterday morning there were only 300 tickets left from their 2,600 allocation

Partly explained by the fact that Leeds are another club who developed a large Southern fan base when they used to be big, famous and win lots of things!

Many of those supporting Leeds tonight will never have lived anywhere near Leeds!

[WoodleyRoyal]

Agreed, i know three Leeds fans who are from and live in Reading. and two have never been to Elland road

[mot]

I cant remember the last time Leeds played away to Reading on a Saturday 3pm. However I doubt TVP have ever had any issues with Leeds to want to ensure they are always midweek kick off times at the Madjeski.

Tonights game will have the poorest away attendance for a long time due to the amount of midweeks coming up and Reading isnt seen as a good away day but still should have around 2.5k attending.

As for Leeds fans being glory hunters from the south, most fans down south have moved there from Leeds and there hasnt been any glory for decades...lol

[Sutekh]

Leeds win lot of things Don't think they've ever managed that; post war. 3 league championships and an FA Cup win in total isn't it? Still compared to us it's probably lots of things.

[Royalclapper]

Yeah, 'greed with some of the others - After Man Utd & Liverpool I could well imagine Leeds to have one of the biggest out-of-towners fan bases.

Leeds in itself isn't a football orientated city like many others are, still, an astoundingly good away support while a very patchy home support gives a clue to how their fan base is made up. Certainly makes more of an occasion of it when they play at your own teams stadium.