Reserve games

after all the prep that goes into getting the pitch perfect, i cant see any way Adams would allow a full blown match on there before a league game. ( That said I know quite a few who would happily stay afterwards to watch another match)

Ottawa Green":14qea6ve said:

Then have the reserve game after the first team game

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Lots of people are out of the stadium before the final whistle because they might miss their bus so trying to keep them there another two hours.

Many moons ago, my season ticket allowed me access to not only first team matches, but also reserve matches as well. Basically I went to Home Park every Saturday, and there was always a match on, if it wasn't a first team match it would be a reserve match.

The reserves would be made up of not only reserve team players, but up and coming youngsters who we could keep an eye on the progress of, but also first team players who would be returning back from injury.

Not just ours but the opposition team as well. I can remember seeing Jimmy Greaves play at Home Park in a reserve match.

Now those WERE the days!!

Mark Pedlar":2sfb7f0x said:

I suspect the weather in the UK (and therefore the need to keep the pitch in tip-top condition) is one of the main reasons playing before a first team game is not a possibility. Shame because as you say we would be able to see more of the reserves without too much additional effort on our part.

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Both here and in Australia , the NRL (Rugby League) play 3 games on a match day.
The under 20's , the reserves , and the senior team.
I realise it's a different code , but sure is value for money.

jimsing":2h4w08v2 said:

Many moons ago, my season ticket allowed me access to not only first team matches, but also reserve matches as well. Basically I went to Home Park every Saturday, and there was always a match on, if it wasn't a first team match it would be a reserve match.

The reserves would be made up of not only reserve team players, but up and coming youngsters who we could keep an eye on the progress of, but also first team players who would be returning back from injury.

Not just ours but the opposition team as well. I can remember seeing Jimmy Greaves play at Home Park in a reserve match.

Now those WERE the days!!

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Indeed, very happy days

It was not uncommon to see internationals in some of the reserve sides we played against after WW II. The Greaves example (December 1961 with nearly 13000 there) was an exceptional day but with Spurs, West Ham and Arsenal in the old Football Combination League, some big names were on show. Martin Peters played here with West Ham reserves, Peter Marinello for Arsenal reserves and many more. There were no substitutes back then so any player not in the first eleven had to turn out for the reserves, whatever their status in the game. Then there was a 16 year old Jeff Astle scoring his first Combination goal for Notts County while in January 1963 Jimmy Gauld returned with Mansfield. Many thought that for a reserve match there were a lot of journalists outside the players' entrance that day. However, they turned out to be bookies looking for Jimmy to settle his debts from 1959!!!