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[gazwarrington]

We were talking at the half time yesterday for the need of players to stay over before games.

With only being part time I am not sure what the benefit is (ignoring our results away as well)?

Our players have to work all day and then get the coach about 5(ish) to the away games. This would mean that they would get to the hotel at about 8.30 or 9pm and therefore will only go to sleep as there would be no time to do anything else.

In the morning they would just relax (as no point in getting tired training) and go through the tactics (which could be done on the coach).

I would imagine (only a guess) that the cost of staying over would be around £1,000+ , without coach travel costs ?and would this money not be better used towards the team , loan player or something ?

I'm sure its a strain on the players as well to have to finish work and go straight to a hotel and not see their family until Saturday evening.

I would want players to stay over for a 'cup game' where money had already been won throughout the tournament to pay for it but not sure about the benefits for league games. I see it as more of a reward than a requirement when we are part time

Thoughts ?? ..

[AltySi]

I agree with Gaz on this, obviosly the thought behind it is to try and give the players the best possible preperation for a game, but az Gaz says they would only be leaving for an away game on a Friday evening, and given that we are yet to win an away game this season this isn't working.

I see Colin Little isn't a massive fan of staying over, I wonder what other players opinions of it are ?.

So, why not leave early on the day of the game, and maybe use the money saved on the overnight trips to pay the wages of say a loan player ?.

Just a thought

[Daycare Dan]

If the players travle down on the day of the game, what time would they have to be out of bed for? I was up at 6:30 to get the coach and I was stayin 5 mins from Moss Lane. If a player has to travel from sat Liverpol to get the coach, he might have to be up at 5 isg. Would that not leave him knackered when the game came round?

[AltySi]

I suppose there is that, but an ealy night on the Friday should sort that 

I think it's worth trying something different, and saving some money for other things at the same time.

[Altysmiffy]

 Do the team stay overnight for most of the southern games?

Do the players/manager think it benefits the team?

[gazwarrington]

I never thought of that Daycare Dan and it is a very valid point.

If the players that lived far away from Altrincham did not want to travel in the morning nothing would stop them from booking themselves into a hotel nearby to Altrincham on the Friday to save them from doing so ?, or is that being harsh ? Also these players would have to leave work early to catch the coach on the Friday, and if any are self employed then that is lost money or at worst lost holidays.

and in regards to be knackered lets not forget you can easily get some sleep on the coach or as Si said go to sleep early on the Friday.

My PERSONAL opinion is anything over 6hrs tavelling (7.00am start, team should arrive for 1pm ? !) should be considered as a 'stay over' but nothing under.

[lukealty12]

i agree because if its e.g. 4 hours you could leave at 9 and get there for 1 so then stayin over would be a waste of money  but when its like 6 our journey thn stayin over probaly would benifit the team

[AltyTunnelSteward]

Whilst I get the point of this thread I must say that I think stopping overnight stays for matches such as Crawley would be a false economy.

Yeah Okay so players have to leave work early on a Friday to get the coach down but once they are there they can relax.

When you've sat on a Coach for say 4 to 6 hours and then get off your legs etc are almost always stiff. Arriving the night before allows a nights rest to get the stiffness out of the legs, also it allows for a relaxing morning rather than stressing about getting there.

There is of course another practical point. Say you leave in the morning and allow 4 hours to get to the ground what happens if there are traffic problems or the Coach breaks down? Going to Northwich or Southport or Stafford you have a hope of rescuing your situation. A long trip becomes a nightmare. It is necessary under Conference Rules to exchange teamsheets a set time prior to Kick Off - you can't do that sat on the Motorway and failure to exchange on time can result in a fine.

Let the Management decide what ought to be overnighters - they tend to know the pluses and minuses

[AltySi]

I don't think anyone is trying to make decisions for the management, it's merely a suggestion to try and save some money, and try and change our luck away from home.

[gazwarrington]

There is of course another practical point. Say you leave in the morning and allow 4 hours to get to the ground what happens if there are traffic problems or the Coach breaks down? Going to Northwich or Southport or Stafford you have a hope of rescuing your situation. A long trip becomes a nightmare. It is necessary under Conference Rules to exchange teamsheets a set time prior to Kick Off - you can't do that sat on the Motorway and failure to exchange on time can result in a fine.

I'm sure you are not blamed if you leave to get to somewhere for 1pm (2hrs before kick off) but an accident on the motorway or coach trouble stops this from happening. How did we used to get on in the old Conference days I wonder ? Maybe the coach breakin down would be a problem (how often does that happen?) but if it was for a major accident it would not only just be Altrincham FC who would be stuck in it. Surely not every club can afford to stay over night at games ? Then again the Conference don't mind clubs going in debt so maybe its just expected of you ? I could be wrong but to be fined for a 'one off' unhelpable occurance seems very harsh, then again this is the Conference I suppose and 'rules are rules'. I still say though that we'd be pretty unlucky to get their late when allowing 2hrs before kick off. 

I suppose the only way I can defend my view on this is by saying how many times in recent years has the supporters coach got to a Saturday game after 2.15pm ? We as fans seems to be able to get to the games on the same day so the chances of the players being late must be a small percentage in my view. I can only think of Yeovil, where it seemed the team didn't turn up for the first half either and another one where we arrived a few mins before KO but can't think who that was against.

Let the Management decide what ought to be overnighters - they tend to know the pluses and minuses

Might as well delete half the posts on the forum then ? I'm sure the management know what is right for a number of issues (if not all) so I suppose all debates on team selection, players, what money should be used for is a bit pointless ?

You are entitled to your opinion as am I but to dismiss it as only a thing that Altrincham FC Officials can talk about is not really correct in my opinion and not what the forum is about. It was not just myself talking about it at the match so was obviously something that others were thinking about

I would have not brought up the topic if we were a millionaire club and in the ideal world I would love the team to stay over and prepare its just that when I hear about money problems constantly I just wondered if this was money needed to be spent.

For all I know we may get the rooms very cheap or staying over is sponsored by someone.


I apologise for bringing up an obviously pointless post and about something I should not have an opinion on.

[AltySi]

I don't agree with everything I read on here, but it is all about opinions, and everyone is entitled to opinions and suggestions. If we can't post opinions on here we might as well close the forum down, and not have any more fans forums in the NWS.
I'm sure there is no need to do either of those things, but I certainly don't think this thread is a waste of time.

[Darren]

Just out of intrest how many of you who made the  jorney sarf yesterday felt tired when you got there after such a long trip?

[AltySi]

I did but,  that's because I had only had 3 hours sleep on Friday night/Saturday morning. Had I been playing yesterday i would have cancelled my plans on Friday night and had an early night.
 
Mind you, if the day comes that I have to cancel my friday night plans, and pull on my boots for Alty on a Saturday, will be the day that we really are in trouble ! ! !

[SW]

My understanding is that the onus is on the club to turn up at the appointed time irrespective of traffic issues etc. Didn't Stevenage have a problem last year going to York by train and there were delays, might have teams wrong but sure something like that happened.

Also, how prepared as a team are you if you get stuck, change on the coach and run straight out?

Its a tricky but very expensive, I admit of being part of a national league run on professional terms.

And Gary, no one is having a pop mate, its just discussion! Chill fella!

[gazwarrington]

Yeah felt a little groggy but after about 5-10mins felt fine, freshened up and all that. Can't say I am also at the same fitness levels as the Alty players (now thats Pottsy has gone anyway) so my legs probably would take long to 'get going' afte a sit down.

I had a walk to the bar (without my inhaler), had few Diet Cokes in the bar. Put the flags up and watched a very entertaining game of football and then relaxed on the coach on the way back. Can't say  iwas over tired. As an altrincham fan I would have been MORE tired if I had stayed over as it probably would have meant a late night and no sleep 

Granted I did get picked up at Warwick services so only travelled for 2hrs so you may have to see if any of the other supporters would disagree.

Can't say I have ever fallen to sleep or had to sit down after sitting on the coach for more than 4hrs, infact I was probably more grateful to be able to stretch my legs. Please also remember that there is more leg room on the players coaches than on the supporters coaches or cars.