Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
NO COLD COMFORTS
Call for summer football as Rovers count the cost of missing key relegation run-in clashes
Albion Rovers chairman Ronnie Boyd believes Scottish football chiefs should push for summer football as lower league clubs count the cost of Arctic conditions.
Rovers missed out on a trio of home games in the space of a week as Cliftonhill was deemed unplayable for clashes with Arbroath, Queen’s Park and Ayr.
Boyd has now called on SFA and SPFL supremos to consider kicking off the season in warmer weather as sides battle against the added financial pressures of postponed games.
The chief was frustrated that the big freeze would end up costing the club “a fair amount”.
“The thing for lower league clubs is that this can have a significant impact on finances,” he told the Advertiser.
“We have been scheduled to play games on Tuesday, Sunday and Tuesday again. To not get a game can have a huge impact on a club our size – and a lot of clubs at our level.
“If you have no game you have no gate but still have all of the same expenses. If you don’t have that money coming through the gates it can cause real issues.
“You are really just a couple of cancellations away from bother.
“If you look at the games we are losing out on, that is a significant gate. With Ayr we predict a decent turnout that you lose out on.
“Then on Saturday with Queen’s Park – that becomes an attractive fixture because of the position the two clubs find themselves in.
“You end up with no income – and the Tuesday crowd will be significantly down on a Saturday.
“The calendar effectively turns into the SPFL Tuesday night league. Ayr, Arbroath and Queen’s Park – we will
lose out on a fair few fans because of the bad weather, missing Saturdays and rescheduling.
“Not as many people can come through the gate because of work commitments.
“I’m in favour of looking into a non-winter league. I believe that will be a huge benefit to clubs like Albion Rovers.
”Eventually I think clubs in the same position as us will look at it as the way forward.”
Away from the loss of cash, the Coatbridge men face a packed fixture schedule in the coming weeks as they fight against the drop to League Two.
Boyd admits that it is now crunch time for Rovers. He said: “We have 11 games left and seven of them are at home.
“A fair number will be on a Tuesday and back to back but it’s so important that we start picking up points.
“We have had our share of injuries and suspensions but it’s important that we stick together and preserve our League One status.
“Being in League One is something we are very proud of.”