Derby dates: why is Goodison always first?

Not really bothered that we have to play the first derby of the season at home, but why the early kick-off every year?

These early starts really put a dampener on the atmosphere, one of our main advantages when playing the shite at home.

I can only imagine it's on police advice, but all the London derbies, Swansea v Cardiff and the Manchester derbies have been played with late weekend kick-off's. All these games are far worse for trouble than our derby. We all remember the farce of an early Wembley semi a couple of years ago - very annoying.

Who cares if Goodison didn't see a Derby in 1963. Football isn't played by the calendar year and I don't see why that should govern our fixture list.

Does it matter that we always have our Derby first? I don't even know...But it is certainly annoying that somebody feels they can stipulate those rules where all other fixtures are drawn at random.

Its Bollocks this malarky.We kick off every home derby on a Saturday morning; when people are still in bed, our fans are starting the journey to the game. The atmosphere is Shite inside Goodison Park for these matches.

Across the park, the other twats are allowed to kick off whenever they like. Usually a midweek 8pm game with plenty of time for the Kopites to get tanked up and create a proper atmosphere. Surely the spineless twats who run our club should say No for once.

Thought this was common knowledge? The reason is season ticket sales - we're paranoid that if we played them at home in the latter half of the season then our ST sales would be hit, with a spike in half season tickets. Because obviously a portion of our fans only buy STs for this one match... So we asked RS and EPL could we fix it to play Goodison first, and they said yes.

PS - I know a lot of ST holders who give this game a miss as they can't stand the tension (and they give their tickets away, not flog for the cost of the ST on StubHub!)

Matt: clearly I didn't know! What a load of bollocks though, we go cap in hand to the RS to even change fixtures, talk about an inferiority complex.

Matt

I didn't know that was common knowledge but I've always thought that's why the first game was at home.

As for what the Guardian says, I can't see that being true and it doesn't explain why the first game is always at home.

Guardian now say there is no such arrangement - confirmed by the PL.

here http://www.theguardian.com/football/quiz/2012/apr/13/football-quiz-merseyside-derbies

Although the original blog still claims the arrangement.

We know there's something going on though.

I remember one year both derbies were done before Xmas, early 90's I think.

I'd never thought about it before but I do think home advantage improves as the season goes on, in general.

Would be nice to play this game in the later evening slot.

I don't know why people don't understand this is a huge issue it's not that different from European games the team that plays the 2nd leg at home have an advantage over the other side. There is obviously an arrangement between the 2 clubs to play the GP derby first because I can't think of any other fixture where 1 of the teams always plays at home first. So for example last season Swansea and Wigan were hardly favourites to win either the FA Cup of League cup so therefore if we had been chasing European football it would be far better for us to play Liverpool at home in May.

It's exactly what Benitez was complaining about in the 2008-09 season that United had to play all the top 10 the previous season at home 2nd. Of course it was an advantage for United and that's why they won the league that season.

If what Matt says is true, what a pathetic state of affairs.

With TV money dominating our income, I'm not saying that we don't want the Season Ticket money of a few tight-wads, but is it so important we are prepared to give over any sort of advantage to those arrogant Red fokkers?

Grow some, Everton!