The return of football

[valleys caveman]

I'm really looking forward to the football being back on tv. There's only so much Top Gear I can put up with.

[insider]

This betting lark

I think you have a problem

Wise words

I don't do it but I think super 6 is free but you have to sign up for a sky betting account so the temptation is there.

[William Treseder]

Not for me. Games behind closed doors have little appeal. Might go down to the CCS though when City play their first home game to protect the Fred Keenor statue.

[The Lone Gunman]

This betting lark

I think you have a problem

I bet an average of £10 to £15 a week during the football season.

My balances for the last five seasons are:

2015/16: - £169.00
2016/17: + £488.00
2017/18: + £112.00
2018/19: - £202.00
2010/20: + £252.00

Overall: + £481.00

You wouldn't believe how many hours of form study has gone into achieving that whopping profit margin, which averages out at approximately £96.00 a season. And if I was to deduct the cost of the Racing Post every Saturday morning, I'd definitely be in arrears. Put it this way, I have no plans to give up the day job and become a full-time gambler.

[The Lone Gunman]

I don't do it but I think super 6 is free but you have to sign up for a sky betting account so the temptation is there.

I do the free Super 6 for the correct scores and I have £1 on the six results I've chosen. I've got 6/6 only once this so far this season and that was way back in September, but it paid £86 so the bet has covered itself this year.

[Hilts]

It's not right that teams are playing and travelling around the country. It wasn't that long ago that we were lambasting Mr Cummings, but now it's alright to do it? Have things really moved on that much? I can't be bothered with it all until it's back to normal.

The players and those travelling wont knowingly be ill with coronavirus and a small child stuck on the bus though.

[Tuerto]

Now that it's about to happen, how do you feel about football returning in the UK? A few weeks ago, a reasonable percentage of this board's contributors were saying stuff like they didn't think it was appropriate, they weren't interested in football without fans in the stadiums, they wouldn't bother watching it, it's all about money and nothing else, etc. So how are those people feeling now that it's about to happen?

Personally, I'm really looking forward to it. For starters, it will be nice to have something new to talk about with friends and family. Although football behind closed doors is obviously far from ideal, I've felt all along that it's a much better solution than simply cancelling the remainder of the 2019/20 season, which is what plenty of people seemed to want. From my perspective, it will also be good to be able to have a bet on games again - something I really enjoy.

While football matches being played behind closed doors is clearly not a normal situation, the sport getting going again feels to me like another step towards normality. I'm really pleased it's happening.

I'm as happy as a pig in shit that football is starting again. I walked the dog the other day and stood watching a bunch of kids playing a game at heath park with my usual critical tone. The dog doesn't really care much for my opinion on the kid in the Man City top's first touch.

Really looking forward to it, a little punt and something to concentrate on and a move towards normality-brilliant.

[Jordi Culé]

Although I got reservations about it returning, I’m looking forward to the games next week so I can watch a couple of games with my youngest lad.

That said, I’m feel like this every time a new season begins and by the first week of September which usually is an international break, I’m bored witless by the whole thing.

[Elwood Blues]

As I said, I would expect away sides to do better, but your explanation makes it sound as if we're talking about Cup ties where the home team is a lower league underdog that should always lose in a one off game. Even without a home crowd to contend with, the away sides have had to sometimes travel long distances amid the uncertainties that the virus has created - there has to be more happening to explain why away sides are winning more than double the games the home team are.

Well I am sorry Robert but I don't think my explanation makes it sound like that at all.

Of course cup ties are an extreme example.

But I have been to league games where the crowd has been instrumental in wins or draws.

But what do I know. I've only been following City since 1961!!!!!

And incidentally the point I meant to add to my first response was that it was a bit premature to start wondering about this after so few games.

There may be something more happening but it ain't necessarily so.

[Shute]

The players and those travelling wont knowingly be ill with coronavirus and a small child stuck on the bus though.

The issue I have is that you don't know when you have the virus. Virus testing is also notoriously dodgy and can take multiple negative tests before getting a positive. Having thousands of footballers, staff and media travelling from city to town is going to be devastating. We will look back on this like we do the Cheltenham festival as a "what were they thinking?" moment.

Until the virus numbers are in single digits we should not be allowing it. I might be in the minority, but I think its mental. Look at the Chinese football league. They got their virus cases right down to almost nothing and didn't restart their sporting calendars. Now there are new outbreaks of the virus that suddenly appeared. Travel between regions should come with enforced isolation of two weeks, which I doubt all of the staff and media will be doing.

[Gofer Blue]

I dont enjoy watching football really unless its City or a match with something on it such as a relegation or promotion decider or a play off.

Cant stand any of the top teams and will be switching off from the Sports Channels when the scousers lift the title. Its going to be unbearable.

Im glad sport is back on. Looking forward to the live cricket. I wish theyd reschedule the golf majors as well.

Im glad theres going to be football on. Most of it ill have no interest in though.

Id rather watch a crap City game live at the ground.

This for me too (apart from the cricket/golf, sorry; don't mind the highlights but could not watch either live). Does this mean we aren't "real" football fans though? Just a question that I sometimes wrestle with.

[celticknight]

Cant stand any of the top teams and will be switching off from the Sports Channels when the scousers lift the title. Its going to be unbearable.

You have to admit, the fact they've finally won Premier League but they did it when the country is on lockdown with zero fans in the stadium to see it is hilarious timing.

[delmbox]

The issue I have is that you don't know when you have the virus. Virus testing is also notoriously dodgy and can take multiple negative tests before getting a positive. Having thousands of footballers, staff and media travelling from city to town is going to be devastating. We will look back on this like we do the Cheltenham festival as a "what were they thinking?" moment.

Until the virus numbers are in single digits we should not be allowing it. I might be in the minority, but I think its mental. Look at the Chinese football league. They got their virus cases right down to almost nothing and didn't restart their sporting calendars. Now there are new outbreaks of the virus that suddenly appeared. Travel between regions should come with enforced isolation of two weeks, which I doubt all of the staff and media will be doing.

It's worked in Germany, why can't it work here? There's been no spike there as far as I'm aware

[SunderlandBluebird]

Will watch the City games and a select few PL games but can't say it's massively appealing to me at the moment.

Doesn't help it's a bit of a boring season where Liverpool have ran away with it.

[MacAdder]

I am looking forward to watching some live sport on the telly but not the football per se. If I'm honest, the prospect of live cricket being on is more appealing.

I am still a bit sceptical regarding players' movement up and down the country and I doubt I will attend a live game or enter a pub any time soon.

Regarding City's hopes of a play off spot, I'm not terribly confident. Anyway I don't think I could stand the tension and prospect of disappointment at the last hurdle.

All that said, once it gets going again, my feelings might change.

[The Lone Gunman]

The issue I have is that you don't know when you have the virus. Virus testing is also notoriously dodgy and can take multiple negative tests before getting a positive. Having thousands of footballers, staff and media travelling from city to town is going to be devastating. We will look back on this like we do the Cheltenham festival as a "what were they thinking?" moment.

I'm genuinely interested by your viewpoint (and I don't mean that sarcastically either). Given that the top two divisions in Germany resumed just over a month ago and the Covid-19 daily deaths figure in that country today is just 3 - their lowest total since mid-March - what leads you to believe that football resuming in the UK under strict protocols will be devastating?

For reference, the daily deaths figures in Germany in the ten days before football resumed in mid-May were:

282 + 117 + 118 + 39 + 20 + 92 + 77 + 123 + 67 + 73 = 1,008

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

You have to admit, the fact they've finally won Premier League but they did it when the country is on lockdown with zero fans in the stadium to see it is hilarious timing.

We know this is a dreadful virus and has affected many peoples lives but I think the scousers and their welsh followers have had a right kick in the bollocks

And it's great

[The Lone Gunman]

Yes, I'm looking forward to it - not expecting a great deal from City mind.

So far so good!

I think Harris has done a terrific job in recent weeks. City look fitter and stronger than any of the other teams I've watched in the Championship so far and the players look fully motivated too. That's really admirable under the circumstances. They might have ridden their luck a little in the two games, but they couldn't have done much more and, for my money at least, they've been full value for both victories.

I've been really enjoying football's return. Some good games, some superb goals and plenty of incident. It might be a bit surreal at times, but I think it's proving well worth the effort to get the season finished in the top two divisions.

[delmbox]

I'm also really enjoying it, far more than I thought I would. The thought of some socially distance playoff watching in the garden with some friends is really exciting too

[The Lone Gunman]

I'm also really enjoying it, far more than I thought I would. The thought of some socially distance playoff watching in the garden with some friends is really exciting too

I went and had a drink with one of my closest friends on Thursday evening. We did the same three weeks ago. On the first occasion, it was great simply to catch up, not having seen each other for months. On Thursday, it was great to be able to talk about football again!

We'll definitely find a way to get together for the play-off games if City can manage to hang in there. But regardless of what happens from here on in, in my opinion it's already so much better than just cancelling the season would have been.

[delmbox]

I went and had a drink with one of my closest friends on Thursday evening. We did the same three weeks ago. On the first occasion, it was great simply to catch up, not having seen each other for months. On Thursday, it was great to be able to talk about football again!

We'll definitely find a way to get together for the play-off games if City can manage to hang in there. But regardless of what happens from here on in, in my opinion it's already so much better than just cancelling the season would have been.

I agree, and although I had no hugely strong opinions about it I suppose I was leaning more towards cancelling the season than not. I certainly didn't expect to be straight back in to footy mode. I guess that's what 2 wins on the trot can do.

I've been putting the telly in the garden when it's sunny and having a mate round to watch whatever footy's on, few beers, some food, light the chimnea when it cools down a bit later on, heaven

[Tuerto]

I went and had a drink with one of my closest friends on Thursday evening. We did the same three weeks ago. On the first occasion, it was great simply to catch up, not having seen each other for months. On Thursday, it was great to be able to talk about football again!

We'll definitely find a way to get together for the play-off games if City can manage to hang in there. But regardless of what happens from here on in, in my opinion it's already so much better than just cancelling the season would have been.

Absolutely. It's opened things up for me. I use football as a way of punctuating my working week, i really means quite a lot to me and i've missed it. I'm really pleased for Glatzel and Harris. All those who wanted Football cancelled because of covid 19 are officially idiots!

[splott parker]

Obviously the two wins really help but it does prove what football means, I was excited for days before the Preston game and now the Charlton game is a perfect midweek boost. So glad now that we’re playing again, just hope it all goes off covid free or as near as dammit.

[William Treseder]

I did say at the start of this thread that behind closed doors football wasn't for me, especially after watching a German game, where there was an eerie silence.
I must admit though, since the English game started back up, I've really enjoyed it, now that they've added the sound of the crowd ( Great Human league track).
Even the cardboard cut outs at Elland Rd added a bit to it 😁
Have City timed their run to perfection?

[ccfc_is_my_life]

I did say at the start of this thread that behind closed doors football wasn't for me, especially after watching a German game, where there was an eerie silence.
I must admit though, since the English game started back up, I've really enjoyed it, now that they've added the sound of the crowd ( Great Human league track).
Even the cardboard cut outs at Elland Rd added a bit to it ��
Have City timed their run to perfection?

Crowd sound is added to TV feeds only... not sure if I prefer that tbh.