Play off final kick off time - 3PM

[jt64]

That's the forcast, rain

Beyond a week ahead, there are too many variables for it to be anything other than guesswork.

 

[kingy1889]

Right - what shall we whinge about next?

 

[ZoneManWilf]

Right - what shall we whinge about next?

Just wait until tomorrow morning when folks can't get to the ticket site because they haven't read the info properly and don't have memberships.

 

[Edgar Allan Poo]

Right - what shall we whinge about next?

We haven't done the kop pillars for a while....

 

[ChipButtyBlade]

Right - what shall we whinge about next?

I have a winge...I hope Wilder let's Robbo in on the KO time...don't want him turning thinking that the KO is 5pm...he will think the real game is pre game kick abaht.

 

[VictoryBlade]

View attachment 210925

And further advice from SAG is that Sunderland will play at 17:30 hours

 

[VictoryBlade]

Let's break that record

View attachment 210922

Well it must be right if it was in the Guardian?

 

[radio]

Something quite ironic, funny and sad that the authorities took so long to decide that a good time for a football match is 3'o'clock on a Saturday afternoon

 

[Grey Blade]

Something quite ironic, funny and sad that the authorities took so long to decide that a good time for a football match is 3'o'clock on a Saturday afternoon

I wonder whether we'll ever know the reason it took so long to come up with a kick off time?

 

[LBA_Blade]

I wonder whether we'll ever know the reason it took so long to come up with a kick off time?

Too many people on the spin the bottle table

 

[Harrisblade]

I wonder whether we'll ever know the reason it took so long to come up with a kick off time?

Maybe VAR was accidentally turned off but no-one noticed?

 

[Grey Blade]

Maybe VAR was accidentally turned off but no-one noticed?

Hopefully it will stay off

 

[jt64]

Hopefully it will stay off

That is asking for it to malfunction right as Sunderland score a goal that's even more offside than Orient's first on Saturday

 

[Grey Blade]

That is asking for it to malfunction right as Sunderland score a goal that's even more offside than Orient's first on Saturday

Didn't see that. It does seem a bit bizarre to have VAR for the final before either team have reached the prem

 

[jt64]

Didn't see that. It does seem a bit bizarre to have VAR for the final before either team have reached the prem

It's more to do with Wembley already having the capability to have VAR already in place than the competition in question

 

[Muttley]

I assume the other play off games will also have the damn thing too?

 

[Grey Blade]

It's more to do with Wembley already having the capability to have VAR already in place than the competition in question

I suppose they might as well use it as it is in place

 

[LBA_Blade]

I assume the other play off games will also have the damn thing too?

Yeah all 3 do

 

[Crafty Blade]

VAR - back to not being able to celebrate properly if we score then, great

 

[UTB Blade]

.

 

[UTB Blade]

I wonder whether we'll ever know the reason it took so long to come up with a kick off time?

According to a poster on the Sunderland board, who claims to know a Durham police football liaison officer, the delay in deciding the kick off time was due to the police worrying that, as our home shirts are a similar pattern, they would be unable to distinguish between the two sets of fans, should any trouble occur!

I kid you not:




This prompted a few 'witticisms' from the Sunderland faithful:







Made me laugh, anyway!

 

[Inter_blade83]

According to a poster on the Sunderland board, who claims to know a Durham police football liaison officer, the delay in deciding the kick off time was due to the police worrying that, as our home shirts are a similar pattern, they would be unable to distinguish between the two sets of fans, should any trouble occur!

I kid you not:

View attachment 210996


This prompted a few 'witticisms' from the Sunderland faithful:

View attachment 211003

View attachment 211002



Made me laugh, anyway!

They clearly don't realise that Wembley drinking starts at 6am when you get on the minibus or coach. Amateurs.

 

[YES Blade]

VAR - back to not being able to celebrate properly if we score then, great

We’ve been waiting since 1997 to celebrate a playoff final goal, so I’m sure I can manage waiting a few more minutes cause of a VAR delay!

 

[HighfieldBlade]

i used these email addresses
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]

Better late than never, but I just got this reply from the EFL:

---
Thank you for your email regarding the kick-off time for this season’s Sky Bet Championship Play-Off Final between Sheffield United and Sunderland, we appreciate you getting in touch.

As you will already be aware, the kick-off time was confirmed as 15:00 yesterday, following a meeting of the Safety Advisory Group which included representatives from the relevant agencies, Metropolitan Police and Wembley National Stadium.

The League recognises the frustration of both our finalist Clubs and their supporters at the time it has taken for the kick-off time to be agreed, and the challenge that has presented to supporters looking to finalise their travel plans for the weekend. While it would have been our preference to have the kick-off times for all three Finals confirmed ahead of the Semi-Final ties, on this occasion the delay was due the requirement for the relevant agencies and stakeholders to conduct the appropriate risk assessments before a final decision could be taken.

We are committed to working with the appropriate stakeholders to ensure kick-off times are announced in better time going forward, while continuing to work with our Clubs to ensure supporters are informed and their needs accommodated.

Thank you again for contacting the EFL.

Kind Regards

Danny

 

[Grey Blade]

Likewise I have sent an email to EFL:

Hello,

I am a Sheffield United fan having just bought a ticket for the play off final. I still don't know when the kick off will be. The Sheffield United forum I visit is full of comments regarding this nonsensical situation.

This a copy of my recent post:

Just printed out my Play Off Final confirmation but it's ridiculous that I still don't know whether the rail ticket I bought is a waste of money ( I know it was gamble) and don't know for certain how I'm going to get there - I have to be home on Saturday evening or early hours Sunday.

What other form of expensive entertainment would sell tickets with no indication of the performance time? The EFL should be ashamed of themselves
There must be thousands of Sunderland and Sheffield United supporters who are similarly very frustrated with the situation you have managed to create.

You could have set a KO time months ago.

Yours exasperatedly

I received this email today:


EFL Enquiries
From:[email protected]
To:

Fri, 16 May at 10:08

Hello

Thank you for your email regarding the kick-off time for this season’s Sky Bet Championship Play-Off Final between Sheffield United and Sunderland, we appreciate you getting in touch.

As you will already be aware, the kick-off time was confirmed as 15:00 yesterday, following a meeting of the Safety Advisory Group which included representatives from the relevant agencies, Metropolitan Police and Wembley National Stadium.

The League recognises the frustration of both our finalist Clubs and their supporters at the time it has taken for the kick-off time to be agreed, and the challenge that has presented to supporters looking to finalise their travel plans for the weekend. While it would have been our preference to have the kick-off times for all three Finals confirmed ahead of the Semi-Final ties, on this occasion the delay was due the requirement for the relevant agencies and stakeholders to conduct the appropriate risk assessments before a final decision could be taken.

We are committed to working with the appropriate stakeholders to ensure kick-off times are announced in better time going forward, while continuing to work with our Clubs to ensure supporters are informed and their needs accommodated.

Thank you again for contacting the EFL.

Kind Regards

Not sure it really explains why it had to take so long!

HighfieldBlade Quicker on the draw than I was!

 

[Grey Blade]

Better late than never, but I just got this reply from the EFL:

---
Thank you for your email regarding the kick-off time for this season’s Sky Bet Championship Play-Off Final between Sheffield United and Sunderland, we appreciate you getting in touch.

As you will already be aware, the kick-off time was confirmed as 15:00 yesterday, following a meeting of the Safety Advisory Group which included representatives from the relevant agencies, Metropolitan Police and Wembley National Stadium.

The League recognises the frustration of both our finalist Clubs and their supporters at the time it has taken for the kick-off time to be agreed, and the challenge that has presented to supporters looking to finalise their travel plans for the weekend. While it would have been our preference to have the kick-off times for all three Finals confirmed ahead of the Semi-Final ties, on this occasion the delay was due the requirement for the relevant agencies and stakeholders to conduct the appropriate risk assessments before a final decision could be taken.

We are committed to working with the appropriate stakeholders to ensure kick-off times are announced in better time going forward, while continuing to work with our Clubs to ensure supporters are informed and their needs accommodated.

Thank you again for contacting the EFL.

Kind Regards

Danny

Wonder how many identical emails they've sent out?

 

[Berkshire Blade]

Once the semi finals were sorted surely there's enough time to get a plan in place for each combination ready to go at full time of the last semi?!

 

[Yellarbellyblade]

Better late than never, but I just got this reply from the EFL:

---
Thank you for your email regarding the kick-off time for this season’s Sky Bet Championship Play-Off Final between Sheffield United and Sunderland, we appreciate you getting in touch.

As you will already be aware, the kick-off time was confirmed as 15:00 yesterday, following a meeting of the Safety Advisory Group which included representatives from the relevant agencies, Metropolitan Police and Wembley National Stadium.

The League recognises the frustration of both our finalist Clubs and their supporters at the time it has taken for the kick-off time to be agreed, and the challenge that has presented to supporters looking to finalise their travel plans for the weekend. While it would have been our preference to have the kick-off times for all three Finals confirmed ahead of the Semi-Final ties, on this occasion the delay was due the requirement for the relevant agencies and stakeholders to conduct the appropriate risk assessments before a final decision could be taken.

We are committed to working with the appropriate stakeholders to ensure kick-off times are announced in better time going forward, while continuing to work with our Clubs to ensure supporters are informed and their needs accommodated.

Thank you again for contacting the EFL.

Kind Regards

Danny

Just got the same. Sounds like bollocks to me

 

[LBA_Blade]

Just got the same. Sounds like bollocks to me

Are they all signed off from "Danny"

 

[HighfieldBlade]

Are they all signed off from "Danny"