Back of the Net!

All across Europe, football teams a preparing to wind down for a few weeks as the weather gets the better of the fixture programme and freezes roads, runways and most important football pitches across the continent.

Except in the UK. English, Welsh, Scottish (and over in the Irish Republic too) football fans will be continuing to head out particularly on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day to see their local teams, braving a set of Wintery elements (and don’t got quoting “global warming” at me, you might as well believe in “The Lord of the Rings”) , motorway gridlock and train delays.

(The train delays are inevitable in the United Kingdom - particularly if the wrong type of snow has landed on the tracks.)

So surely it’s time every UK league followed the European model and closed football for a few weeks in late December and January?

Dropping the number of teams in the English Premier League (18 teams was the original remit back in the late 1980s) and starting the Football League and amateur league programs earlier wouldn’t hurt anyone, and give lower league footballers quality time with their families over Christmas.

Most importantly, the UK would be relieved of an insane traffic spike on seasonal Bank Holidays, as well as a spate of alcohol-induced accidents on New Year’s Day.

It’s time for the British to start re-engaging with their families and neighbours again too - time for a little bit of social commentary - and what better time to do so than in person, at Christmas?

Football can wait for dry pitches and snow-free carparks.

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