Good thinking Stefan.
If Mansfield are agreeable it shouldn't be difficult for John Nixon to pull the necessary strings with the Football League.
We now have no match between 1st January and 14th January.
Yet in February we have a Saturday / Tuesday / Saturday schedule with the home game against Mansfield Town on the Tuesday. With the common sense that I suggest below, this situation could be made smoother.
The home match against Hartlepool United on 7th January is now postponed because Hartlepool United will be playing in the third round of the FA Cup.
There is currently a Tuesday evening match scheduled for 14th February at home against Mansfield Town who are out of the FA Cup.
Therefore I suggest that this match against Mansfield Town could be re-arranged for Saturday 7th January.
Anything which facilitates playing Saturday / Saturday rather than Saturday / Tuesday / Saturday must be worth considering especially for the current Carlisle United squad. Furthermore, a game being postponed owing to a frozen pitch is more likely on a Tuesday night in February rather than a Saturday afternoon in January.
It would not be a usual situation but presumably if both clubs agreed it could happen, since the avoidance of a Saturday / Tuesday / Saturday run of matches would appeal to both clubs. I have checked and there is certainly no rule against doing this. Surely both clubs would agree to it as it gives them a game between 1st January and 14th January which neither has now got. It also means that they both do not have a run of Saturday / Tuesday / Saturday fixtures in February.
Good thinking Stefan.
If Mansfield are agreeable it shouldn't be difficult for John Nixon to pull the necessary strings with the Football League.
Other reasons for playing a match on a Saturday afternoon rather than a Tuesday evening are cost of staging the match and attendance.
Staging a match on a winter evening rather than on a Saturday afternoon costs more in electricity (& possibly gas). This is to do with the various lighting such as the internal club lighting, stand lighting and floodlighting. There is also more heating to provide. Electricity and gas are now extremely expensive.
Attendance is likely to be higher on a Saturday afternoon because those doing Monday to Friday shifts at work will be able to attend rather than the evening shift workers missing a Tuesday night match. Those who do not like being too cold will not attend a Tuesday night match but may attend a Saturday afternoon match. The away support will be better on a Saturday because of travelling time and work commitments. I.e. there will be few from Mansfield on a Tuesday night but a lot more on a Saturday afternoon.
I have reason to believe that the subject of bringing forward the home match against Mansfield Town from Tuesday 14th February to Saturday 7th January will be discussed at the club in the next few days. Of course Mansfield Town would also have to agree to it and the EFL would have to approve, but the EFL have no rule that forbids it.