Games are being crammed into every space and footballers are rarely consulted – eventually they will say ‘enough is enough’
For
Football fans, as the song says, this is meant to be the most wonderful time of the year. A special feature of the English game is the rapid succession of festive fixtures in front of big
Christmas crowds. Going to a game is a central and longstanding part of many family traditions. But after the feast of football at the men’s
World Cup, the current glut of games risks feeling a little like that final mince pie that proves difficult to get down.
To stretch the analogy further, overindulgence at Christmas is often followed by a much-needed period of abstinence in January. Not this season. In the men’s game, the match schedule for January represents a chaotic jigsaw of league fixtures and domestic cup ties seemingly shoehorned into whatever gap is available. It’s enough to make even the most ravenous football fan think about loosening their belt.