Walsall v Gillingham to kick off at 6pm!
Walsall's League One clash with Gillingham next month will kick-off at the bizarre time of 6pm on a Sunday – because of a clash with the Bescot Market.
The Gills involvement in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy Southern Area Final second leg with Bristol City on Thursday January 29, meant the clash at the Banks's Stadium had to be shifted from its original time of 3pm the following Saturday (January 31).
Walsall were keen for the game to be staged to Monday February 2 but the visitors refused, insisting instead on a Sunday date.
And with the ground contracted to hold the market each Sunday, it has led to the unusual evening kick-off time, on Sunday February 1.
Club secretary Dan Mole explained: "We make a request to the start of the season to the league that we don't have home games scheduled for a Sunday – precisely for this reason.
"We are contractually obliged to have the market and there is no way around that.
"The league were happy for the game to be moved to the Monday night but Gillingham felt it would not be fair on their fans to be travelling such a long distance on a weeknight.
"As it is their game which has been moved, we had little choice."
