Why is Wigan game on Friday?

[WhiteJC]

hasn't there been a couple of times when there was a match between Oxford & Cambridge (Uni's) at the Cottage on the day of the boat race?

[Mince n Tatties]

Should ban the Boat Race. Most stupid sporting event ever invented. Thousands of hooray Henrys lining the Thames to see 18 Ruperts in a couple of boats, pathetic.

It's a fix, too.  The top two elite universities always get to the final !

:005:

[Lighthouse]

I used to love the boat race. If it coincided with a game or was on the same day, always made a point of watching them pass. Always used to watch on the tv. Like the Grand National it has become less of an event for me. Purely I think because I used to watch with all the family. Now I don't get quite the joy on my own watching it. But can never understand this class reverse snobbery that comes in to it for some. It is an event, enjoy it.

[The Equalizer]

hasn't there been a couple of times when there was a match between Oxford & Cambridge (Uni's) at the Cottage on the day of the boat race?

I think they still do this.

[Chesh]

On the plus side, it can only be an advantage to us, as Wigan would have probably brought 1,000+ for such a big game on a Saturday, whereas I fully expect them to have only 2-300 on Friday night.

[David Allen Crankshaw]

I remember standing on the Riverside terracing watching a game - it may have been a reserve game, when the boat race went past, and we all went up the back to watch it, before going back to attend to the game.

It was a friendly against Kilmarnock. We won 3-1 and we had a chap called Don Kerrigan playing but I can't remember anything else about the match.

[win-dup]

Should ban the Boat Race. Most stupid sporting event ever invented. Thousands of hooray Henrys lining the Thames to see 18 Ruperts in a couple of boats, pathetic.

Actually, it's a lot more than just 'Hooray Henrys'. Some of us think that rowing is an excellent sport, and as someone who rowed for 8 years, I tend to agree with that.

Should ban the Boat Race. Most stupid sporting event ever invented. Thousands of hooray Henrys lining the Thames to see 18 Ruperts in a couple of boats, pathetic.

Not at all, it's always been a great event and up to the 1950's street traders sold miniature oars in dark and light blue to the inhabitants of Putney and Fulham and we kids pestered our parents for them despite not having  the faintest idea  where Oxford and Cambridge were.
Tremendous physical effort by both crews every year,so don't be such a misery.

[VicHalomsLovechild]

Why not move the Boat Race to a Friday night that would add a bit of danger to the whole affair. Street vendors selling torches and candles!

[Airfix]

So who is compensating the club for the reduced attendance, given that very few Wigan supporters will be there and plenty of Fulham fans can't make evening fixtures? 
I also remember watching the race from the terracing of what is now the Riverside stand.

On the plus side, it can only be an advantage to us, as Wigan would have probably brought 1,000+ for such a big game on a Saturday, whereas I fully expect them to have only 2-300 on Friday night.

I believe that Wigan have offered their fans free coach travel for the game.  Suspect that they will be there in numbers.

[leonffc]

Should ban the Boat Race. Most stupid sporting event ever invented. Thousands of hooray Henrys lining the Thames to see 18 Ruperts in a couple of boats, pathetic.

Actually, it's a lot more than just 'Hooray Henrys'. Some of us think that rowing is an excellent sport, and as someone who rowed for 8 years, I tend to agree with that.

Should ban the Boat Race. Most stupid sporting event ever invented. Thousands of hooray Henrys lining the Thames to see 18 Ruperts in a couple of boats, pathetic.

Not at all, it's always been a great event and up to the 1950's street traders sold miniature oars in dark and light blue to the inhabitants of Putney and Fulham and we kids pestered our parents for them despite not having  the faintest idea  where Oxford and Cambridge were.
Tremendous physical effort by both crews every year,so don't be such a misery.

I agree. I'm not into rowing at all and am far from being a hooray henry but I have taken up the £10 entry (inc. a drink and match day food - and decent toilets that those on the banks of the river could only dream of) to watch it with my family from the riverside terrace at the Cottage and had a great day. As well as seeing the race start, the rest of it on monitors and a jazz band in the stadium there was a good buzz around the pubs.

Also, girl from my village, who admittedly is a hooray Henrietta but a fit one, was the cox a few years ago. If the cox is the person that shouts instead of rows that is?