Leicester City fans' Bank Holiday plans disrupted as Newcastle game is televised

Leicester City fans are cursing Sky's decision to move the date of the club's August Bank Holiday clash at Newcastle United.

Supporters chief Cliff Ginnetta said switching the game from a Saturday afternoon to a Monday night is certain to have an impact on the number of fans travelling to the north-east.

The Championship clash, scheduled for Saturday, August 29, will now be screened live on Sky on August 31, with a 7.45pm kick-off.

City will have an allocation of about 3,000 tickets for the game. Ginnetta says they would have sold out if the game had been on the Saturday – but he is not so sure after the fixture switch.

He said: "It is one of the games you would expect to be shown on TV, but it's still very disappointing. I know a lot of fans have already made plans for the weekend and gone ahead and booked hotels.

"It will impact on the number of fans we take, but there will still be a lot of support from Leicester."

City gain a bigger slice of television revenue this season after winning promotion back to the Championship and stand to make about £2.5 million from a new deal agreed by the Football League.

Championship clubs take 80 per cent of the £264 million three-year deal which sees five extra Sky games and 10 extra BBC matches being screened.

"Being shown on Sky is not a thing the club would turn down – and I don't think they get the chance anyway," said Ginnetta.

City fan Chris Watson, writing on the Mercury's website, said: "I've cancelled three hotel rooms and I have a flight from Stansted to Newcastle going spare. Last season we had two midweek trips to Hartlepool and we've got a Monday night trip to Newcastle and a Tuesday night trip to Middlesbrough. It's crazy."

Lee Jobber, the club's unofficial drum-beater at the Walkers Stadium, says he will still be staying in the north-east over the bank holiday weekend.

Jobber said: "I'll go and watch Darlington play Cheltenham on the Saturday. We had a great rapport with the Cheltenham fans last season and it will be good to meet up with them again. I know a lot of lads, though, who will stay at home now and watch the Newcastle game on the television. It's a shame."