Can computers solve the logistical nightmare of planning English football fixtures?
Professor Graham Kendall from the School of Computer Science at The University of Nottingham believes they can. He has devised a special software programme for the Christmas and New Year fixtures which automatically takes into account detailed criteria laid down by the football authorities and reduces travel distances for clubs and fans.
Graham Kendall, a professor in computer science, said: "The biggest difficulties occur at Christmas and New Year when the top clubs play at least twice over the holiday period. As well as coordinating 92 teams and 46 fixtures I have captured many other real world problems such as avoiding local derbies, ensuring that teams do not play each other twice over the Christmas period, and trying to limit the travel that has to be undertaken by the supporters."
The software has been programmed to recognise a complex set of guidelines laid down by the football authorities for Christmas and New Year fixtures. These are aimed at easing the pressure on policing and the transport network.
The software has been designed to:
• Recognise local pairings so certain teams do not play at home on the same day — such as Manchester United and Manchester City, Liverpool and Everton and Chelsea and Fulham.
- Prevent paired teams playing each other over the holiday period.
- Ensure club plays at least one away match and one home match over Boxing Day and New Year's Day.
- Limit the number of London clubs playing at home on any one day.
- Limit the number of paired teams playing at home.
Professor Kendall is currently discussing his results with the Football League and now wants to extend this work to produce fixture lists for the entire season — incorporating a total of 2036 games. The only thing he cannot control is the weather.
Professor Kendall's work will be discussed at the 2009 MISTA (Multidisciplinary International Conference on Scheduling: Theory and Applications) Conference, which he chairs and organises. It will be the 4th conference in the series, which attracts experts in the theory and application of scheduling from all over the world. More details can be found at http://www.mistaconference.org/2009/.
Notes to editors: The University of Nottingham is ranked in the UK's Top 10 and the World's Top 100 universities by the Shanghai Jiao Tong (SJTU) and Times Higher (THE) World University Rankings.
More than 90 per cent of research at The University of Nottingham is of international quality, according to RAE 2008, with almost 60 per cent of all research defined as 'world-leading' or 'internationally excellent'. Research Fortnight analysis of RAE 2008 ranks the University 7th in the UK by research power. In 27 subject areas, the University features in the UK Top Ten, with 14 of those in the Top Five.
The University provides innovative and top quality teaching, undertakes world-changing research, and attracts talented staff and students from 150 nations. Described by The Times as Britain's "only truly global university", it has invested continuously in award-winning campuses in the United Kingdom, China and Malaysia. Twice since 2003 its research and teaching academics have won Nobel Prizes. The University has won the Queen's Award for Enterprise in both 2006 (International Trade) and 2007 (Innovation — School of Pharmacy), and was named 'Entrepreneurial University of the Year' at the Times Higher Education Awards 2008.
Nottingham was designated as a Science City in 2005 in recognition of its rich scientific heritage, industrial base and role as a leading research centre. Nottingham has since embarked on a wide range of business, property, knowledge transfer and educational initiatives (www.science-city.co.uk) in order to build on its growing reputation as an international centre of scientific excellence. The University of Nottingham is a partner in Nottingham: the Science City.
More information is available from Professor Graham Kendall on +44 (0)115 846 6514, gxk@cs.nott.ac.uk or Lindsay Brooke, Media Relations Manager, on +44 (0)115 951 5751, lindsay.brooke@nottingham.ac.uk