Pitch Inspection

[den]

Tom Finn offers apology and says the undersoil heating was switched on after training on Christmas day. A full inspection of the undersoil heating will take place to ensure this doesn't happen again.

[brfcshabba]

The ref was not called in until late and is blaming the Club for not contacting him earlier when he was available.

369509[/snapback]

Dowd does not attach any blame to Rovers for the late inspection and believes that the visiting contingent were at the mercy of the Lancashire weather.

Dowd added: "I was available all afternoon but the club thought it was alright about 2.15 when I rang them but the weather has dropped pretty drastically in the last few hours - I don't think you can blame anyone really. I think it's safest for everyone."

369509[/snapback]

So he isn't blaming Rovers at all

[Modi]

After hearing the Bolton match had been called off, I texted my mate to check with the club that we would still playing. Afterall, travelling from Halifax for no reason wouldn't be fun.

He spoke to the club around 1700 and they said it will definitely be on.

We duly set off at 1730, only to hear on 5 Live that a pitch inspection was being undertaken at 1800. Ten mins later I get a phone call saying the game was off. We were over half way to Ewood.

How could the club go from a categoric yes to speaking to the ref and getting the game postponed in about 60 mins?

I quickly called Martin who I knew was travelling from Scunthorpe, and he'd just arrived at the ground. He too had been advised the game was definitely on.

Huge own goal for Rovers.

[philipl]

The temperature at Ewood is -6C at the moment.

The Ref is saying nobody is to blame and both Managers have agreed with Phil Dowd's decision.

Radio Lancashire are saying there are a few panels of the ground including one goalmouth which are frozen and the rest is fine. Radio Lancashire are also referring to the Bolton ground as the JJB

On that basis, other games at Ewood could be at big risk later in the season if the insprection shows undersoil heating is completely broken in places. There is no way the ground can be dug up and the heating system replaced mid-season.

My recollection is that Ewood's undersoil heating was claimed to be the best and most-advanced in the country when it was installed and that there was a very long (20 years?) guarrantee on it.

Edited December 28, 2005 by philipl

[greggyk]

Tom Finn offers apology and says the undersoil heating was switched on after training on Christmas day. A full inspection of the undersoil heating will take place to ensure this doesn't happen again.

369513[/snapback]

sack all the thicko's involved with ground issues I say!!!

What a fu(kin disgrace!!

The clubs stuck in the 80's

[den]

Philip, not if you read my post above.

[Yorick]

Personally I believe that if the Walkers had stumped up the cash for a better undersoil heating system then we wouldn't be in this mess.

369510[/snapback]

Well I think that if Jack were still alive there would be one or two senior arses twitching 20 to the dozen tonight.

[RevidgeBlue]

So he isn't blaming Rovers at all

369514[/snapback]

Please be realistic. The ground is apparently completely white and hard as iron and obviously hasn't just deteriorated from being completely playable to it's current condition in a few hours this afternoon.

The referee is obviously trying to be diplomatic with his public comments despite the efforts of Radio Rovers to insult our intelligence by suggesting that the weather was so unbelievably severe in the last few hours nothing could be done.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

I'm seriously p1ssed off here,was looking forward so much to this match,getting a bit peeved with all this Xmas lark and needed a football fix!!

What the hell happened to the undersoil heating?, surely the club must have had it on all day with temperatures so low.......didn't they?

Edited December 28, 2005 by SIMON GARNERS 194

[Guest Vinjay]

Incredible. First match postponed in years ad people actually agreeing with me on the utter stupidity of the BRFC staff. If we are this angry though imagine how our scheduled opponents are feeling. If they complain I don't blame them. I hope the people in charge take a good investigation into this shambles

[Paul]

Before everyone calls the club for this think on. I've been out Kart racing all day. We set off from home at 8.00am -3c, got to Cumbria at 9.45 in -5c, but by 10.30am it was up to +1c in the sun and rose to around +4c by 2.00pm. The Kart track was running really well until 3.30pm or so when the sun dropped below the rim of the quarry in which it's built and the track froze up in no more than 10 minutes.

My guess is the pitch was bathed in sunshine for most of the day and it was not until around 3.30 or 4.00pm that it began to freeze. In the temperatures we had today and are forecast for tonight the pitch would freeze very, very fast.

If the heating isn't working properly that is a club problem but I can fully understand why the pitch was OK at 2.30pm and then needed an inspection at 5.15pm.

Mind you having steamed down the M6 from Workington I wasn't best pleased to hear the games was off as we hit the M65.

[Mike Graham]

Please be realistic. The ground is apparently completely white and hard as iron and obviously hasn't just deteriorated from being completely playable to it's current condition in a few hours this afternoon.

The referee is obviously trying to be diplomatic with his public comments despite the efforts of Radio Rovers to insult our intelligence by suggesting that the weather was so unbelievably severe in the last few hours nothing could be done.

369520[/snapback]

thanks RB you make similar points to Radio 5.

What I want are reasons NOT excuses from BRFC.

[Paul]

I can't believe the stuff being posted on here. The friggin railways can't guarantee to get you home after 8.00pm tonight. The weather is severe, the club have been caught out. It happens and I think the fact it happened so quickly is totally understandable.

[Exiled_Rover]

I wouldn't blame Sunderland if they demanded a forfeit.

[Mike Graham]

Before everyone calls the club for this think on. I've been out Kart racing all day. We set off from home at 8.00am -3c, got to Cumbria at 9.45 in -5c, but by 10.30am it was up to +1c in the sun and rose to around +4c by 2.00pm. The Kart track was running really well until 3.30pm or so when the sun dropped below the rim of the quarry in which it's built and the track froze up in no more than 10 minutes.

My guess is the pitch was bathed in sunshine for most of the day and it was not until around 3.30 or 4.00pm that it began to freeze. In the temperatures we had today and are forecast for tonight the pitch would freeze very, very fast.

If the heating isn't working properly that is a club problem but I can fully understand why the pitch was OK at 2.30pm and then needed an inspection at 5.15pm.

Mind you having steamed down the M6 from Workington I wasn't best pleased to hear the games was off as we hit the M65.

369523[/snapback]

sorry Paul, I rarely disagree with you but it has been at least -1c all day in Hoghton. The Club must have expected that it would get colder when the sun dropped; it usually does!

I was editing my quoted posted so I've edited the quote - Paul

Edited December 28, 2005 by Paul

[den]

What I want are reasons NOT excuses from BRFC.

369524[/snapback]

Reason being that the undersoil heating isn't working to it's full potential. It wouldn't show until the temperature dropped to below freezing.

It was probably working efficiently enough to keep the pitch playable during the daytime temperatures.

Why would anyone doubt the word of the club, unless they have evidence to the contrary?

Edited December 28, 2005 by den

[Cocker]

This can only be a good thing. If we had played tonight then there is no doubt that 5 players would have picked up hamstring injuries (Bellers would have been one doubt)

[philipl]

I wouldn't blame Sunderland if they demanded a forfeit.

369526[/snapback]

For what?

Visiting clubs don't get any income from the home club any longer.

[Modi]

My guess is the pitch was bathed in sunshine for most of the day and it was not until around 3.30 or 4.00pm that it began to freeze. In the temperatures we had today and are forecast for tonight the pitch would freeze very, very fast.

If the heating isn't working properly that is a club problem but I can fully understand why the pitch was OK at 2.30pm and then needed an inspection at 5.15pm.

369523[/snapback]

So why the chuff did they tell someone at 1705 who had said they were travelling from Halifax that the game was definitely on? No mention of a possible postponement, let alone an imminent pitch inspection. If there was an element of doubt they should have said so.

Inexcusable.

[Paul]

sorry Paul, I rarely disagree with you but it has been at least -1c all day in Hoghton. The Club must have expected that it would get colder when the sun dropped; it usually does!

369527[/snapback]

Sorry Mike I can guarantee it was at least +4c in Workington today, but I don't know what it has been like here. I do know this can happen as quickly as it has

[philipl]

sack all the thicko's involved with ground issues I say!!!

What a fu(kin disgrace!!

The clubs stuck in the 80's

369517[/snapback]

Steve Patrick and his team have repeatedly produced a pitch which has been adjudged the best in the Premiership.

I think you are stuck in the dark ages with a comment like that!

[den]

Sorry Mike I can guarantee it was at least +4c in Workington today, but I don't know what it has been like here. I do know this can happen as quickly as it has

369532[/snapback]

It's been above freezing in sub tropical Leyland as well.

But it would be, wouldn't it!

[Paul]

So why the chuff did they tell someone at 1705 who had said they were travelling from Halifax that the game was definitely on?  No mention of  a possible postponement, let alone an imminent pitch inspection.  If there was an element of doubt they should have said so.

Inexcusable.

369531[/snapback]

Probably because no one had told the switchboard there was an inspection. Gerald Jackson knew bugger all about it at 6.00pm

[RevidgeBlue]

Before everyone calls the club for this think on. I've been out Kart racing all day. We set off from home at 8.00am -3c, got to Cumbria at 9.45 in -5c, but by 10.30am it was up to +1c in the sun and rose to around +4c by 2.00pm. The Kart track was running really well until 3.30pm or so when the sun dropped below the rim of the quarry in which it's built and the track froze up in no more than 10 minutes.

My guess is the pitch was bathed in sunshine for most of the day and it was not until around 3.30 or 4.00pm that it began to freeze. In the temperatures we had today and are forecast for tonight the pitch would freeze very, very fast.

If the heating isn't working properly that is a club problem but I can fully understand why the pitch was OK at 2.30pm and then needed an inspection at 5.15pm.

Mind you having steamed down the M6 from Workington I wasn't best pleased to hear the games was off as we hit the M65.

369523[/snapback]

1) If the undersoil heating was working properly I'm sure the temperatures today such as they've been woud have been irrelevant.

2) If it isn't working properly I guess that can't be helped. BUT and this is the criticism there's no excuse for the game being called off as late as 6p.m. The problem must have been evident a lot earlier.

[Modi]

Probably because no one had told the switchboard there was an inspection. Gerald Jackson knew bugger all about it at 6.00pm

369536[/snapback]

And the fault of that is?

Yep, the club.