[Archived] Villa Semi Final Match Preview

[Scotty]

Anyone planning to travel up from Manchester tonight? The snow is very bad here.

I was. I've just rang into work to say I'll be "working" from home today, and it's hard to see right now how I'm going to get up to Blackburn tonight. I'm kinda hoping it gets called off.

[TrentVilla]

Speaking to the landlord of the Fernhurst last night (who said the Villa fans did not wreck the place..."they wanted to have a try though") and he says that the police were not the ones in charge of any postponement decision...this has to be led by the local authority. Probably means they will discuss on Thursday and make a decision Friday.

Discuss on Thursday and make a decision Friday??? You might want to check your fixtures the game is today.

[roversmum]

This is the local authority we are talking about here, TV

[TrentVilla]

Who knows? I live by the Walton Summit M61/M65 junction and our problem will be getting out of our road as it has an incline. As has been said, it isn't the main roads that are the problem, but the side roads. We are lucky enough to be able to park in the BBE but for those who have to find other parking as several members of our party will have to it isn't going to be that easy.

If Villa fans can get to their coaches at Birmingham they shouldn't have a problem as there will be parking next to the ground for their coaches. It's our fans who will have more of a problem with the local weather, getting to the game.

yeah in some respects some of our fans will have it easier although obviously not all will come on coaches.

These game are often called off though for safety concerns due to the walk ways in and around the ground and the roads people will be walking on rather than the roads themselves or the pitch.

[JAL]

This game wont be able go ahead now its like Lapland up here snowing heavily at the moment.

Dont attempt to travel to Blackburn unless you've got a sleigh.

[BPF]

I'd be beyond surprised if it was on tonight.

In other news school is closed so I don't have to go to work! Hurray!

[TrentVilla]

This is the local authority we are talking about here, TV

Ah ok.... didn't pick up on the tone of the post.

[Mike Graham]

just nipped outside for a bucket of coal and some logs 1 inch of snow has fallen in the last hour and it is getting worse. I live 6 miles fom Ewood.

Are Rovers insured for all the lost pie sales?

[unsall]

Discuss on Thursday and make a decision Friday??? You might want to check your fixtures the game is today.

Sarcasam my friend,he was joking re the council,by the way if it's off it will be rescheduled a week on thursday.

[Bobby G]

Disappointing as I was really looking forward to the semi-final.

Could they possibly postpone it for one or two days only?

Oh I seem to have gotten my answer from unsall.

That would mean a league match on Monday, at City then the cup first leg right after it. Hardly ideal for us.

[TrentVilla]

Disappointing as I was really looking forward to the semi-final.

Could they possibly postpone it for one or two days only?

Oh I seem to have gotten my answer from unsall.

That would mean a league match on Monday, at City then the cup first leg right after it. Hardly ideal for us.

As far as I'm aware if postponed the game will be played a week on Wednesday or Thursday so the 13th or 14th, that is why they have the week between the two legs of the semi-final. It would certainly be harsh on you to have to play two games so close together but then the same happened to us recently, we had to face Arsenal and Liverpool with just a day inbetween.

[Guest Kamy100]

Huge amounts of Snow in Manchester. I left Blackburn at 7.00am and it was beginning to snow heavily again, the added problem is that this is going to sweep towards the Midlands and will make it very difficult for Villa Fans to get to and from Ewood safely. This game is going to get cancelled.

Bad news for Rovers as this is going to cause fixture problems, if it is cancelled we will play Monday (away City), Thursday (home Villa) and Saturday (home Fulham), maybe the Fulham game can be moved to Sunday, but then has the knock on effect because the second leg of the semi final is on the Wednesday.

[unsall]

Disappointing as I was really looking forward to the semi-final.

Could they possibly postpone it for one or two days only?

Oh I seem to have gotten my answer from unsall.

That would mean a league match on Monday, at City then the cup first leg right after it. Hardly ideal for us.

And Fulham 2 days later,unless that can be changed till Sunday

[Bobby G]

So for people who live in and around Blackburn, you see no chance of this going ahead?

Im not sure if this has been mentioned but our reserves games was called off last night too.

[Guest Kamy100]

I would be amazed if this game went ahead given the weather conditions in Northern and Central England this morning.

[andyrover]

So for people who live in and around Blackburn, you see no chance of this going ahead?

Im not sure if this has been mentioned but our reserves games was called off last night too.

its still snowing like mad ere in blackburn and its forcasts more for the rest of the day,not looking good

[Hasta]

I live in Ewood and the traffic is just stopped. People are wheelspinning at the lights at the bottom of Craven Brown just trying to go up the hill and there's a lorry stuck a quarter of the way up just past the petrol station. It's put a lot of snow down since 4am and it's still coming.

IMO this will be off I'm afraid.

[Parsonblue]

Even if the game went ahead, which I very much doubt, the attendance is going to be very poor. People living any distance from the ground are not going to get there as the side roads in and around East Lancashire are in such a dangerous state. The state of the pavements means that even walking is a risk! Hopefully, the game will be put back to next week.

[Mike Graham]

Missus set off by car to Manchester on M61 as usual at 06.30 She has still not arrived at 08.45 due to snow.

When are Rovers and BwD Council going to get off their backsides and make a decision to postpone. We, and Villa, have fans travelling from London and the South Coast.

A decision is required now.

[Bobby G]

But the damn forecasts said it would stop snowing at about 6 am. So much for meteorologists.

[Will]

Well i'm not going, just tried to get my car off the drive and got stuck. Car is now abandoned.

Lots & lots of snow here in Newton le Willows.

M6 has major problems, no way the game will go ahead.

[JAL]

So for people who live in and around Blackburn, you see no chance of this going ahead?

Im not sure if this has been mentioned but our reserves games was called off last night too.

The game WILL definitely be called OFF Bobby G.

Theres absolutely no chance of it going ahead as its snowing constantly.

[unsall]

If it is off and they say the next date is a week on Thursday,that means we play Monday,Thursday,and Saturday,so why could it not be moved to this thursday,and let Villa play twice in two days,they play Wigan Sat,I can only think that if it is off,and it's next thursday, the Fulham game be moved to Sunday....

[MarkBRFC71]

Set off from Oakdale at 7.30 - arrived at Samlesbury about 10 mins ago. No roads in Blackburn gritted - not even main ones. Bolton Road not touched by grit. A lady at work used to be a councillor and Blackburn With Darwen Council has run out of grit - not sure if they will get any today. Am booking a room at Stanley House just in case I'm stranded here!

[Alan75]

If it is off and they say the next date is a week on Thursday,that means we play Monday,Thursday,and Saturday,so why could it not be moved to this thursday,and let Villa play twice in two days,they play Wigan Sat,I can only think that if it is off,and it's next thursday, the Fulham game be moved to Sunday....

Logistics of time factor to reorganise catering, staffing, police tv schedules etc and Weather forcast for this week shows no sign of improvement.