v Portsmouth (h) - 15/1/2025

[rigger]

5 minutes ago, arbitro said:

The match fitness will not be up to speed with not playing for two and a half weeks. Training is not a substitute for playing. It doesn't matter if they are professionals or not it's common sense that the level of match fitness suffers from not playing. Middlesbrough will have the benefit of playing today.

Unless they pick up injuries or suspensions.

[...]

Was also looking forward to one of our easier games for a confidence booster

[chaddyrovers]

3 minutes ago, BlueNWhiteArmy said:

Was also looking forward to one of our easier games for a confidence booster

I was looking forward to watching Rovers play

[Forever Blue]

23 minutes ago, Hasta said:

It was clear from the week we have had and the forecast for today that there could be an issue. Looking at any news site talked about storm Bert. Therefore people were rightly concerned and were hoping the game would be on.

So if you say the condition of the pitch was unknown to you last. Ight why were you saying “The Game Will Be On”?

If there’s a storm with amber warnings why then it’s not “normal British weather”

Blind optimism letting you down again.
 

 

Just British weather innit, happens every day at this time of year🥹

[roversfan99]

1 hour ago, chaddyrovers said:

Didn't Rovers trained on the pitch after the game was called off? 

I remember that game, actually, the pitch was playable but the ref didn't fancy it at all. Stanley played that day at home, we didn't

I was talking from my post last night

How could you possibly know for sure that the pitch was playable, and more than the referee based on a couple of keepers diving around for a short while in the corner of the pitch.

[Mattyblue]

Only game in the top three divisions to be called off. Yep, wholly about the River Darwen.

[Hasta]

On 22nd December 2012 we were postponed due to waterlogging against Brighton. On the same day Accy Stanley played at home. 

Boxing Day 2015 was similar, with us being the only Championship game off.

Ewood has always had drainage issues, and it’s been well known for years it’s due to the river.

 

 

 

Edited November 23, 2024 by Hasta

[Cherry Blue]

Just now, Hasta said:

On 22nd December 2012 we were postponed due to waterlogging against Brighton. On the same day Accy Stanley played at home. 

Boxing Day 2015 was similar, with us being the only Championship game off.

Ewood has always had drainage issues, and it’s been well known for years it’s due to the river.

 

 

True but why didn't they inspect pitch earlier given the history.

[had.e.nuff]

3 hours ago, Ianrally said:

Heaven rain all night and all day so far in Preston. It will be interesting to see if the game still goes ahead at Dumpdale, but of course it isn’t situated in a plug hole like Ewood.

fylde off and they have spent a lot on their pitch

[Mattyblue]

How many games were waterlogged post Wimbledon in 1993 and this lot getting hold of the club… and how many since?

[Hasta]

12 minutes ago, Cherry Blue said:

True but why didn't they inspect pitch earlier given the history.

 

Not sure how the process works.

I’m less than a mile away and the heaviest of the rain seemed between 6am and 8am, so I imagine it was playable from a waterlogging perspective last night. 

@arbitro I presume only the match official can call the game off after inspection? If the club contacts the referee at 8.30 and says we may have a problem, is there any pressure on the referee to come immediately? 

Edited November 23, 2024 by Hasta

[rigger]

4 minutes ago, Cherry Blue said:

True but why didn't they inspect pitch earlier given the history.

That would have been upto the ref.

[had.e.nuff]

2 hours ago, rigger said:

Siggy might have recovered by Wednesday.

which year?

[Michael123458]

Gutted today was called off was bang up for it would have been a great day and sure we would have nicked it. But sometimes although frustrating you have to accept it for what is was. We’ll be the only ones to play when the others ain’t. RTID 

[rigger]

10 minutes ago, had.e.nuff said:

which year?

The week after he leaves the Rovers.

[Cherry Blue]

16 minutes ago, rigger said:

That would have been upto the ref.

If the club have doubts can they call in a local ref or does it have to be the match ref?

[Ianrally]

26 minutes ago, had.e.nuff said:

fylde off and they have spent a lot on their pitch

Dumpdale looks a perfect surface. No puddles and not cutting up. 

[MarkBRFC]

8 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

How many games were waterlogged post Wimbledon in 1993 and this lot getting hold of the club… and how many since?

From memory, this is the 4th game at Ewood postponed due to "weather" since 2010.

2012 vs Brighton, 2015 vs Middlesbrough, 2022 vs Milwall and today.

Since that Wimbledon game you mentioned in 1993 to 2010 i think we had two, Leeds at Ewood in December 1994, and Sunderland on the same date in 2005, although think that one was a frozen pitch rather than waterlogged.

Might have missed one or two not sure.

[M_B]

To be honest, i wasn't disappointed it was off, and if it was unplayable at 11,it definitely was at 3 so correct decision.

Shame for the Pompey faithful, but this weather was predicted a good while ago. Whenever a game is called off, there will always be questions asked.

I always find the "why are they playing and we're not" argument a bit ridiculous.

[rigger]

10 minutes ago, Cherry Blue said:

If the club have doubts can they call in a local ref or does it have to be the match ref?

I am not certain, but I would think it would have to be the match ref. 

[Mattyblue]

To question why we are the only game in the top three divisions postponed is ‘ridiculous’? I’d say it’s a fair question that shouldn’t be just batted away with ‘the river’.

What state is the Ewood drainage system in etc seems a reasonable question to ask…

[JHRover]

27 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

How many games were waterlogged post Wimbledon in 1993 and this lot getting hold of the club… and how many since?

I think today was the fifth game at Ewood since we left the PL to be called off due to the weather:

1) Portsmouth November 2024

2) Millwall February 2022

3) Swansea January 2021

4) Middlesbrough December 2015

5) Brighton December 2012

It's obviously correct that the ground is next to a river and drains into the river and always had. So logic would suggest that postponements due to rain will have been a frequent occurrence going back decades. 

Maybe its me but I cannot remember many at all before these people turned up and started cutting budgets left right and centre. 

It is clear that Ewood is suffering from a lack of investment. It's filthy, crumbling in places, and hasn't had any substantial investment beyond routine essential maintenance in pushing 20 years. 

I think it is fairly likely on balance that drainage and ability to cope with difficult weather conditions have been impacted by these cuts. It might not be the only reason but it is probably one. 

The outcome is that we get the indignity of being the only top 2 division side to be incapable of hosting a match in heavy rain and along with Fleetwood, Bradford and Salford of League Two and Fylde, Halifax and Rochdale of the Conference the only seven clubs in the top 5 leagues to be off. 

They must be very proud of themselves.

[SuperBrfc]

42 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

How many games were waterlogged post Wimbledon in 1993 and this lot getting hold of the club… and how many since?

I was just about to make a similar point. How many did we see called off due to heavy rain before 2010 and how many have we seen since?

Wimbledon is the only one that I can think of pre this lot turning up. I remember there was a game against United in 2008 where it was absolutely bucketing down beforehand, worse than this, and the game still went ahead. There were many other times where we coped just fine with the rain.

There was a game called off against Sunderland in 2005 but that was due to ice/snow on the pitch and outside the stadium making it unsafe for all.

My point is, there is an element of truth to the River explanation but it is, imo, too easily covering up the lack of care and attention to pitch maintenance (amongst many other things) shown by these owners since they arrived. It's embarrassing that we are the only game called off today in the top two Divisions.

It looks tin pot and that's exactly what these owners and their stooges running the place are and it's what they are turning the club into. The huge irony being that they view themselves as some sort of royalty that are doing us a favour. Piss off.

Edited November 23, 2024 by SuperBrfc

[Parsonblue]

1 minute ago, Mattyblue said:

To question why we are the only game in the top three divisions postponed is ‘ridiculous’? I’d say it’s a fair question that shouldn’t be just batted away with ‘the river’.

What state is the Ewood drainage system in etc seems a reasonable question to ask…

When the River is in flood - and it is today which is why a flood warning has been issued for Ewood and Waterfall in Blackburn, there is little chance of Ewood being able to drain properly.  Geography and nature are not the fault of anyone at the club.

[MarkBRFC]

3 minutes ago, SuperBrfc said:

I was just about to make a similar point. How many did we see called off due to heavy rain before 2010 and how many have we been since?

Wimbledon is the only one that I can think of pre this lot turning up. I remember there was a game against United in 2008 where it was absolutely bucketing down beforehand, worse than this, and the game still went ahead. There were many other times where we coped just fine with the rain.

There was a game called off against Sunderland in 2005 but that was due to ice/snow on the pitch and outside the stadium making it unsafe for all.

Leeds in December 1994 was another one due to rain.

Completely agree with the rest of the post though.