“To be honest with you the ground staff have worked so hard. We’ve had a dome on it so it hasn’t taken the amount of rain it could have done, but it’s the after-effects of those two games it’s still suffering from it."
This statement by Chris Powell might be read to imply it was worse than before.
I think if either club disagreed with the ref they could and should have said so. There's nothing inappropriate about stating an honest disagreement, while recognising the ref has to decide. They had a chance to lobby the ref it was playable; there's no sign in the video or the statements that they did.
Just to be clear about this. There is still no head of comms at the club.
Someone earlier in the thread said that senior management would have validated the statement and so it's their responsibility. That's missing the point. Bradshaw will have written that statement. The comms team will simply have pushed publish.
It's likely to have been a collaboration. It's unlikely Bradshaw went off and wrote it privately and told the comms team to stick it out. That said, no blame whatsoever attaches to the comms staff in my view. They can only do what they are allowed to do.
Thanks for that Airman. What we can be pretty sure of is that the comms team would not have wanted to put out a statement blaming the ground staff as this one does. It's Bradshaw passing on blame.
It has to be considered that the pitch hasn't had a game played on it since 26 December - so there has been time to improve it. The fact that we haven't suggests that there isn't a magic cure which is worrying. We probably need a prolonged dry spell - what's the forecast for tonight? As for communications - as a season ticket holder and somebody who made the journey to the ground yesterday, I would like to hear what the short term plan is to address this problem. A decent length interview with Paddy should be the minimum we deserve.
What is most worrying of all is I suspect if there was a solution, the club would have reported it to us.
The last game was the on 29th which only went ahead after the ref insisted on emergency drainage work was carried out. What I do not understand why CAFC had 2 home games in such a short period giving the pitch no time to recover. Other teams had two away games over the Christmas period.
Not punching a hole as it obviously makes sense, however it is a plan formed with the luxury of hindsight.
Of course BUT we need a plan going forward because this won't be the last time we have a game called off. Agree with all that Prague so forward it to Bradshaw ASAP.
We are on the case. Just agreeing with Fans Forum how to do this with maximum effectiveness.
So stockport if you take what you have said as right
What should happen to the groundstaff
What should happen to powell and his lack of preperation for yesterdays game
What should happen to the coms team and what to bradshaw
NLA, not sure what you mean with the Powell and his preparation comment, unless I am missing the obvious I fail to see the relevance? As for the rest, in my current mood I would sack the lot!! However, there needs to be an internal enquiry and following this I have faith in the club that should heads roll they will - and all the way to the job centre:)
So stockport if you take what you have said as right
What should happen to the groundstaff
What should happen to powell and his lack of preperation for yesterdays game
What should happen to the coms team and what to bradshaw
NLA, not sure what you mean with the Powell and his preparation comment, unless I am missing the obvious I fail to see the relevance? As for the rest, in my current mood I would sack the lot!! However, there needs to be an internal enquiry and following this I have faith in the club that should heads roll they will - and all the way to the job centre:)
Whereas the ones who are probably most to blame have left the club!!!!
I've tried to refrain form posting about this but can't shake is feeling of real disgust at the way it was dealt with. I don't think that use of the word 'disgust' is too strong. Others I could use are disdain, contempt, disrespect etc etc.
The inconvenience for me was minimal. It is about a twenty minute drive to e ground for me. Fortunately I was on twitter when the news can through about the inspection. I was surprised, given the news throughout the week and assumed it was a formality that we would play.
So yes, Im cross the game was calld off. I had made plans around the game and my son had a friend who was coming. But it wasn't a huge inconvenience.
But I don't think the inconvenience is the point here. It is the inept approach of the club to do their utmost to ensure that all that could be done was done in order to get the game played.
They didn't do this and they have treated their own fans and those of Barnsley with total disregard. I do not like my club being a laughing stock. I don not like our integrity or professionalism questioned. The board members or whoever is ultimately responsible can hide behind a weakly delivered and laughable statement. They can apportion blame to people within the club who do not have the opportunity for recourse.
We cannot hide as fans and whilst some of the ideas re paying for the Barnsley fans' travel or forfeiting points is not what I believe should happen, at least there is the recognition of culpability and some proactive response.
What happened prior to the game was unacceptable. The communication, organisation and lack of foresight is inexcusable.
However, what has happened since is more annoying. The lack of communication is appalling. How difficult would a genuine and open letter of apology have been? We are now seen as a Mickey Mouse club and I can't and won't defend that because we are proving ourselves to be.
This is another midweek game at I cannot attend. There is much to consider from those at the top as to how they deal with the knock on effects of their ineptitude.
Not much to add to all the above - except to note that all of the long-standing and chronic problems facing the club were never going to be resolved immediately following the takeover. Given that we know Paddy and Nathan have produced magnificent pitches in the past, we have to acknowledge that the root of the current problems with the pitch is severe under-investment. There is a defective drainage system, relatively poor seed having been used (so I believe) and a lack of covers, heating and artificial lighting. Some of that can be and is being addressed immediately but the big work can only be done in the close season - and they need to give the ground staff the whole time to get it right, none of those silly matches at the end of the season to raise a few quid.
Meanwhile, we are going to be on a knife edge right through to April, and it's going to be a slog. No point in digging out Paddy and his team, and that would be unfair anyway.
The senior management and the communications team did a poor job yesterday, and that really needs to be addressed. But for the pitch, the board should listen to Paddy, give him whatever he asks for and then keep their fingers crossed, like the rest of us.
why blame the Comms team. Nothing goes out without Senior Management approval so how is it their fault?
Because any comms professional worth their salt could have done a much better job with yesterday's effort than they did, with or without senior management input. 90% of us on here could have worked out the things that needed to be said and strung a few well chosen words together. If all the comms team do is push a button to publish Bradshaw's draft, then I would retract my comments, But that's not a comms team or professional, its a very basic admin assistant at best. If we have a comms team worth the name, with or without a Head Of, they ought to be capable of producing decent comms.
Previous late postponements keep being mentioned such as Walsall and Newcastle when we were the visitors. You cannot compare these with yesterdays shambles. Both cancellations were caused by poor weather in the hours leading up to the games, I went to both and although mightily pissed off I accepted that in all probability it was out of the clubs hands. This is one of the pitfalls of being an away fan. However, yesterday was different. Every man and his dog knew how bad the pitch was and in light of the events of the last week or so, it is indefensible that the club did not bother to have a local referee inspect the pitch on the Friday evening or first thing on the Saturday. Furthermore, how can a referee, Chris Powell and Danny Wilson walk on to the pitch and agree unanimously with in minutes that the pitch was unplayable and not one member of staff at CAFC thought likewise? Add to this the statement by the club that there will be no pitch issues for the Barnsley game and you have one total balls up.
What we all need to think about is how many fans will not bother coming to future games. When you look at the official website and it says there are no problems for the game , then arrive to find it is off when there has been no rain on the morning of the game that is unacceptable. It is an appalling way to treat your loyal paying customers. The referee decides if the pitch is playable , just because we have played games recently when it has been in a similar condition , does not mean a different referee will also think it is playable. There is no excuse for not having it looked at on the Friday by a local ref. How many Charlton fans will now give the cup match a miss , 1,000 , 2,000 ? This fiasco will cost the club thousands of pounds
Same here - Was in Maggie's in Lewisham when looked at my phone and saw the game was off. Lost about £3.50 in fuel myself, but really feel for everyone who travelled far, or had a big outlay. At the least there should have been an inspection on Friday, or the very least a hint that it was bad enough that a ref *could* call it off.
So stockport if you take what you have said as right
What should happen to the groundstaff
What should happen to powell and his lack of preperation for yesterdays game
What should happen to the coms team and what to bradshaw
NLA, not sure what you mean with the Powell and his preparation comment, unless I am missing the obvious I fail to see the relevance? As for the rest, in my current mood I would sack the lot!! However, there needs to be an internal enquiry and following this I have faith in the club that should heads roll they will - and all the way to the job centre:)
Whereas the ones who are probably most to blame have left the club!!!!
Muttley, sadly the people that caused yesterdays shambles are still at the club. The ones that neglected the pitch, drains and maintenance over many years are the ones that are long gone!
I accept the club should have handled yesterday better, and they still need to communicate what the plan for the pitch is much better to us FANS. But the ones who caused the pitch problem are the ones I most blame.
Not much to add to all the above - except to note that all of the long-standing and chronic problems facing the club were never going to be resolved immediately following the takeover. Given that we know Paddy and Nathan have produced magnificent pitches in the past, we have to acknowledge that the root of the current problems with the pitch is severe under-investment. There is a defective drainage system, relatively poor seed having been used (so I believe) and a lack of covers, heating and artificial lighting. Some of that can be and is being addressed immediately but the big work can only be done in the close season - and they need to give the ground staff the whole time to get it right, none of those silly matches at the end of the season to raise a few quid.
Meanwhile, we are going to be on a knife edge right through to April, and it's going to be a slog. No point in digging out Paddy and his team, and that would be unfair anyway.
The senior management and the communications team did a poor job yesterday, and that really needs to be addressed. But for the pitch, the board should listen to Paddy, give him whatever he asks for and then keep their fingers crossed, like the rest of us.
why blame the Comms team. Nothing goes out without Senior Management approval so how is it their fault?
Because any comms professional worth their salt could have done a much better job with yesterday's effort than they did, with or without senior management input. 90% of us on here could have worked out the things that needed to be said and strung a few well chosen words together. If all the comms team do is push a button to publish Bradshaw's draft, then I would retract my comments, But that's not a comms team or professional, its a very basic admin assistant at best. If we have a comms team worth the name, with or without a Head Of, they ought to be capable of producing decent comms.
But if Bradshaw, or whoever had to approve it, insisted that the statement should point the finger at the ground staff but not outline any future plans (possibly because they didn't/don't have any?) then no amount of pretty wording by professional comms staff could have changed that.
So stockport if you take what you have said as right
What should happen to the groundstaff
What should happen to powell and his lack of preperation for yesterdays game
What should happen to the coms team and what to bradshaw
NLA, not sure what you mean with the Powell and his preparation comment, unless I am missing the obvious I fail to see the relevance? As for the rest, in my current mood I would sack the lot!! However, there needs to be an internal enquiry and following this I have faith in the club that should heads roll they will - and all the way to the job centre:)
Whereas the ones who are probably most to blame have left the club!!!!
Muttley, sadly the people that caused yesterdays shambles are still at the club. The ones that neglected the pitch, drains and maintenance over many years are the ones that are long gone!
To be fair - the problem became apparent last season - so it is since then that I am most critical. A football club has to have a pitch to play on above everything!
If you were mgr of cafc and you knew the pitch was poor
Would you go down to the ground in the days leading to the game
Would you not be feeding back to your team the worst areas of the pitch
Would your prep and training not have included telling your players where they should close down quicker where the ball is likely to stick
If so it would be fair to suggest that you as mgr looked for yourself or a member of your coaching staff looked
If he looked for himself he wouldve seen that it was worse than the previous 2 games
And he shouldve advised paddy and the team that he thought it was worse and the chances are it will be off
Or do you think that this may have actually happend and that the overall opinion of the people who we rely on to watch football was that the pitch was no worse than the last two games and it more than likely will pass any inspection on sat
Not much to add to all the above - except to note that all of the long-standing and chronic problems facing the club were never going to be resolved immediately following the takeover. Given that we know Paddy and Nathan have produced magnificent pitches in the past, we have to acknowledge that the root of the current problems with the pitch is severe under-investment. There is a defective drainage system, relatively poor seed having been used (so I believe) and a lack of covers, heating and artificial lighting. Some of that can be and is being addressed immediately but the big work can only be done in the close season - and they need to give the ground staff the whole time to get it right, none of those silly matches at the end of the season to raise a few quid.
Meanwhile, we are going to be on a knife edge right through to April, and it's going to be a slog. No point in digging out Paddy and his team, and that would be unfair anyway.
The senior management and the communications team did a poor job yesterday, and that really needs to be addressed. But for the pitch, the board should listen to Paddy, give him whatever he asks for and then keep their fingers crossed, like the rest of us.
why blame the Comms team. Nothing goes out without Senior Management approval so how is it their fault?
Because any comms professional worth their salt could have done a much better job with yesterday's effort than they did, with or without senior management input. 90% of us on here could have worked out the things that needed to be said and strung a few well chosen words together. If all the comms team do is push a button to publish Bradshaw's draft, then I would retract my comments, But that's not a comms team or professional, its a very basic admin assistant at best. If we have a comms team worth the name, with or without a Head Of, they ought to be capable of producing decent comms.
When it comes down to it the comms team can propose something, but if Bradshaw does not like the look of it it has to be reworked until he does. That doesn't make them "admin assistants at best", that makes them employees answering to an incompetent manager.
Trust me when I say that the comms team will be very angry about having to publish that statement.
Not much to add to all the above - except to note that all of the long-standing and chronic problems facing the club were never going to be resolved immediately following the takeover. Given that we know Paddy and Nathan have produced magnificent pitches in the past, we have to acknowledge that the root of the current problems with the pitch is severe under-investment. There is a defective drainage system, relatively poor seed having been used (so I believe) and a lack of covers, heating and artificial lighting. Some of that can be and is being addressed immediately but the big work can only be done in the close season - and they need to give the ground staff the whole time to get it right, none of those silly matches at the end of the season to raise a few quid.
Meanwhile, we are going to be on a knife edge right through to April, and it's going to be a slog. No point in digging out Paddy and his team, and that would be unfair anyway.
The senior management and the communications team did a poor job yesterday, and that really needs to be addressed. But for the pitch, the board should listen to Paddy, give him whatever he asks for and then keep their fingers crossed, like the rest of us.
why blame the Comms team. Nothing goes out without Senior Management approval so how is it their fault?
Because any comms professional worth their salt could have done a much better job with yesterday's effort than they did, with or without senior management input. 90% of us on here could have worked out the things that needed to be said and strung a few well chosen words together. If all the comms team do is push a button to publish Bradshaw's draft, then I would retract my comments, But that's not a comms team or professional, its a very basic admin assistant at best. If we have a comms team worth the name, with or without a Head Of, they ought to be capable of producing decent comms.
The view of staff - or at least, to protect the innocent, those who have quit - is that management is neither competent nor consistently rational. Others on here know this as well as I do. It's very difficult for junior staff to exercise any influence in that situation.
Not much to add to all the above - except to note that all of the long-standing and chronic problems facing the club were never going to be resolved immediately following the takeover. Given that we know Paddy and Nathan have produced magnificent pitches in the past, we have to acknowledge that the root of the current problems with the pitch is severe under-investment. There is a defective drainage system, relatively poor seed having been used (so I believe) and a lack of covers, heating and artificial lighting. Some of that can be and is being addressed immediately but the big work can only be done in the close season - and they need to give the ground staff the whole time to get it right, none of those silly matches at the end of the season to raise a few quid.
Meanwhile, we are going to be on a knife edge right through to April, and it's going to be a slog. No point in digging out Paddy and his team, and that would be unfair anyway.
The senior management and the communications team did a poor job yesterday, and that really needs to be addressed. But for the pitch, the board should listen to Paddy, give him whatever he asks for and then keep their fingers crossed, like the rest of us.
why blame the Comms team. Nothing goes out without Senior Management approval so how is it their fault?
Because any comms professional worth their salt could have done a much better job with yesterday's effort than they did, with or without senior management input. 90% of us on here could have worked out the things that needed to be said and strung a few well chosen words together. If all the comms team do is push a button to publish Bradshaw's draft, then I would retract my comments, But that's not a comms team or professional, its a very basic admin assistant at best. If we have a comms team worth the name, with or without a Head Of, they ought to be capable of producing decent comms.
But if Bradshaw, or whoever had to approve it, insisted that the statement should point the finger at the ground staff but not outline any future plans (possibly because they didn't/don't have any?) then no amount of pretty wording by professional comms staff could have changed that.
Unfortunately, micks, I think you've hit the nail on the head here.
Maybe the Comms Dept , reeling from main members of the team leaving the Club recently and dealing as best they can without a Head, have to run everything they publish through A N Other WITHOUT FAIL.
And are instructed NOT to use their initiative in such statements ....who knows what's happening behind the scenes of our Club ?
Not much to add to all the above - except to note that all of the long-standing and chronic problems facing the club were never going to be resolved immediately following the takeover. Given that we know Paddy and Nathan have produced magnificent pitches in the past, we have to acknowledge that the root of the current problems with the pitch is severe under-investment. There is a defective drainage system, relatively poor seed having been used (so I believe) and a lack of covers, heating and artificial lighting. Some of that can be and is being addressed immediately but the big work can only be done in the close season - and they need to give the ground staff the whole time to get it right, none of those silly matches at the end of the season to raise a few quid.
Meanwhile, we are going to be on a knife edge right through to April, and it's going to be a slog. No point in digging out Paddy and his team, and that would be unfair anyway.
The senior management and the communications team did a poor job yesterday, and that really needs to be addressed. But for the pitch, the board should listen to Paddy, give him whatever he asks for and then keep their fingers crossed, like the rest of us.
why blame the Comms team. Nothing goes out without Senior Management approval so how is it their fault?
Because any comms professional worth their salt could have done a much better job with yesterday's effort than they did, with or without senior management input. 90% of us on here could have worked out the things that needed to be said and strung a few well chosen words together. If all the comms team do is push a button to publish Bradshaw's draft, then I would retract my comments, But that's not a comms team or professional, its a very basic admin assistant at best. If we have a comms team worth the name, with or without a Head Of, they ought to be capable of producing decent comms.
The view of staff - or at least, to protect the innocent, those who have quit - is that management is neither competent nor consistently rational. Others on here know this as well as I do. It's very difficult for junior staff to exercise any influence in that situation.
The buck stops with whoever was minding the store. If that person wants to blame others at the club for poor work or for poor information then that should be in house. It is an absolute basic focus that a game is on or off, the ripples are wide, and I am ashamed for the trouble Barnsley fans especially, and our own fans too had to put up with.. The person in charge, especially in the light of last weeks postponement should have thought of all the angles, and covered all the bases. I know matches get postponed and all that, but the shambles that was yesterday could this time have been headed off at the pass, and that is firmly down to whoever is in charge. I am assuming that is Mr Bradshaw.
Was on my way when we got the news. Shit happens, not always someone's fault, unusual circumstances re weather probably complicated by the takeover among other things. Stop whinging and get on with your lives ffs.
Vff, that is exactly what the club has done over the past week - said there is a problem and they will spend the money to fix it. But that cannot happen until the close season.
Again, I ask, what more could the club have done? There has been very little rain in the area over the last week - certainly no more than can be expected for every week for the foreseeable future. So this situation is not going to improve - do we really expect the club to put out a statement a couple of days before every game for the next few months that 'game might or might not be going ahead'? That will not help anyone.
Very roughly there has been twice the average rain over the last week.
The thing about yesterday is that nobody going to the game had any reason to presume it would be in doubt. It wasn't as if there had been a monsoon that morning, we had the dome over the pitch and there had been no prior warnings. Every other club managed to go ahead.
Hence most people would have set off as normal, I was on a train leaving London Bridge when I overheard someone saying the game was off.
For the rest of this season, many people who live a long away from the ground will probably feel it's not worth the effort going to games
Comments
What should happen to the groundstaff
What should happen to powell and his lack of preperation for yesterdays game
What should happen to the coms team and what to bradshaw
Moving on, in the summer it needs investment. How much do we expect RD to invest?
Drainage obviously. Under-soil heating? Buy a new dome (not rent)? Plastic pitch?
The inconvenience for me was minimal. It is about a twenty minute drive to e ground for me. Fortunately I was on twitter when the news can through about the inspection. I was surprised, given the news throughout the week and assumed it was a formality that we would play.
So yes, Im cross the game was calld off. I had made plans around the game and my son had a friend who was coming. But it wasn't a huge inconvenience.
But I don't think the inconvenience is the point here. It is the inept approach of the club to do their utmost to ensure that all that could be done was done in order to get the game played.
They didn't do this and they have treated their own fans and those of Barnsley with total disregard. I do not like my club being a laughing stock. I don not like our integrity or professionalism questioned. The board members or whoever is ultimately responsible can hide behind a weakly delivered and laughable statement. They can apportion blame to people within the club who do not have the opportunity for recourse.
We cannot hide as fans and whilst some of the ideas re paying for the Barnsley fans' travel or forfeiting points is not what I believe should happen, at least there is the recognition of culpability and some proactive response.
What happened prior to the game was unacceptable. The communication, organisation and lack of foresight is inexcusable.
However, what has happened since is more annoying. The lack of communication is appalling. How difficult would a genuine and open letter of apology have been? We are now seen as a Mickey Mouse club and I can't and won't defend that because we are proving ourselves to be.
This is another midweek game at I cannot attend. There is much to consider from those at the top as to how they deal with the knock on effects of their ineptitude.
It really is as simple as that for me.
Except Murray. Who lingers on.
Would you go down to the ground in the days leading to the game
Would you not be feeding back to your team the worst areas of the pitch
Would your prep and training not have included telling your players where they should close down quicker where the ball is likely to stick
If so it would be fair to suggest that you as mgr looked for yourself or a member of your coaching staff looked
If he looked for himself he wouldve seen that it was worse than the previous 2 games
And he shouldve advised paddy and the team that he thought it was worse and the chances are it will be off
Or do you think that this may have actually happend and that the overall opinion of the people who we rely on to watch football was that the pitch was no worse than the last two games and it more than likely will pass any inspection on sat
Trust me when I say that the comms team will be very angry about having to publish that statement.
Maybe the Comms Dept , reeling from main members of the team leaving the Club recently and dealing as best they can without a Head, have to run everything they publish through A N Other WITHOUT FAIL.
And are instructed NOT to use their initiative in such statements ....who knows what's happening behind the scenes of our Club ?
It is an absolute basic focus that a game is on or off, the ripples are wide, and I am ashamed for the trouble Barnsley fans especially, and our own fans too had to put up with.. The person in charge, especially in the light of last weeks postponement should have thought of all the angles, and covered all the bases.
I know matches get postponed and all that, but the shambles that was yesterday could this time have been headed off at the pass, and that is firmly down to whoever is in charge.
I am assuming that is Mr Bradshaw.
Hence most people would have set off as normal, I was on a train leaving London Bridge when I overheard someone saying the game was off.
For the rest of this season, many people who live a long away from the ground will probably feel it's not worth the effort going to games