this is ridiculous, clear positive communication from the club at the earliest possible time, what were they thinking of, why cant they be more ambiguous or even silent on the matter, how am I able to use that for an excuse for non attendance now! Why cant they listen to our endless unsubstantiated conjecture or guesswork based on things we nothing about...its an outrage (smiley thing)
Let's pay for 24 different referees, they call all put their names in a hat, we can set up a Rota, and they can all take turns doing a pitch inspection every hour.
And then we can all moan because we have no money for transfers!
In hindsight people moaned that there wasn't a pitch inspection on Friday
Now they do a pitch inspection a day before the game....and people moan
I mentioned this in the thread for the Barnsley game. Last week the Friday postponement was too early and this weekends too late. At leat it gives people something to moan about I guess.
In hindsight people moaned that there wasn't a pitch inspection on Friday
Now they do a pitch inspection a day before the game....and people moan
I wasn't moaning, just think it's silly having an inspection today when there's loads of rain forecast later. People are now saying that if it rains, there'll probably need to be another inspection tomorrow anyway!
At the weekend, i think people were moaning because it was left so incredibly late, not that it wasn't necessarily done on the friday. An inspection early on saturday morning would've sufficed.
In an ideal world for a 3pm saturday game, i'd suggest doing inspections early that morning, say 9-10am before people need to set out. And for evening games around midday-1pm that day.
Tuesday’s FA Cup clash against Oxford United (7.45pm) remains on course to go ahead after the Valley playing surface passed a pitch inspection Iain Liddle reports from The Valley
Tuesday’s FA Cup clash against Oxford United (7.45pm) remains on course to go ahead after the Valley playing surface passed a pitch inspection.
A local official conducted the inspection shortly before 1.30pm on Monday afternoon and confirmed there are no grounds to call off the cup tie at this stage.
The MacLeod cover, which allows hot air to circulate above the playing surface and protects it from rain, will remain in place until Tuesday afternoon.
The FA Cup match official will conduct a further inspection on the day of the game and the club are making every effort to ensure he arrives at the ground as early in the day as possible.
The club will communicate the matchday official’s assessment of the game on Tuesday as soon as possible, as always, by publishing the most up-to-date information on www.cafc.co.uk and its social media channels.
Stay logged on to the club's official website on Monday afternoon for a full video interview with Deputy Head Groundsman Nathan Thompson.
Tickets for the Oxford game remain on general sale, priced just £10 adults and £5 concessions and U21s.
Only the lower tiers of the West Stand and North Stand will be open for home supporters, while away fans will be sat in The Jimmy Seed Stand as usual.
There will be free entry to Bartram’s and Crossbars for anyone with a home match ticket
It's not too far out of my way home, so if the weather goes belly up (again) I just end up taking a little longer on the way back. I won't believe it's game on until the players run out of the tunnel and the ref blows his whistle. Given that we have form this season for an abandonment, I won't rule anything out until the final whistle.....
Today's inspection absolutely justified to at least give an indication as to whether the game has a chance of going ahead. However they're damned if they do and damned if they don't. And what if there is a deluge just before kick off? Answer, a likelihood of an even later postponement than you had on Saturday. So even the inspection today or lunchtime tomorrow would be an irrelevance in that scenario. One thing is for sure you can't stop Mother Nature and the rain will come when it wants to. Que sera sera.
Monsoon conditions in West London. Heavy rain and hail and the sky is very dark all around my office. Hope the dome stays intact if this weather moves South East.
Really feel for the guy and for the club. They have been made to look foolish by one terrible decision by the referee - or, at least, one that was inconsistent compared to previous decisions, despite all the efforts that everyone has put in of late.
2 things from that video: - Nice to see Fulham helping out & lending us some equipment - They need to put some weights on the end to stop the dome flapping about!
Sink or swim we're going, c'mon you landlubbers, get behind the squad as they are probably the ones with the life raft. Where are we drinking when it gets called off?
I would imagine that groundsmen from other clubs will want to help as it is an issue that they may have to deal with some day - so the experience could be useful.
Comments
In hindsight people moaned that there wasn't a pitch inspection on Friday
Now they do a pitch inspection a day before the game....and people moan
Let's pay for 24 different referees, they call all put their names in a hat, we can set up a Rota, and they can all take turns doing a pitch inspection every hour.
And then we can all moan because we have no money for transfers!
I wasn't moaning, just think it's silly having an inspection today when there's loads of rain forecast later. People are now saying that if it rains, there'll probably need to be another inspection tomorrow anyway!
At the weekend, i think people were moaning because it was left so incredibly late, not that it wasn't necessarily done on the friday. An inspection early on saturday morning would've sufficed.
In an ideal world for a 3pm saturday game, i'd suggest doing inspections early that morning, say 9-10am before people need to set out. And for evening games around midday-1pm that day.
Iain Liddle reports from The Valley
Tuesday’s FA Cup clash against Oxford United (7.45pm) remains on course to go ahead after the Valley playing surface passed a pitch inspection.
A local official conducted the inspection shortly before 1.30pm on Monday afternoon and confirmed there are no grounds to call off the cup tie at this stage.
The MacLeod cover, which allows hot air to circulate above the playing surface and protects it from rain, will remain in place until Tuesday afternoon.
The FA Cup match official will conduct a further inspection on the day of the game and the club are making every effort to ensure he arrives at the ground as early in the day as possible.
The club will communicate the matchday official’s assessment of the game on Tuesday as soon as possible, as always, by publishing the most up-to-date information on www.cafc.co.uk and its social media channels.
Stay logged on to the club's official website on Monday afternoon for a full video interview with Deputy Head Groundsman Nathan Thompson.
Tickets for the Oxford game remain on general sale, priced just £10 adults and £5 concessions and U21s.
Only the lower tiers of the West Stand and North Stand will be open for home supporters, while away fans will be sat in The Jimmy Seed Stand as usual.
There will be free entry to Bartram’s and Crossbars for anyone with a home match ticket
Read more at http://www.cafc.co.uk/news/article/20140113-valley-pitch-passes-monday-inspection-1291906.aspx#eKJYrr1ZUMhKPR4b.99
http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=T3hhWQd_1_4&desktop_uri=/watch?v=T3hhWQd_1_4&feature=youtu.be
Much now depends on precipitation between 16.00 and KO tomorrow.
Edit, Just beaten to it by Adam.
If it was obviously unplayable then best be told today.
If something happens tomorrow then so be it, they have tried to give as much notice as possible.
- Nice to see Fulham helping out & lending us some equipment
- They need to put some weights on the end to stop the dome flapping about!