I know its only Nathan's word, but if the referee has called it off because of the forecast, rather than the conditions - Why wait so long then?
I don't know how you can call off a game because of what might happen.
Surely you start the match & then abandon it if needs be.
Golfie, if you start the game in these conditions and then have to call it off then you do that because the ball is not moving or it's become a risk to the players, also just suppose one of the sides had taken a two nil lead and the game got called off after 45 mins, the angst on here would be far worse.
Who would ever think that there would be bad weather the first couple of weeks in January?
Surely there could have been asked to have made an earlier inspection, especially when it is a bank holiday with transport issues for the fans. It was forecast bad weather today, as it was yesterday. I assume that the covers were put on the pitch?. I can understand ice and snow being a reason for player safety and possible issues for fans outside the ground in exceptional icy conditions, but the travelling fans should be a major consideration in my opinion. Personally, I am of the old school with rain, providing it is not puddles on the pitch, but I guess that is the way of the game these days, I can only speak as a manager of a men's team, we always wanted to play, after all it is the same for both teams, and those players are not getting paid ? As I say sad for the frustration for the travelling supporters.
Fed up with this modern game. Matches used to get postponed all the time. January you could write off Scotland, and normally a healthy smattering of the lower leagues. Nowadays it's a rarity, it's like the modern ref's have gone all scared of postponing stuff. They've got no balls to call a game off based on their desire to get down the pub earlier. Proper snowflakes, ruining our game by improving the pitches and the drainage. And now they tell us as soon as the decision's made, rather than waiting for us to get to the ground. Bring back blanket postponement, so we can enjoy our moaning again.
If it was called off due to the forecast they could have called it off yesterday!
Forecasts are a question of probability, based on existing records (so the forecast for an area will say that it will rain when it might only be a 60% likelihood of rain falling at a location), while even rainfall radar will not accurately reflect the extent to which even quite wide bands of rain can have very localised impacts.
Wind speeds are much more easily predicted.
So, nothing could be decided that far in advance where the concern is about rainfall only.
The referee was in a no win position, call the match off and he/the players are wimps compared to the days of yore, play and, if players get injured (because the conditions mean that the game ends up being played like in days of yore), he'll be pilloried for having destroyed the season for either or both of the clubs.
What I saw, with visible water splashing up from gentle passing in the central areas, postponing the game was the right choice (I'd have liked it to have been done earlier, but hey).
I know its only Nathan's word, but if the referee has called it off because of the forecast, rather than the conditions - Why wait so long then?
I don't know how you can call off a game because of what might happen.
Surely you start the match & then abandon it if needs be.
Golfie, if you start the game in these conditions and then have to call it off then you do that because the ball is not moving or it's become a risk to the players, also just suppose one of the sides had taken a two nil lead and the game got called off after 45 mins, the angst on here would be far worse.
I'm about 40 minutes from Crawley, just taken the dog for a walk, got wet but it's hardly a monsoon. Can't believe it was left that late to make a decision. Will be interesting to see if the managers were in agreement or if one was one wasn't. Form we are in I'd expect us to have wanted to play.
Yeah, it's barely raining in Bromley about 40 minutes away I can't believe the ref called it off.
It’s snowing 4,500 miles away here in Canada. Only a matter of time before the pitch freezes in Crawley. Sensible decision by the ref.
35 degrees out here, 6000 miles away. The sun would have come out eventually in Crawley.
NJ: "We're disappointed, we wanted to play the game. One, because we're in good form and we want games to come now thick and fast, we don't mind that. But also because we got here and prepared and it's such a late call off."#cafc
NJ: "To be fair to the ref, he gave it every chance and his decision was based basically on the forecast, not the conditions at the time, because the conditions at the time, I've played in far worse than that."#cafc
NJ: "But it was more to do with the forecast and would it improve. He was consistent from the off, he said if we can't finish it then I'm very reluctant to start it."#cafc
Interesting comments from NJ - particularly the middle one.
Reminds me of Southeastern cancelling services because there's a forecast of wind tomorrow, which may or may not cause problems.
Surely if it's payable now then you start playing? If it gets worse, becomes unplayable, or becomes evident that it is dangerous, then stop the game then?
Exactly... Its also a forecast, its not a 100% certainty that it'll happen either. I've been out when the Met Office has suggested a strong chance of rain which has never even materialised.
Jones has also said to CAFC that the referee didnt want to start the game if it meant that it may not finish - Well at least the fans would get to see SOMETHING rather than a completely wasted trip.
Plus there is always a chance it will finish. As you say it’s just a forecast. The Met Office have been known it get it wrong before.
As others have said complete WOKE nonsense calling this off.
explain how this is woke? does it just mean that you don't agree with it? Woke is political liberality and left wing attitudes regarding discrimination. Not generally used to describe a bit of bad weather.
I think we all know what "woke" REALLY means by now.
And if you don't then I'm sure someone will be along to tell us - again! - soon enough .........
As others have said complete WOKE nonsense calling this off.
explain how this is woke? does it just mean that you don't agree with it? Woke is political liberality and left wing attitudes regarding discrimination. Not generally used to describe a bit of bad weather.
I think we all know what "woke" REALLY means by now.
And if you don't then I'm sure someone will be along to tell us - again! - soon enough .........
it doesn't appear you do. It may be a crap decision made too late but I question whether the reason was to prevent offending peoples sensibilities, because thats what they did, they offended a lot of peoples feelings.
I know its only Nathan's word, but if the referee has called it off because of the forecast, rather than the conditions - Why wait so long then?
I don't know how you can call off a game because of what might happen.
Surely you start the match & then abandon it if needs be.
Golfie, if you start the game in these conditions and then have to call it off then you do that because the ball is not moving or it's become a risk to the players, also just suppose one of the sides had taken a two nil lead and the game got called off after 45 mins, the angst on here would be far worse.
A lot of people seem to have forgotten the Donny game at The Valley a few years ago. Probably fortunate for us in the end that it was abandoned at half time, but it certainly wasn’t for Donny who got relegated on goal difference at the end of the season. Shit decision for the fans who made the trip, but that doesn’t mean that it’s wrong.
Who would ever think that there would be bad weather the first couple of weeks in January?
Surely there could have been asked to have made an earlier inspection, especially when it is a bank holiday with transport issues for the fans. It was forecast bad weather today, as it was yesterday. I assume that the covers were put on the pitch?. I can understand ice and snow being a reason for player safety and possible issues for fans outside the ground in exceptional icy conditions, but the travelling fans should be a major consideration in my opinion. Personally, I am of the old school with rain, providing it is not puddles on the pitch, but I guess that is the way of the game these days, I can only speak as a manager of a men's team, we always wanted to play, after all it is the same for both teams, and those players are not getting paid ? As I say sad for the frustration for the travelling supporters.
An early inspection would have made no difference. According to NJ it was playable, the ref postponed because of the forecast as to what may or may not have happened.
A lot of abuse for the ref but what options did he have?
If the pitch isn't playable, it's not playable.
Seems he gave the groundstaff as much time as possible to get the pitch playable but they couldn't.
Kick in the guts for the travelling fans and not what we wanted when we are playing well but the ref doesn't control the weather.
If there is evidence that the ref made an incorrect decision then lets hear it.
The weather has been consistent for the last few hours and will continue to be consistent for the next few hours. So the pitch is either playable or it isn't.
Comments
I'd not have thought you would get there in time.
Surely there could have been asked to have made an earlier inspection, especially when it is a bank holiday with transport issues for the fans. It was forecast bad weather today, as it was yesterday. I assume that the covers were put on the pitch?. I can understand ice and snow being a reason for player safety and possible issues for fans outside the ground in exceptional icy conditions, but the travelling fans should be a major consideration in my opinion. Personally, I am of the old school with rain, providing it is not puddles on the pitch, but I guess that is the way of the game these days, I can only speak as a manager of a men's team, we always wanted to play, after all it is the same for both teams, and those players are not getting paid ?
As I say sad for the frustration for the travelling supporters.
Wind speeds are much more easily predicted.
So, nothing could be decided that far in advance where the concern is about rainfall only.
The referee was in a no win position, call the match off and he/the players are wimps compared to the days of yore, play and, if players get injured (because the conditions mean that the game ends up being played like in days of yore), he'll be pilloried for having destroyed the season for either or both of the clubs.
What I saw, with visible water splashing up from gentle passing in the central areas, postponing the game was the right choice (I'd have liked it to have been done earlier, but hey).
https://weather.metoffice.gov.uk/warnings-and-advice/uk-warnings#?date=2025-01-04
It's not like a frozen pitch, where the pitch was clearly unplayable at 9am, the torrential rain was 12:30-1ish.
A new year, a new start perhaps
So the pitch is either playable or it isn't.
It might snow & freeze the pitch. Better not start the game just because.
Long way to go for a bag of chips