Today's game (Merged) - NOW CALLED OFF

[chez]

Looking back on the FC of Manchester reply that could of been a very unique game of football. It was a game that I expected us to win but didn't really care if we lost, therefore it should of been A Brighton match that I could actually ENJOY watching. That didn't happen though as I spent the whole match scared shitless that one of our players was going to get a bad injury. Luckily we got through that, I really didn't feel like going through that again tonight.

It's very often difficult for officials when it comes to calling games off or not, there is never gonna be a perfect solution, I suppose we just have to live with it.

This is easy for me to say now as I wanted the game postponed tonight, lets just hope fixture conjestion doesn't become an issue later on it in season.

 

[BensGrandad]

The fact that Radio Sussex kept repeating that the latest news is that the gamer is on. On one occassion they said the pitch is ok but they are checking the roads around Withdean does this not suggest that the game was going to gl ahead but suddenly the circumstances changed ie the outside temperature, according to the guage in my car, dropped from -2.5 to -4 very quickly. I would expect that based on that the ref decided that it would be unwise to play the game as it certainly wouldnt get any warmer as the evening wore on.

 

[e77]

I don't think the game was ever likely to take place. Should have been called off at tea time.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Should have been called off at tea time.

"Tea time"?

It WAS called off at tea time. 6.30pm. At least that's my tea time.

 

[Jimbo.GRFC]

The club are cautiously optimistic that the match with Notts County will go ahead tonight - but with the current cold spell, ground staff are regularly checking the pitch and temperature...

Brighton and Hove Albion | News | Latest News | Latest News | Update: Tonights Game On

Did that statement just mean, lick the finger, raise and lets see where the wind blows. Falmer cant come soon enough especially for fans travelling any distance

 

[Marc1901]

If you have to try and justify everything the club do at least do it by providing some justification rather than playing the amateur psychologist. The club said all day the game would go ahead. If there was a doubt they should have said. So either they deliberately kept that information from us or they're not capable of assessing their own pitch. If it was in a position at 6.30pm where it could be called off then it MUST have been under some degree of doubt hours earlier. You can talk about close calls all you like, but there are a few hundred people who have wasted half a day travelling from Nottingham and elsewhere when the same decision at 3.30pm would have been understandable and prevented this. Whatever you say, calling off a match at 80 minutes notice is UNACCEPTABLE, unless there is a dramatic change in the weather. And there wasn't.

Completely agree with you.

 

[User Removed]

Crap quoting, sorry, can't get the hang of it.

 

[User Removed]

Did that statement just mean, lick the finger, raise and lets see where the wind blows. Falmer cant come soon enough especially for fans travelling any distance

No of course it didn't, the groundsmen worked bloody hard to get the game on tonight. Although you're absolutely right in respect that Falmer will have better pitch facilities blah blah blah, it's not some super roof-covered arena in the sky you know?!

Matches may still be called off because of severe weather conditions.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

If you have to try and justify everything the club do ...

I think you're confusing me with someone else.

 

[Gwylan]

No of course it didn't, the groundsmen worked bloody hard to get the game on tonight. Although you're absolutely right in respect that Falmer will have better pitch facilities blah blah blah, it's not some super roof-covered arena in the sky you know?!

Matches may still be called off because of severe weather conditions.

One thing I'm not sure about is whether the club takes travel conditions into account or is just on playing conditions. If the pitch (if it's been heated) is playable and the stands are clear, is that good enough.

I note that last night the police were saying that people shouldn't drive unless it's absolute necessary. Much as I'd like to think so, I can't see a football match being an absolute necessity. And with the trains up the creek too, it wouldn't have been an easy journey home for many people. But, does that matter or is the ground the only concern?

 

[SurreySeagulls]

It got called off so what. I spen four hours in the car before I heard it was called off and that was only travelling from Guildford. I looked at it that at least I hadn't wasted my tickets as I was struggling to get ot the game on time as it was!!!!!! The club did everything they could to get the game on and no doubt spent a bit of money on it and remember they have had little income coming in what with two games now called off.

 

[Acker79]

The club said all day the game would go ahead. If there was a doubt they should have said. So either they deliberately kept that information from us or they're not capable of assessing their own pitch. If it was in a position at 6.30pm where it could be called off then it MUST have been under some degree of doubt hours earlier. You can talk about close calls all you like, but there are a few hundred people who have wasted half a day travelling from Nottingham and elsewhere when the same decision at 3.30pm would have been understandable and prevented this. Whatever you say, calling off a match at 80 minutes notice is UNACCEPTABLE, unless there is a dramatic change in the weather. And there wasn't.

No, they didn't. Look:
Brighton and Hove Albion | News | Latest News | Latest News | Update: Tonights Game On

The club are cautiously optimistic that the match with Notts County will go ahead tonight - but with the current cold spell, ground staff are regularly checking the pitch and temperature.

Staff intend to remove covers at 4pm, but have warned any sudden drop in temperatures could leave the game in doubt.

See? They are cautiously optimistic it will go ahead, but they are regularly checking the pitch, there is a chance it could be called off. Other people in this thread have mentioned a sudden drop in temperature - the thing that would be a tipping point.

Just watched the video on Seagulls World. Someone in studs jumps up and down on the pitch in the penalty box at the west end. You can see and hear it's ROCK HARD. I would love to hear the groundsman's reasons for thinking that was acceptable for league football right up until 6.30.

The referee said the pitch was 95% playable, there was just a patch in the goal that was frozen. They had the heater lamps on it, they were working to get that last 5% playable.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

The club did everything they could to get the game on and no doubt spent a bit of money on it and remember they have had little income coming in what with two games now called off.

don't the club have to pay Notts County their travelling expenses and hotel bill too? Or is that just for FA cup games?