Cod Almighty | Diary
Do the fans come last?
29 October 2019
Trentside Diary writes: Was the pitch really that bad on Saturday, when our game with Cheltenham was postponed? There was a photo of someone pushing water off the surface and a video of some officials standing around in the middle, but it didn't look boggy. They weren’t sinking in.
Apparently, refs are meant to call a match off for a waterlogged pitch if the ball won't bounce or run true, or if they think players won’t be able to keep their footing. But it isn't something that's covered in any detail at referee school. Standing water around the edges isn't considered an issue by some refs because it can be pushed off the pitch. Would we notice if players couldn't keep their feet? I think of my grandad: "They fall all over the place. They should wear some proper studs."
If it wasn't safe, they should call it off. Most of us have no problem with that, but an 11:30 pitch inspection when the team you are playing are three and a half hours’ drive away isn't acceptable. Who decides the time for the inspection? I'm assuming the ref, and I’m sure they would argue that they would leave the decision as late as possible if there is a chance of getting the game on. On Saturday, it was hardly likely to change if they had taken the decision at 9.00 in the morning after it had rained incessantly overnight.
You can't allow for the exiles who travel from miles away like the poor Norwegians and others from Ireland who came over for Saturday. But it would be a real consideration for travelling fans if the latest time a postponement decision could be made was based on how far the opposition were travelling.
Same with moving the dates and times of matches. Our home tie on 9 November against Podge's Newport still has only this morning been confirmed for a 3.00pm kick off. Where does the delay in deciding which cup games will be televised, and therefore when they will be played, leave someone coming by train? The later you leave buying your ticket, the more expensive it will be. Just for once, wouldn’t it be great if clubs lobbied the Football League and FA to bring in some change that benefited us, "the daft lot" who turn up whether we're winning or losing?
Mind you if the powers that be ever did that, they would also have to look at the nonsense of a match happening this evening. The apathy of fans to this format doesn’t even seem to register with them.
UTM!