Football League Response re Accrington Game

[Hawkwell Blue]

Ever felt you were the victim of a standard reply...gee thanks FL!

I have heard nothing from Accrington while SUFC did acknowledge my e-mail but had nothing to answer, I just copied them in.

Here it the FL reply to my e-mail that is below...

Nick,

Thank you for your email regarding the postponement of the Accrington versus Southend fixture. Obviously, a late postponement is always disappointing, not least to travelling supporters.

On this occasion, the referee made his decision to call off the match due the pitch being in an unplayable condition and to ensure the safety of players and officials involved.

Unfortunately, the rainfall in the 24 hours preceding kick-off caused the pitch to become extremely heavy, and whilst a significant amount of work was carried out by the club to remedy the surface in the hours leading up to the scheduled kick off time, on this occasion a postponement was necessary.

Ticketing arrangements for the re-arranged fixture have yet to be confirmed by the club.

Regards,

Andrew Pomfret
Customer Services Officer
The Football League Limited

I wrote....

Dear Sirs,

I am not sure where the blame lies there so I thought I would send this to both of you. (FL & Accrington)

I refer to the above mentioned game that was postponed at 1.30 on Saturday without any prior suggestion that the game was in doubt. A party of four of us travelled, under false pretences as it transpired, from Essex, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire at considerable cost.

Obviously had there been any hint that the game was in doubt and an understandable earlier pitch inspection planned following Friday night’s rain then we would have set off later and had the chance to turn around thus saving us money and time.

At the very least I think we deserve a full explanation to the shambles and ideally some form of compensation – this is not how a business should be run. We do appreciate that the game could and maybe should have been called off but your communication skills were appalling.

I await your response.

 

[BLUEBLOOD]

Unsurprising whitewash i'm afraid Nick .. i was talking to a couple of the Accrington groundstaff and they told me a local referee had inspected it at half 9 when they arrived for work and were told as long as they sanded the area around the halfway line thoroughly it would be playable, funny how no mention of this has been made anywhere in the aftermath

 

[Hawkwell Blue]

I don't know why someone can't just say, yes we got it wrong, we're sorry and will endeavour to ensure it never happens again.

 

[jamesmut2000]

Unsurprising whitewash i'm afraid Nick .. i was talking to a couple of the Accrington groundstaff and they told me a local referee had inspected it at half 9 when they arrived for work and were told as long as they sanded the area around the halfway line thoroughly it would be playable, funny how no mention of this has been made anywhere in the aftermath

That's different to what I was told the local referee said......

 

[EnglandShrimper]

I got exactly the same response.

I am also waiting on a phone call from Accrington.

 

[wally4pm]

Got my reply from the FL today and guess what? I have copied it below:

Thank you for your email regarding the postponement of the Accrington versus Southend fixture. Obviously, a late postponement is always disappointing, not least to travelling supporters.

On this occasion, the referee made his decision to call off the match due the pitch being in an unplayable condition and to ensure the safety of players and officials involved.

Unfortunately, the rainfall in the 24 hours preceding kick-off caused the pitch to become extremely heavy, and whilst a significant amount of work was carried out by the club to remedy the surface in the hours leading up to the scheduled kick off time, on this occasion a postponement was necessary.

Ticketing arrangements for the re-arranged fixture have yet to be confirmed by the club.
Regards,
Andrew Pomfret
Customer Services Officer
The Football League Limited
Email - enquiries@football-league.co.uk
www.football-league.co.uk

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

Basically saying 'we dont give a damn, hard luck!'. When the F.L. and F.A. are run by old buffoons who only worry about the top premiership clubs, we have no chance for a positive response.

 

[Smiffy]

Total disgrace.

Bet the reply to the fans would be different if it was Chelsea having a game called off at Man Ure 90 mins before KO.

Football is ****ed.

 

[Mick]

Basically saying 'we dont give a damn, hard luck!'. When the F.L. and F.A. are run by old buffoons who only worry about the top premiership clubs, we have no chance for a positive response.

The Football League may have misplaced priorities, but they operate completely seperately from the Premiership.

The FA, on the other hand, are a better match for your description.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Total disgrace.

Bet the reply to the fans would be different if it was Chelsea having a game called off at Man Ure 90 mins before KO.

Football is ****ed.

Of course it would, it's the double standards that exist throughout the game....the haves and the have nots, and the official body only really cares about the "haves".

 

[Mick]

Unsurprising whitewash i'm afraid Nick .. i was talking to a couple of the Accrington groundstaff and they told me a local referee had inspected it at half 9 when they arrived for work and were told as long as they sanded the area around the halfway line thoroughly it would be playable, funny how no mention of this has been made anywhere in the aftermath

There's "local referees" and "local referees". A local referee of appropriate standing, if requested, may be appointed by the Football League to carry out an inspection, usually when the postponement is pretty much a formality. Alternatively another local referee who is not on the FL panel may just have been at the ground and offered his opinion; this would count for nothing in the long run.

 

[Mick]

Of course it would, it's the double standards that exist throughout the game....the haves and the have nots, and the official body only really cares about the "haves".

Really what would it have been then ?

What would you have wanted them to say? A heavy fine for Accrington perhaps? That wouldn't help that particular "have not".

Purely and simply Accrington screwed up.

It wasn't the referee's fault, it certainly wasn't the fault of the FL or the FA.

Perhaps they'll make some sort of gesture for the re-arranged match ?

 

[Onion_Bag_Dave]

I also got a letter but from Andrew McCain....







I'm here all week!

I hate the double standards with in football. The fans and club that traveled should get some kind of compensation. Even if it was something very small, just to show a bit of sympathy!

 

[Hawkwell Blue]

Really what would it have been then ?

Purely and simply Accrington screwed up.

Perhaps they'll make some sort of gesture for the re-arranged match ?

Yeah, probably by stuffing us!

 

[Hotman]

Really what would it have been then ?

What would you have wanted them to say? A heavy fine for Accrington perhaps? That wouldn't help that particular "have not".

Purely and simply Accrington screwed up.

It wasn't the referee's fault, it certainly wasn't the fault of the FL or the FA.

Perhaps they'll make some sort of gesture for the re-arranged match ?

Mick has it spot on here. Accrington should lay on coaches, or offer a similar gesture. Why should FL get involved, and simply send more money up to the top in football?

 

[Hawkwell Blue]

Really what would it have been then ?

What would you have wanted them to say? A heavy fine for Accrington perhaps? That wouldn't help that particular "have not".

Purely and simply Accrington screwed up.

It wasn't the referee's fault, it certainly wasn't the fault of the FL or the FA.

Perhaps they'll make some sort of gesture for the re-arranged match ?

But you cannot avoid fining teams just because they have no money!

 

[bucket&spade.f.c]

I must of been the only person who really wasnt bothered by this !

If we would of lost you lot would of just moaned the game should of been called off and how it was ever played!

We all run a risk travelling to games that it might be called off.

Peronally I thought fair play to them for trying to get the game and leaving it until the last min ( plus it gave me something to do on a sat)

I for one will be making the return trip on the 5th of April

UTB

 

[Hawkwell Blue]

I must of been the only person who really wasnt bothered by this !

If we would of lost you lot would of just moaned the game should of been called off and how it was ever played!

We all run a risk travelling to games that it might be called off.

Peronally I thought fair play to them for trying to get the game and leaving it until the last min ( plus it gave me something to do on a sat)

I for one will be making the return trip on the 5th of April

UTB

I assume I come under "you lot".

I think you are in a minority of one.

I know you run the risk but with technology as it is these days communication is so much easier.

 

[BrettieAngell]

I must of been the only person who really wasnt bothered by this !

If we would of lost you lot would of just moaned the game should of been called off and how it was ever played!

We all run a risk travelling to games that it might be called off.

Peronally I thought fair play to them for trying to get the game and leaving it until the last min ( plus it gave me something to do on a sat)

I for one will be making the return trip on the 5th of April

UTB

Well if you can afford it then fair play to ya!

 

[BLUEBLOOD]

plus it gave me something to do on a sat

I find it pretty sad that you appear to have nothing else to occupy your time