Match postponement hard luck tales

[Hawkwell Blue]

Darlington away circa 1985 was not much fun as we got to Darlington to meet the ref who explained why he had called the game off. Went back down to watch York play Swansea - as you do!

 

[Up the Shrimpers]

I seem to remember a midweek game against Millwall being called off due to a waterlogged pitch, was that really more than 13 years ago?

I can still picture the signs they put up at the train station announcing the abandonment?

I think the Millwall game that was postponed was the FA Cup 3rd game in Jan 1993 because of frozen pitch. The game was rearranged for the 13th Jan & we beat them 1-0 (Collymore). I can still remember the Millwall fans were not too happy with the result & dismantled a few seats in the East Stand Black's.

The only away games I can think of that have been called off & I was actually at the ground have been Grimsby twice & the Notts County game.

 

[SUFC_Al]

How about games that SHOULD have been called off!?

I remember a midweek game v Sunderland at home which ended up being played in the most stupid amount of fog.

I was a seaso in the west at the time and you couldn't see any other stand. I remember Sunderland scored and their fans didnt cheer till about 3 minutes later as they didnt know.

Stupidly allowed to be played to the finish...

Barnsley in the cup last season, they might as well have played the match in a swimming pool.

 

[Hawkwell Blue]

I think the Millwall game that was postponed was the FA Cup 3rd game in Jan 1993 because of frozen pitch. The game was rearranged for the 13th Jan & we beat them 1-0 (Collymore). I can still remember the Millwall fans were not too happy with the result & dismantled a few seats in the East Stand Black's.

The only away games I can think of that have been called off & I was actually at the ground have been Grimsby twice & the Notts County game.

You can read about that game in a wonderful article in the upcoming Chelsea programme!

 

[stickyboy]

Been to Grimsby twice whens its been called off - once when we got to the ground and the other on the way up

 

[keefmoon]

Oxford away, August 1996.
The ref should have called that off at half time.
But that's cos we were ****.

 

[Firestorm]

I remember that one mate, was in the south lower. Bridges scored for Sunderland, and it was one of their defenders who told the crowd

Didn't Sunderland get a very dodgy penalty too ? Bodley making the challenge and the referee appearing through the gloom to give the Pen at the point the challenge was made from the front row of the SU I could not see the ref so how he saw enough to make a decision still baffles me. The Sunderland fans did not know what was happening until they reformed for the kick off. I seem to remember Roycey giving a bit of a commentary when we attacked the North bank goal so I assume the pitch level view was a little clearer than from up in the stand

 

[SUFC_Al]

Didn't Sunderland get a very dodgy penalty too ? Bodley making the challenge and the referee appearing through the gloom to give the Pen at the point the challenge was made from the front row of the SU I could not see the ref so how he saw enough to make a decision still baffles me. The Sunderland fans did not know what was happening until they reformed for the kick off. I seem to remember Roycey giving a bit of a commentary when we attacked the North bank goal so I assume the pitch level view was a little clearer than from up in the stand

they did get a penalty at the South Stand end, being in the north-end of the West Stand at the time i had a very limited view but could just about see their players celebrating. Sunderland fans didn't celebrate until their players ran back to their half (if my memory serves me correct)

 

[duncan bulgaria]

I got all the way to Shoebury park last sunday , got changed then the game was called off , was back in my car within 20 minutes of turning up , poor Car theives , we didn't even give them a chance to break into our motors we were that quick .

 

[Richard Hearn]

How about games that SHOULD have been called off!?

I remember a midweek game v Sunderland at home which ended up being played in the most stupid amount of fog.

I was a seaso in the west at the time and you couldn't see any other stand. I remember Sunderland scored and their fans didnt cheer till about 3 minutes later as they didnt know.

Stupidly allowed to be played to the finish...

That game was very amusing for the above reasons though not for the footballl. If I understand it correctly if the referee can see both goals from the centre circle then the game goes ahead. Supporters' viewing pleasure is not usually considered when deciding on a postponement. If that were the case then over the last 40 years loads of Southend's games would have been abandoned at halftime, if not before.

 

[Mick]

That game was very amusing for the above reasons though not for the footballl. If I understand it correctly if the referee can see both goals from the centre circle then the game goes ahead. Supporters' viewing pleasure is not usually considered when deciding on a postponement. If that were the case then over the last 40 years loads of Southend's games would have been abandoned at halftime, if not before.

Supporters' viewing would be taken into account when deciding on a postponement, but not necessarily an abandonment ... especially very late in the game. Simply seeing two goals is not enough. You've also got to take into account the linesmen who have to see right across the pitch ... often further than the centre to a goal. Really you have to be able to see nearly all of the pitch from just about anywhere to sanction play.

 

[Richard Hearn]

Supporters' viewing would be taken into account when deciding on a postponement, but not necessarily an abandonment ... especially very late in the game. Simply seeing two goals is not enough. You've also got to take into account the linesmen who have to see right across the pitch ... often further than the centre to a goal. Really you have to be able to see nearly all of the pitch from just about anywhere to sanction play.

Thanks for that clarification. Clearly that was the case for the ref that night even though I couldn't see much from the West.

 

[Csboy]

We had 2 car loads going to Grimsby 1992. We were on form and Grimsby were out of form it was our 1st season in the old Division 2. It was foggy and kept phoning up to make sure the game was still one. We got there at 6pm. It was still foggy but the locals said it was playable, then we heard the ref was stuck in the fog somewhere and the game was off. We then had a horrible journey home in thick fog.
To make things worse when the game was rearranged we were out of form and lost the game. Bloody ref that postponed game changed our entire season. We could have been promoted to the Premier League if that game had been played!!!!

 

[londonblue]

I can only think of two good luck stories.

The first one was Port Vale at home a few years back. I was stranded on the M25 because it was closed due to an accident. I left about 4 hours to do a one hour journey and was still at the M11 junction at 2.00pm.

In the end my dad rang me to say the game had been called off because of a waterlogged pitch. I got home in about 25 minutes!

The second one is tomorrow. I've been off work since Wednesday feeling truly awful and wasn't sure I would be able to make the game. Now I don't have to bother.

 

[Rayleigh boy]

Steve rang up and said he didn't want to risk Barny or Doug and might want to keep Revell and Walker on the bench until 70 mins so would I mind getting my boots out and down to the Hall Saturday - just do a job and get in the box ....

He was pretty confident thay could sort out the forms with the FA as I was not registered at any other club -

Agreed reluctantly cos my hamstring has been playing up and was looking forward to it...

I know it was only Crewe in League One but thought I could have done a job - gutted.

 

[maninasuitcase]

FA Cup v Millwall.

I popped to get a paper at about 10.30 in the morning to be greeted by fog so thick you could hardly see across the road and knew straight away our game would be off.

My dad travelled down to the game to find the ground deserted and thought great he wouldn't have to queue. It wasn't until he got to the turnstiles that he found out the game was off.

Anyway, we won the rearranged game 1-0 after holding on to the 1 goal lead for about 80 minutes.

 

[McNasty]

I am sure before local radio and the interweb we would turn up at the ground to be met with signs saying "Match Off". No advanced warnings at all.

 

[DoDTS]

Rochdale V Southend 1968-69, we reached Manchester Piccadily before finding the game was off. It was rearranged for a Tuesday evening in March and we actually got inside the ground before the game was called off. Eventually it was played as last game of the season in May, we went again and lost 0-3.

Don't knock calling off games early.

DoDtS

 

[markyp]

Backpacking in 92, flew back from Delhi, picked up at Heathrow & we drove straight up to Grimsby. We were getting concerned as we were getting closer due to fog. Arrived to see ref calling game off, not a surprise as we couldnt see much. When i told him I'd flown back from Delhi for game, he looked at me as if I was mad, guess I was!

Couldnt get home as it was so grim, so had a curry on Clethorpes seafront, stayed in a B & B & got home next morning.

Went back for rearranged game, we lost 3-2, another curry at same place, then became a tradition whenever we played Grimsby we'd go to the curry house as well.

 

[DTS]

Been to Grimsby twice whens its been called off - once when we got to the ground and the other on the way up

Recall it well.

Dad and I went up by train somepoint between 1979 and 1998 not very good with dates. Anyway got to Grimsby - my first trip too. Hadnt even set fot on the platform when a SUFC mate of ours who lives in Ipswich way shouted at us that the game was off.

The three of us ended up going to Rotherham vs Huddersfield. Now I hate people from Yorkshire as a rule so getting a all yorkshire game was not my idea of fun. Think it might have even been a 0-0. All i recall was my pie was stone cold in the middle. Northern tramps !!!!