health and safety gone mad?

[simo]

Anyone else think its time football manned up and made more of an effort to play games rather than keep calling games off at the smallest excuse?

[Saint_clark]

If it's true that the game was called off because one touchline was quite icy and it wasn't safe for the linesman I genuinely think we should lodge a complaint with the FA.

[saintwiz]

D'Urso's decision was made despite the fact that both managers plus the two sets of players were happy that the pitch was in good enough condition for the match to go ahead.

 

Charlton website

[Dr Who?]

Nothing to do with health and safety that is for outside the ground, the pitch is the referee, and he has decided that the players safety could not be 100%.

[Dr Who?]

D'Urso's decision was made despite the fact that both managers plus the two sets of players were happy that the pitch was in good enough condition for the match to go ahead.

 

Charlton website

 

The players and the managers do not make the decisions the referee does. It has to be 100% safe for the players. The FA make the rules and the referee (who get assessed) has to carry them out 100%. If he allowed the game to go ahead and a player got injured and it was judged to be the pitch and the weather that caused it the referee loses points and gets relegated. So any doubt and the game is off. Not the referee fault as they are put under huge amount of pressure as a human to get it right!!

[Window Cleaner]

Nothing to do with health and safety that is for outside the ground, the pitch is the referee, and he has decided that the players safety could not be 100%.

 

Charlton must have known there was an icy band under the covers though.I mean it's the sort of thing groundsmen know isn't it.Surely

a bit of hot air blown under the covers at that part of the pitch this morning would have done the trick. I'm sure Saints have resorted to that tactic in the past to keep games on.Charlton probably didn't fancy it,no matter what they bleat in public.

[Deppo]

It's PC gone mad gone mad, if you ask me. Anyone else notice how the highly lucrative Boxing Day sales went ahead today and nobody called them off for health and safety reasons? Coincidence? Also, did anyone notice that there was no football scheduled for Friday (Islamic holy day), yet there was some scheduled for today, on the Christian Sabbath?

[Thedelldays]

What a joke

[Saint_John]

I see Radio Solent on their Twitter page had a link to this picture of the pitch taken at 11:15.

http://plixi.com/p/65693528

It seems that their idea of Frost Covers is a collection of sheets.

 

Now if you go to the Pitchcare web site and have a look a "real" Frost Cover protection system that covers the pitch down to -6 for only £7,735. And the ground shown is St Marys:-

http://www.pitchcare.com/magazine/a-frost-protection-system-for-winter-sports-with-year-round-benefits.html

[dubai_phil]

I see Radio Solent on their Twitter page had a link to this picture of the pitch taken at 11:15.

http://plixi.com/p/65693528

It seems that their idea of Frost Covers is a collection of sheets.

 

Now if you go to the Pitchcare web site and have a look a "real" Frost Cover protection system that covers the pitch down to -6 for only £7,735. And the ground shown is St Marys:-

http://www.pitchcare.com/magazine/a-frost-protection-system-for-winter-sports-with-year-round-benefits.html

 

That latter system "Is also suitable for Cricket Pitches". In the absence of any football again that made I smirk, they better get some for the MCG quickly as I believe the Aussies may have a frosty reception from their fans in the morning.

[Smirking_Saint]

Oh well, if anything it allows us to get over a few injuries and come back chomping at the bit at home.

 

I don't see what all the fuss is about, the ref wouldn't have called it off for nothing and if a player was injured on the icey pitch you lot would have been the first to bleat and moan.

 

Bit late though, and i feel for the travelling fans.

[Saint Fan CaM]

I see Radio Solent on their Twitter page had a link to this picture of the pitch taken at 11:15.

http://plixi.com/p/65693528

It seems that their idea of Frost Covers is a collection of sheets.

 

Now if you go to the Pitchcare web site and have a look a "real" Frost Cover protection system that covers the pitch down to -6 for only £7,735. And the ground shown is St Marys:-

http://www.pitchcare.com/magazine/a-frost-protection-system-for-winter-sports-with-year-round-benefits.html

 

One assumes we still have that system which means there's every good chance the Huddersfield game will be on.

[Yate Saint]

I hope so. I'm going to have to keep checking during the journey though!!

[wild-saint]

Oh well, if anything it allows us to get over a few injuries and come back chomping at the bit at home.

 

I don't see what all the fuss is about, the ref wouldn't have called it off for nothing and if a player was injured on the icey pitch you lot would have been the first to bleat and moan.

 

Bit late though, and i feel for the travelling fans.

are u trying to wind people up? Only a complete retarded c u n t wouldn't see what all the fuss is about when a game is called off less than a hour before kick off when weather conditions have t changed for 3 days. Muppet

[Window Cleaner]

are u trying to wind people up? Only a complete retarded c u n t wouldn't see what all the fuss is about when a game is called off less than a hour before kick off when weather conditions have t changed for 3 days. Muppet

 

Charlton's MD is now saying he thought the game was playable.See he says we could have put a sheet on it and used the blower under it, why didn't they do that before then, like 9 o clock this morning just as I said they should.sounds like a right balls up all round, especially as the ref who looked on Friday wasn't today's ref.

[Huffton]

Andy D'Urso, all you need to know. THe bloke is a total muppet and shouldn't be allowed within a 10 mile radius of any football grounds. And yes, its about time these whingeing ****s manned up, people are throwing good money after bad travelling to games for no reason. It never used to be like this, games went ahead unless the pitch was a sheet of ice or under 6 foot of snow, and the players and officials didn't get paid nearly as much as they do now.

[croydonsaint]

Sorry, you can talk all day Durso. to call off the game at 12 0c clock is utterly disgusting, at least i had only 15 miles to get home, but all the saints coaches had arrived. How can that be allowed to happen. Absolutely disgusting. Also do not know why the police didnt say anything as we walked to the ground. Totally ****ed off.

[Draino76]

Speaking to a Charlton fan that paid £75.00 cash for 3 tickets at 11.30! He went back to the ground for a refund but was refused.

[Draino76]

Sorry I should add it sounded a bit 'Fratton Park' like to me lol.

[up and away]

You only have to look at all the other grounds and the postponements to quickly come to the conclusion, that only clubs with the resources to get the ground playable have any chance of putting on a game.

 

And what is abundantly clear is that Charlton had no where near the resources to assume they could get this game played. If they had just put down sand in places that could of worked, but they never even had sufficient sand available. Some of those covers look to have the insulating properties of a crisp packet, maybe good for water but they have not done the job here! If you are relying upon blowers to clear the pitch, you need enough to cover all, not just the goal mouths.

 

Andy D'Urso may well have problems, but the culprits here are Charlton and they should be made to pay for this. The groundsman knew the state of the pitch from early this morning and the management took the decision upon themselves that the pitch would be playable and not called the game off.

[Deppo]

I think that if they are going to call the Huddersfield game off, they should do it NOW, before it's too late.

[suewhistle]

You only have to look at all the other grounds and the postponements to quickly come to the conclusion, that only clubs with the resources to get the ground playable have any chance of putting on a game.

SNIP

Andy D'Urso may well have problems, but the culprits here are Charlton and they should be made to pay for this. The groundsman knew the state of the pitch from early this morning and the management took the decision upon themselves that the pitch would be playable and not called the game off.

 

I'd have to agree. From the Echo article "we moved the blower".. What? Just the one? Why not hire in one from machine mart or summat?

Mind you, it's very frustrating. Me with my Italian footie team drove 3 hours for an away match for the same thing to happen. Being mountain lasses we wanted to play (thin snow over mud) but no go. We tried to help an away team coming to us the week after we'd had about 16" of snow by telling them not to come (as we couldn't get in contact with the league officials), and the poor b*****s lost 3 points; which really wasn't our intention.

 

Hope the next two home games are on as I'm over and fully equipped with me thermal underwear...

[Deppo]

Perhaps Saints could just phone all of the rest of the teams we have to play at home this season just before each game and tell them not to come as there is 16" of snow. Better still, just phone every away team each weekend, pretending to be the home team, and tell them not to come because we've got 16" of snow.

[suewhistle]

Don't get obsessed by 16" Deppo... Actually on the roof of my car I had 41cm but I can't be bothered to do an accurate conversion.

[up and away]

Don't get obsessed by 16" Deppo... Actually on the roof of my car I had 41cm but I can't be bothered to do an accurate conversion.

 

That must have been uncomfortable!

[Tokyo-Saint]

That must have been uncomfortable!

 

Mountain lasses can take it!

[Windmill Arm 2]

The embarrassing state of so called 'health and safety' measures in this country are here to stay unfortunatley. D'urso was just a victim of that, its a shame that the travelling fans didnt get more warning, but surely the fact that it took so long shows that D'urso was trying his best to get the match to go ahead? Like someones said, the *****ing drama queens of this board would be the first to **** and whinge if a player was injured due to a frozen pitch.

[croydonsaint]

The embarrassing state of so called 'health and safety' measures in this country are here to stay unfortunatley. D'urso was just a victim of that, its a shame that the travelling fans didnt get more warning, but surely the fact that it took so long shows that D'urso was trying his best to get the match to go ahead? Like someones said, the *****ing drama queens of this board would be the first to **** and whinge if a player was injured due to a frozen pitch.

 

I think that if a shadow of doubt there should be a deadline as to how late a referee can cancel the game. i think Durso was inconsiderate and showed a total lack of respect to the fans. Plus why cancel it without telling the managers first. Unjustifiable!

[Deppo]

The embarrassing state of so called 'health and safety' measures in this country are here to stay unfortunatley. D'urso was just a victim of that, its a shame that the travelling fans didnt get more warning, but surely the fact that it took so long shows that D'urso was trying his best to get the match to go ahead? Like someones said, the *****ing drama queens of this board would be the first to **** and whinge if a player was injured due to a frozen pitch.

 

Thatcherism = "Greed is good" individualism = Litigation culture = Current H & S legislation. Ironically, it's largely the right-wing reactionaries and the Daily Mail that complain about the current Health & Safety legislation, when it is their politics that have set it in motion.

[dubai_phil]

Thatcherism = "Greed is good" individualism = Litigation culture = Current H & S legislation. Ironically, it's largely the right-wing reactionaries and the Daily Mail that complain about the current Health & Safety legislation, when it is their politics that have set it in motion.

 

I'm sure it all started with Edwina Currie, Salmonella Eggs and Something Must be Done campaign by the Snail, and ended with the Mysterious Case of the Moving Blow-Job Machine

[ringwood]

Not impressed at all today, checked just before leaving home that the match was on, collected the family and travelled up arrived and parked, got out the car and told by Charlton fans games off, now there was nothing on the radio at this point, now told that the ref arrived an hour late and then checked at 10.30 and then called off at 12.

 

Now at B'mth the ref called it off early enough to prevent the Pilgrims travelling to far before turning around.

 

Really is time for the FA to set a time before kickoff even if its only 3hrs before the kickoff to make a decision, travelling isn't cheap but it seems that doesn't matter to the FA. Charlton will now have twice the policing costs, when I'm sure they could of been stood down .

[Matthew Le God]

Nothing to do with the FA.

[ringwood]

FA - FL - PL, does it really matter? the rules/laws should be set by the powers that be for the good of the game, bet there's less fans at the fixture when its rescheduled than there would of been today

 

Letting or allowing the ref to continue with the glib statement that everything should be done to get the game on isn't good enough there has to be a time limit and as has been said elsewhere the sun on the pitch and shadows cast by the stands would of been know

 

Rules should be set for the entire game just as the rules of the game are supposed to be the same no matter what level

[Dr Who?]

Nothing to do with the FA.

 

Health and safety outside the area of play is nothing to do with the FA, but the area of play is. You will find that most games will be called off nice and early when it is to do health and safety issues, but when it is down to the area of play the referees who are employed by the county FA's under the directives of the FA, the they are encouraged to try and get the game on, but also HAVE to above all take the players safety into account. So as I have said early in this thread or another one, you will have the groundsman saying they can get the game on and to give a bit more time. You may have the players saying they want to play and both cluns. At this stage I would bring in a clause and say they players sign it if they and both managers agree that they think it is fine to play, but this does not happen, and if the referee decides if the area of play is not fit for a game and above all the safety of the players are not 100%, then the ref has to call the game off.

 

There are so many different parts to it, but the ref may have thought that the game had a good chance of going ahead, only to find out that it did not in the end. You can never tell, a couple of Sundays ago a game was called off the night before the game and the next day the ground frost had gone and the pitches were fine.

 

You just cannot win really! Say the game was called off first thing in the morning but then the weather warmed up and the pitched cleared. Of course you as a supporter would never know this so I suppose this would be the better option.

 

Then you get into the winter break issue, but when would you have that? December - end of Feb? All begining to point towards a summer league!! March - December every season. None of us want this do we? Think about it though it would make sense!!

[StDunko]

I find it amazing that the idiot Durso felt that because one of the linesmen might have slipped and "gone over on his ankle" it was justified to call the game off.

 

However he had no consideration for the 20000 people that had to travel on roads in sub zero temps, and will have to do the same journey again in the dark in the next few months.

 

The guy has no commons sense. If there was any danger of this happening it should have been called off first thing this morning, before I spent £20 on petrol and wasted 5 hours of my day!

[CLOTH EARS]

D'Urso's decision was made despite the fact that both managers plus the two sets of players were happy that the pitch was in good enough condition for the match to go ahead.

 

Charlton website

 

A month or so ago i travelled to Taunton in Somerset to watch AFC Totton play. The ref called the game off at 1.20pm after we had arrived! The pitch was playable, both sets of managers/players were happy to play but ONE MAN didn't agree. Both clubs were FUMING. I think that referees are without a doubt calling games off for the slightest thing because they are worried about getting sued if somebody gets injured. I remember the day when football was played on snow covered pitchs with orange balls and i remember teams playing on frosty hard pitches and no one ever got injured that i can remember.

[gaz]

I find it amazing that the idiot Durso felt that because one of the linesmen might have slipped and "gone over on his ankle" it was justified to call the game off.

 

Or, he lets the game go ahead, Ref's assistant goes over on his ankle and the game gets stopped for 10 mins while he gets treatment before going to hospital with a broken bone. Then, the sub Ref's assistant does exactly the same 20 mins later, same result, and the game gets abandoned because of lack of qualified officials.

 

Then, idiot fans swamp forums calling the Ref a moron for going ahead.

 

You can't win.

 

I remember the day when football was played on snow covered pitchs with orange balls and i remember teams playing on frosty hard pitches and no one ever got injured that i can remember.

 

True, but with modern bladed boots having the ability to snap tendons and ligaments in dry, fine weather, its very risky to put people's careers on the line for one questionable match.

Edited 26 December, 2010 by gaz

[Dr Who?]

A month or so ago i travelled to Taunton in Somerset to watch AFC Totton play. The ref called the game off at 1.20pm after we had arrived! The pitch was playable, both sets of managers/players were happy to play but ONE MAN didn't agree. Both clubs were FUMING. I think that referees are without a doubt calling games off for the slightest thing because they are worried about getting sued if somebody gets injured. I remember the day when football was played on snow covered pitchs with orange balls and i remember teams playing on frosty hard pitches and no one ever got injured that i can remember.

 

This, and why if both managers and sets of players agree, then they should sign something, and get on with it.

[Dr Who?]

Again it is 100% the safety of the players, for the game to go ahead. You are never going to please everyone ever!

[st alex]

Anyone know why all the London games today were 1 o'clock kick offs as opposed to usual 3 o'clock? Surely it being boxing day they knew there would be bigger crowds home and away, and that people would really appriciate a lie-in on this day of all days (second only to New Years Day).

 

By 3 o'clock I'm sure the pitch wouls have been fine.

[Thedelldays]

Frost on the touch line??

Do me a favour.. Did anyone see the Ipswich v Leicester game.. That one went ahead when it probably should not have...

 

Some if the disruption this winter have been way over egged IMO

[Dr Who?]

Frost on the touch line??

Do me a favour.. Did anyone see the Ipswich v Leicester game.. That one went ahead when it probably should not have...

 

Some if the disruption this winter have been way over egged IMO

 

Amazing what can happen when the Sky Sports camera are there!!

[yamms_schmitz]

Or, he lets the game go ahead, Ref's assistant goes over on his ankle and the game gets stopped for 10 mins while he gets treatment before going to hospital with a broken bone. Then, the sub Ref's assistant does exactly the same 20 mins later, same result, and the game gets abandoned because of lack of qualified officials.

 

Then, idiot fans swamp forums calling the Ref a moron for going ahead.

 

You can't win.

 

I think you have missed the point. You can win. You call it off the day before or early in the morning, thus saving people the journey. That is why the ref was an idiot.

[VectisSaint]

Or, he lets the game go ahead, Ref's assistant goes over on his ankle and the game gets stopped for 10 mins while he gets treatment before going to hospital with a broken bone. Then, the sub Ref's assistant does exactly the same 20 mins later, same result, and the game gets abandoned because of lack of qualified officials.

 

Then, idiot fans swamp forums calling the Ref a moron for going ahead.

 

You can't win.

 

 

 

True, but with modern bladed boots having the ability to snap tendons and ligaments in dry, fine weather, its very risky to put people's careers on the line for one questionable match.

Neither is a problem. Frost was on one quarter of pitch, solution, swap the half of the pitch the lines cover. Players might get injured wearing blades. Solution, use proper studs, most pro footballers would have used studs anyway on a pitch like this. It is not compulsory to wear blades.

[Deppo]

I think we can all agree that D'Urso made a mistake. But, in the spirit of Christmas, we should all forgive him and move on.

 

Andrew D'Urso - I forgive you. Merry Christmas to you and yours.

[Liquidshokk]

I think we can all agree that D'Urso made a mistake. But, in the spirit of Christmas, we should all forgive him and move on.

 

Andrew D'Urso - I forgive you. Merry Christmas to you and yours........ You c***

 

corrected it for you.

[Saint Fan CaM]

Or, he lets the game go ahead, Ref's assistant goes over on his ankle and the game gets stopped for 10 mins while he gets treatment before going to hospital with a broken bone. Then, the sub Ref's assistant does exactly the same 20 mins later, same result, and the game gets abandoned because of lack of qualified officials.

 

Then, idiot fans swamp forums calling the Ref a moron for going ahead.

 

You can't win.

 

I think you have missed the point. You can win. You call it off the day before or early in the morning, thus saving people the journey. That is why the ref was an idiot.

 

Why would that be? It's not up to the Ref to get the pitch ready - if the club says it will have things ready by a certain time (and let's face it he gave it extra time to thaw) then the Ref will try to give the club and the pitch the chance to get it right. If then at the last moment, it's still not good enough, then the Ref has to call the thing off.

 

The issue for me is in the fact that the decision is SOLELY that of the Ref's. If there was a majority vote with the other officials and the team managers, then the pressure would be taken off the Ref to make a decision. Collective responsibility would see more borderline games actually played.

[Window Cleaner]

[quote=gaz;918746k

 

You can't win.

 

 

 

True, but with modern bladed boots having the ability to snap tendons and ligaments in dry, fine weather, its very risky to put people's careers on the line for one questionable match.

 

 

 

Now if I remember correctly we wore the type of boot that are made for stabilised pitches (you know sort of compacted red sand/ash sort of stuff) of frosty pitch days.Football used to be played on hard grounds and no doubt still is elsewhere.Only in wimpy soft England do matches get called off because there's a frozen patch around the tea bar and the hot dog stand.

Edited 27 December, 2010 by Window Cleaner

[Dr Who?]

Neither is a problem. Frost was on one quarter of pitch, solution, swap the half of the pitch the lines cover. Players might get injured wearing blades. Solution, use proper studs, most pro footballers would have used studs anyway on a pitch like this. It is not compulsory to wear blades.

 

The game is only called off for the safety of the players not the assistance. As you say they could run the oppersite lines. You would be very unlucky to get injured just running the line or even refereeing a game, it is for the players running at a high pace, and sliding all over the place. They are worth a bit of money.

 

As I have said many times if the game was called off at 9am by the club and you found out that it was 4 or 5 degrees by 1pm you still would not be happy. It seems that the club said they thought the game had a chance, once the ref gets there it is his choice, and once he is there they will try and get it on but only if it is safe for the players.

[Scudamore]

The game is only called off for the safety of the players not the assistance. As you say they could run the oppersite lines. You would be very unlucky to get injured just running the line or even refereeing a game, it is for the players running at a high pace, and sliding all over the place. They are worth a bit of money.

 

As I have said many times if the game was called off at 9am by the club and you found out that it was 4 or 5 degrees by 1pm you still would not be happy. It seems that the club said they thought the game had a chance, once the ref gets there it is his choice, and once he is there they will try and get it on but only if it is safe for the players.

 

Stop trying to defend the gimps...