|
|
Post by borobob on Jan 17, 2024 12:15:51 GMT
Called off last night with just an hour before kick off!! That is just farcical.
The whole country was iced up, except those with heating systems, and surely, someone with any common sense from Truro or Plymouth Parkway would have had the decency to inspect early morning to stop Dartford and their supporters from travelling??
Darts fans sitting in the clubhouse report that even Plymouth people could tell early on that it wouldn't be played!
There has to be some sort of compensation here surely? A 500 mile round trip is hard enough on a Tuesday night, but for this to happen is just not on.
Not sure what can be done, if anything, but heads ought to roll some blatant poor Management.
|
|
Admin
Administrator 
Posts: 909
|
Post by Admin on Jan 17, 2024 14:06:26 GMT
The temperatures in Plymouth yesterday were somewhat warmer than around here. Obviously there would have been an inspection before Dartford travelled, but the match referee evidently came to a different view. Lots of sympathy for those involved, but "last-minute" postponements can happen for many reasons. Going back donkeys-years, I recall a home game with Merthyr being postponed at 2:30pm due to a deluge that left the pitch resembling a boating lake (Merthyr got their revenge a few years later with a late postponement at their place for the same reason  ). |
|
|
|
Post by borobob on Jan 17, 2024 17:49:30 GMT
Nigel. I can accept a sudden deluge of rain, or whatever, but this poor weather had been forecast for several days, and proved correct, despite Truro playing on the pitch on Saturday.
Did they churn it up, and it froze over the weekend? Not the best pitch at the best of times either, is it?
It also 'allegedly' appears that no official concerns were shown by Truro during the day.
This is from a supporter on the Darts website:
Back in my hotel room, some 30 miles from the ground ... Still fuming at Truro FC, but NOT the referee who is blameless in my opinion because, had the pitch been inspected this game would almost certainly have been called off this morning. I spoke to a Plymouth Parkway supporter in the bar and he confirms it was frozen solid this morning and in his opinion had no chance of being played. It was discourteous and unprofessional of Truro not to arrange an early inspection and the disinformation they were pumping out on Twitter was shameful and irresponsible. I caught up with the match officials in the car park and they were not very happy with Truro either as it put them in a rotten position and made it look as if they were to blame for the fiasco. Had the ref started the game and someone got injured, he would have been slaughtered, so let's be clear, this shambles was entirely Truro's fault. It's been bright and clear down here all day and was 3C when the game was called off. The pitch hadn't frozen during today, it was frozen already. Truro's negligence has collectively cost us tens of thousands of pounds. Shame on them.
I know some referees insist on seeing for themselves, and at least Dartford could have been made aware of that circumstance, plus knowing a Club is travelling so far, it would surely be common decency to at least warn of the possibility!!
If it had been us, Spencer would have been blowing a gasket!!
|
|
Admin
Administrator
Posts: 909
|
Post by Admin on Jan 17, 2024 23:42:22 GMT
So, a fan says the there wasn't an earlier pitch inspection. I don't know if that's true.
If there was an earlier inspection then ... stuff can, and does, happen.
If Truro chose to not have an inspection before Dartford travelled, then that's another matter.
Either way, Truro are in for some serious costs as the match didn't go ahead. Dartford will be reimbursed for their travelling costs, if not for their time and other lost earnings, while their supporters who'd made the effort to make a long trip on a Tuesday will get ... an experience, but no compensation, as that's how it's always been. That won't change.
|
|
|
|
Post by borobob on Jan 18, 2024 11:36:59 GMT
If the Club gets Team re-imbursement, then that's fine. As for the supporters, if there had been an announcement, or decision of an earlier pitch inspection, then there would have been an opportunity to make their own personal decision, but at least the choice would be there!
Still pretty poor communications considering the distances involved! It's not like us travelling to Hampton & Richmond or wherever!
I seem to recall, a few years back that there was an insurance scheme for travelling supporters, on organised coaches, to cover cancelled games.
It was run by The Supporters Club Federation, but may have been continued now that the Supporters Trust organisation is working.
There was quite a premium to pay at outset, but we did use it on a couple of occasions, and it reduced our initial outlay to just a few quid, and a considerable saving on the season.
|
|
).