OFF: ECFC V Barnsley : MDT 24th January 7.45pm

[Red Devon]

That iirc was in the late 1990s.

The game at Darlington which was postponed very late was in Nov 1987. G2K is right I was on that trip, driving the supporters minibus. Red Devon & Tim Long were also in the minibus, I think I can remember all the lads on that trip even though it was over 35 years ago.

The game was postponed at 1.30pm-frozen pitch. Apparently(according to Kells)the pitch was worse when played on the rearranged date about 10 days later !
Pi55ed off at the time, but we had enough time to get to Middlesbrough v Barnsley, so at least saw a game.

Seem to remember it didn’t take us very long at all to get to Middlesbrough

 

[Oldsmobile-88]

Seem to remember it didn’t take us very long at all to get to Middlesbrough

Ha..Yes, I soon got us to Smog Town, I remember looking out for the floodlights at Ayresome Park, saw a set & ending up at a Railway Marshalling Yard

 

[Oldsmobile-88]

That iirc was in the late 1990s.

The game at Darlington which was postponed very late was in Nov 1987. G2K is right I was on that trip, driving the supporters minibus. Red Devon & Tim Long were also in the minibus, I think I can remember all the lads on that trip even though it was over 35 years ago.

The game was postponed at 1.30pm-frozen pitch. Apparently(according to Kells)the pitch was worse when played on the rearranged date about 10 days later !
Pi55ed off at the time, but we had enough time to get to Middlesbrough v Barnsley, so at least saw a game.

And Wivey Grecian.

Jim, I think Shaun was on that trip too ?

 

[Chui]

I do recall it being stated FL rules require rearrangement of the game at the earliest possible opportunity. Whilst this seems sensible to avoid fixture pile-up, it also ignores the fact that January is probably the worst month to rearrange long distance games midweek, as temperatures are usually lower than December, and the dahs are shorter and sun lower than February. That said, the coldest month weather-wise in any given year can vary between December and March.

I'd tend to take the view that for any midweek game where the away side have to travel more than 200km / 125 miles, if at 1pm a confident assessment can't be made that the pitch will be playable that evening, it's best to postpone it. Inconvenient for some but it stops away fans and long distance home fans wasting their time. I recall Port Vale calling their evening game off against us at 1pm in February 2018. A bit annoying but at least no-one should have made their way to Burslem for nothing.

That said, this year we could easily afford a postponement given this is our only outstanding game and we'd probably get a bigger crowd at any time other than this point in January. I might have had a different view last year given the fixture pile-up we had in February and March (even if we did seem to breeze through it).

 

[wiveygrecian]

That iirc was in the late 1990s.

The game at Darlington which was postponed very late was in Nov 1987. G2K is right I was on that trip, driving the supporters minibus. Red Devon & Tim Long were also in the minibus, I think I can remember all the lads on that trip even though it was over 35 years ago.

The game was postponed at 1.30pm-frozen pitch. Apparently(according to Kells)the pitch was worse when played on the rearranged date about 10 days later !
Pi55ed off at the time, but we had enough time to get to Middlesbrough v Barnsley, so at least saw a game.

Yes me too on the minibus!! When we got to Darlington I remember a policeman saying to us you do know todays game is called off do you??? Still got to see Ayresome Park in all its glory with the high sided spiked fences behind the goal!

 

[Oldsmobile-88]

I'd tend to take the view that for any midweek game where the away side have to travel more than 200km / 125 miles, if at 1pm a confident assessment can't be made that the pitch will be playable that evening, it's best to postpone it. Inconvenient for some but it stops away fans and long distance home fans wasting their time. I recall Port Vale calling their evening game off against us at 1pm in February 2018. A bit annoying but at least no-one should have made their way to Burslem for nothing.

Reminds me of a evening KO at Macclesfield the next season. The game should have been called off in the morning, the pitch was waterlogged, but Macclesfield had to wait for the match ref to call it off. I along with Citytilidie72 waited nearly 2 hours for the decision at Gordano Services, the London Exiles were not as fortunate, they had to catch a pre booked train, not on it long before the inevitable postponement was confirmed. Apparently they still had a good time in Macc supping ale & dining out in a Indian Restaurant...Silver linings & all that.

 

[citytillidie72]

Reminds me of a evening KO at Macclesfield the next season. The game should have been called off in the morning, the pitch was waterlogged, but Macclesfield had to wait for the match ref to call it off. I along with Citytilidie72 waited nearly 2 hours for the decision at Gordano Services, the London Exiles were not as fortunate, they had to catch a pre booked train, not on it long before the inevitable postponement was confirmed. Apparently they still had a good time in Macc supping ale & dining out in a Indian Restaurant...Silver linings & all that.

I remember one of their players put up a video and one of the corners was completely flooded. He said "no chance"

 

[geoffwp]

We don't come out of this looking very organised or very caring. A lot of 'tinpot' being voiced and tbh I have great sympathy with their anger.

 

[Oldsmobile-88]

Yes me too on the minibus!! When we got to Darlington I remember a policeman saying to us you do know todays game is called off do you??? Still got to see Ayresome Park in all its glory with the high sided spiked fences behind the goal!

Yes, drove past the motorcyclist escort who was waiting on the A66, he twigged that it was the away support due to the flag at the back He was expecting a coach. When he overtook & flagged me down at a lay-by it was initially just for a chat, he suggested that I park at Darlington Police Station which was near to Feethams, he radioed up the Police Station to say that was happening, then he was told the game had just been postponed. He did not like telling us..”You will not believe this...”

 

[geoffwp]

........the London Exiles were not as fortunate, they had to catch a pre booked train, not on it long before the inevitable postponement was confirmed. Apparently they still had a good time in Macc supping ale & dining out in a Indian Restaurant...Silver linings & all that.

Yeh but they're all rich Olds!