Saturday 31st January

[Rebadiah Hongfield]

Just been told this is running on here, so i will just take the time to put a few things straight for big col dog, Whitely Bay and Jonno, Not quite sure why i am having to justify to people who weren't even there, but no problem as it may stop the non story straight away.

 

I arrived at the ground at 12.40 went in the changing rooms with the kit at 12.50 after looking at the pitch from the stand. There was no mention in the morning of the game being in doubt, or needing an inspection via secretary, club website, twitter etc, a little surprising considering the number of games that already had inspections and were actually called off, and the fact the temp at this point was still only 1 degree.

I will also point out I had also tried twice to call the club prior to leaving, but no reply, on arriving the groundsman told me he had the club phone redirected to his mobile.

 

When I went into the changing room area the Hertford Manager was putting on his boots and was just about to go on the pitch, When I questioned the pitch he said he hadn't been on it yet.

80 percent of pitch looked ok, but the area in front of dugouts to the centre circle was pooling with water, groundsman told me he had been on the pitch all morning and in the last 20 minutes the rain/sleet had caused it to puddle.

Both Linesman arrived at 1.10 walked on the pitch with boots and a ball, referee arrived around 1.25 joined the linesman and went on the pitch spent 5 minutes kicking a ball around the pitch, ball ran fine on majority of pitch but problem area was in front of clubhouse, at this point it was still raining and on checking the forecast was due to rain until 3.00.

 

At 1.40 when we had 14 of our 15 players at the ground, The Referee called Hertford manager and I with his two assistants to his room, and told us in his and his assistants opinion the pitch was unplayable. He asked our views, I agreed with his decision, Mr Halsey wanted to play. The referee then rang Mr Ewen to confirm the decision, your point of the majority wanting to play was completely untrue, in that room there were 5 people, 4-1 were against playing, so not quite sure where you got your insider knowledge. I'm intrigued how I influenced the referee, I can assure you it just doesn't happen and certainly didn't happen today. Had the referee wanted to play we would of played.

 

Now before you make any more ill thought accusations about not wanting to play we had 14 players there and the 15th arrived at 1.50, four of those players had travelled almost 60 miles from Aylesbury, the rest from Tring the best part of 50 miles and Watford, If you seriously think we turn up at games and just decide not to play for the fun of it because we don't like a wet pitch you are completely out of touch, we are on a good run and are very disappointed not to have played. We travelled to London Tigers in the week, another horrible journey, and that was the third time that the fixture had been rearranged this season, so don't start claiming we don't fancy it.

You can make all the brave calls about how it used to be 30/40 years ago and we would of played then, but the fact is its 2015 and we don't play on pitches like that any more at step 5.

 

I'm not sure of your set up at Hertford but we don't pay wages and don't pay expenses so today was a very expensive and totally wasted day for all those players in both time and petrol. I finally arrived home at 3.05 having left my house at 11.00, some of the lads got home at 3.20 if you think that's what we want on a Saturday, I think you may missed what it is all about, and why it was called off.

 

Your point about having to come back for a night game in March or April is a very valid one, but i'm not sure why we should be playing on a pitch today that wasn't fit to play on. The fact was, 20 percent of the pitch wasn't playable, the pitch wasn't going to get any better, and it was due to rain for at least another hour before kick off, so a decision was made, the fact you may not agree with it doesn't make it wrong.

 

Maybe some of the supporters that came out of the clubhouse after a couple of pints and decreed it playable from over the pitch side fence, should have a look at the bad areas before making such claims,

 

Your last claim is a stunner, I will paste a link to the match report from the game played in October complete with pictures, please feel free to look at the pitch and discuss and compare with today, i will try and get the pictures from today off my phone.

 

http://www.tafc.co.uk/report.php?fixture_id=2359

 

Could you go into a bit more detail?

[Rebadiah Hongfield]

Have been extremely busy all weekend but itching to get on here and share my info with you guys. Lots of talk flying around now about the Tring manager. Again only speculation but on speaking to some people who were at the game it does indeed seem true the Tring Athletic FC manager was refusing to play the game, as well as this it has been confirmed they were a few 'big players' short so a replay clearly would of seemed the best option for them.

 

As a neutral it is a shame things like this happen. To be honest the TAFC manager has never been a somebody or achieved anything so it is understandable why things like this happen.

 

As for Monkey8 we can only hope that one day he pulls his tongue out of everyones ***** on here. If I was him I'd be concentrating on my squad over at St Margaretsbury especially with the news that has come out regarding two of their key players in the past few days, which im sure some of you already know and those who don't im sure will be hearing very soon.

 

[Jonno]

Appreciate what you are saying Jonno in regards to people remaining anonymous but that is not how I operate. My name is John and I am a 53 year old married family man with nothing to hide. I will be at tomorrows St Margaretsbury FC vs Hertford Town FC cracker for anyone that wants to meet me and talk in person.

 

I do not mean any harm by anything I say I can appreciate I can be very straightforward however this is a forum for discussion and I am simply only discussing things raised on here. Sorry for offending anyone.

 

Trust me though the St Margaretsbury player situation I spoke of last night is one even you are gonna be shocked at Jonno lol!

Blimey! Sounds like a shocker!! Are we talking front page of the Sun or back page of the non league weekly? My money is on a 3 in a bed shocker between their manager, goalkeeper and tea lady.

[No1Spartan]

Lol Jonno you dirty dog. Im not going to discuss on here because it is personal. You at the St Mags game tomorrow, have a beer together?

[Jonno]

Best offer I've had in a while.

[Monkey8]

hahaha this is great! See you both tomorrow night.

[LoucasX]

And wisezola, who was in the Referees' dressing room, states that the Referee deemed the pitch unplayable.

Anything else is just nonsense.

Referee said his opinion was that it was not playable but as it was a border-line call he said to the managers if they were both happy for it to be played then it was on. Hertford manager said yes, Tring manager said no. Game off. Groundsman relieved. Players and one of the managers not happy. Officials stayed in bar and had a few pints. We all meet up again Tuesday 10th Feb and we will all be friends again.

[Rhodes]

Tring manager said no. Game off.

That's a surprise!

[NeutralFan]

Appreciate what you are saying Jonno in regards to people remaining anonymous but that is not how I operate. My name is John Kevin and I am a 53 41ish year old married family man with nothing to hide. I will be at tomorrows St Margaretsbury FC vs Hertford Town FC cracker for anyone that wants to meet me and talk in person.

 

I do not mean any harm by anything I say I can appreciate I can be very straightforward however this is a forum for discussion and I am simply only discussing things raised on here. Sorry for offending anyone.

 

Trust me though the St Margaretsbury player situation I spoke of last night is  one even you are gonna be shocked at pure sh*t stirringl!

[Jonno]

Looooooooooooool