Saturday 23rd January Match Thread

[E&E Rich]

Perhaps there were more resources available then and more volunteers able / prepared to spend the time maintaining a pitch too? Similarly, no two teams, relatively speaking, have the same quality pitch, and wear and tear on a pitch may be dependent on the number of games played on it during a season (youth, Ladies, Sunday, ground-share).

Sorry Gluck, I don't buy that.

 

We can all remember looking at grounds with hardly an inch of grass on them by the end of the season because of overuse, and yes, maybe the odd game being played on it, when maybe it should have been postponed, but either way there are too many games called off these days compared to previously and there's only one person who makes the final decision.

[Krooner]

Firmly said tongue in cheek and directed at certain posters

Who would that be Weebs

[Clementintime]

Sorry Gluck, I don't buy that.

 

We can all remember looking at grounds with hardly an inch of grass on them by the end of the season because of overuse, and yes, maybe the odd game being played on it, when maybe it should have been postponed, but either way there are too many games called off these days compared to previously and there's only one person who makes the final decision.

 

Exactly Rich,   to many games are called off because of 'waterlogging'   which alot of times turns out to be a bit of soaked soil,but the ball rolls and bounces.

 

Used to be the case that as long as the ball rolled, or bounced, the game was on.

[Krooner]

Sorry Gluck, I don't buy that.

 

We can all remember looking at grounds with hardly an inch of grass on them by the end of the season because of overuse, and yes, maybe the odd game being played on it, when maybe it should have been postponed, but either way there are too many games called off these days compared to previously and there's only one person who makes the final decision.

Easy to blame the official there Rich as with a lot of things.  I did plenty of pitch inspections and I can tell you I played games when the home club were adamant that it shouldn't be played, treated me poorly from the point I said game on and then blamed me for the fact their pitch was "ruined"  Clubs will put pressure on referees that suits their needs.  Some refs will go with it and others will not.  Referees are in a no win situation and until you are in that you really do not understand.

[E&E Rich]

Ok then, let me get this right. What you appear to be saying is that referees make decisions throughout the match, completely based on their merits as they see them and without interference, yet when it comes to a decision relating to whether or not to play a game, they buckle under the  pressure placed by one or two representatives of the home team? And they do this so frequently that we have nearly three times the number of postponements than we used to?

 

Sorry mate but I don't buy that either. It may well happen once or twice but doesn't explain the vast increase in the number of postponements. Clearly there is only one answer, which is that match officials clearly have a lower threshold for what they deem is a playable surface these days and call me cynical, but I believe it must be due to health and safety grounds.

 

Unless someone can come up with another reason, that is.  

[Gluck_ab]

Rich

 

For the sake of like for like comparison, would you mind showing me the evidence over a number of seasons to support your claims there are more postponements now than there used to be? Thanks, GA

Edited January 27, 2016 by Gluck_ab

[Footy Mad]

Ok then, let me get this right. What you appear to be saying is that referees make decisions throughout the match, completely based on their merits as they see them and without interference, yet when it comes to a decision relating to whether or not to play a game, they buckle under the  pressure placed by one or two representatives of the home team? And they do this so frequently that we have nearly three times the number of postponements than we used to?

 

Sorry mate but I don't buy that either. It may well happen once or twice but doesn't explain the vast increase in the number of postponements. Clearly there is only one answer, which is that match officials clearly have a lower threshold for what they deem is a playable surface these days and call me cynical, but I believe it must be due to health and safety grounds.

 

Unless someone can come up with another reason, that is.  

In my experience there is a lot more pressure put on officials now to postpone a game compared to when I started when most people wanted to play. Nothing to do with H&S but frequently to do with protecting the pitch

[Weeble]

I blame it on global warming not the refs ( let's see what that stirs up)

[HTFCSUPPORTER]

Our pitch has taken a battering, I believe since August the 8th we have had 68 games on it!!

We try to get the game on all the time.

We have 6 teams using it.

[Krooner]

Ok then, let me get this right. What you appear to be saying is that referees make decisions throughout the match, completely based on their merits as they see them and without interference, yet when it comes to a decision relating to whether or not to play a game, they buckle under the  pressure placed by one or two representatives of the home team? And they do this so frequently that we have nearly three times the number of postponements than we used to?

 

Sorry mate but I don't buy that either. It may well happen once or twice but doesn't explain the vast increase in the number of postponements. Clearly there is only one answer, which is that match officials clearly have a lower threshold for what they deem is a playable surface these days and call me cynical, but I believe it must be due to health and safety grounds.

 

Unless someone can come up with another reason, that is.  

Not at all Rich.  Referees make decisions every match under extreme duress from players and officials from both sides.  Laughable to suggest that there is no interference

 

I am calling it as I had it when I would be used for Pitch Inspections.  Camberley have had no games called off for Wet Weather in the last 5 years I think so no increase there.  And the referees on those matches will also have done matches elsewhere.

 

I think there may be an issue with helpers out there as well.  We had 2 First Team games very close to being called off.  Ascot and Chessington.  On both those occasions we had enough people working on the necessary areas to ensure the game went ahead.  That was a bit of luck.  If those people were not around then the games will not have taken place.  If you only have 1 person working on the pitch and there are more than 1 problem area they are effectively stuffed.  My experience is there are now less people willing to do that work.

 

there may be the odd ref worried about H+S but to lay the blame entirely at the officials do is not right.

[E&E Rich]

Rich

 

For the sake of like for like comparison, would you mind showing me the evidence over a number of seasons to support your claims there are more postponements now than there used to be? Thanks, GA

I only have a general view at present but will have almost exact figures for the Isthmian League by August. You'll just have to bear with me on this.

 

It is currently all contained within an enormous spreadsheet and you can see at a glance from the number of comments made (red marks in the Excel cell) that there are substantially more these days, with exception, as referred to earlier of 2000/01 and 1962/63. 

[E&E Rich]

Chessington used to play all the time. Likewise Raynes Park when they were Malden Vale. It's only in the last five years that we have seen them called off regularly. Fair point about Camberley though.

[aupostie]

Our pitch has taken a battering, I believe since August the 8th we have had 68 games on it!!

We try to get the game on all the time.

We have 6 teams using it.

 

Like HTFCSupporter our SHOCKING pitch has had more than its fair share of games on it already & many more to come but as a club we do everything possible to get the games on. Nothing worse than seeing all your efforts wasted, but sometimes the weather just beats you.

 

plus like krooner said as well it also comes down to man power & as most clubs have limited people around due to work & other events , its normally leaves just a couple people trying to get the games on in a short time which isn't always possible.

 

My own experience dealing with match officials most of them do want games to be played & I do know no-one inside our club has put pressure onto an officials to call a game off

[Big J R]

I blame Noah.

 

Obviously, his building of an Ark back in the very distant past didn't make any impression on the 'powers that be' above !

[Footy Mad]

Our pitch has taken a battering, I believe since August the 8th we have had 68 games on it!!

We try to get the game on all the time.

We have 6 teams using it.

It would be even worse if you warmed up on it

[HTFCSUPPORTER]

It would be even worse if you warmed up on it

Yes your right it would!

Don't get me started on that otherwise it could paint a bad picture of a certain individual!

[aupostie]

It would be even worse if you warmed up on it

Very true...groundsman nightmare

[Rother]

SHOCKING.

[HTFCSUPPORTER]

We'll be warned when a certain club comes to you they will expect to warm up on the pitch or an area big enough with a full size goal to do there bits! You know like you get everywhere!