Sven wrote:EFL make final judgement on Derby County v Cardiff City postponement
By Chris Watson
The Rams were criticised for calling off Sunday's Championship fixture at Pride Park Stadium
The EFL says it "remains satisfied" with the reasons behind the postponement of Derby County's Sky Bet Championship fixture with Cardiff City.
The game at Pride Park Stadium was called off on Sunday morning due to adverse weather conditions.
The decision was heavily criticised by Cardiff boss Neil Warnock, while the Bluebirds' supporters' club called for action to be taken against the Rams.
The EFL have looked into the matter and have now issued the following statement...
"The EFL has now had an opportunity to consider the submissions of both Derby County and Cardiff City following the postponement of their Championship fixture on Sunday 18 March.
"We remain satisfied that the decision to postpone the fixture was the correct one in the circumstances at the time and that Derby County had made every effort to ensure the game had the opportunity to be played. They also communicated with the relevant stakeholders as it became clear it was in doubt due to safety concerns."
"It should be noted that matchday safety is a matter for the Club to determine and the EFL's policy with regard to the Safety Advisory Group (SAG) is in place to provide a qualified 'third party' sign off for any game where the condition of the pitch is not the primary concern, so as to avoid the circumstances we saw on Sunday.
"From the information that has been assessed, it is clear that the decision to postpone the match was taken by the Club but was reached following earlier consultation with the SAG, which includes the Police, other Emergency Services and Derbyshire Council. They agreed with the recommendation put forward by the Club and that position was confirmed via the Safety Advisory Group (SAG) Chair shortly after the 8.30am announcement.
"The EFL was subsequently provided with a comprehensive report including a full risk assessment by Derby County as to the steps taken in the build-up to the decision being made.
"The EFL's review has also ascertained that time pressure played a significant role in the parties reaching their decision, as, due to the 12 noon kick-off, significant numbers of people would have been heading to the stadium from approximately 9am with the conditions clearly unsuitable. The Club also evidenced that they received notification from their stewarding contracting partner that a number of matchday stewards were unable to travel to the stadium due to the adverse weather conditions.
"Therefore it was in the best interests of spectator safety to postpone the game to avoid fans congregating in numbers. Derbyshire Police were also advising people on Sunday morning only to make necessary journeys in the local area following the overnight snow.
"The safety and security of supporters attending matches has to be paramount. Any decision to postpone a fixture is never taken lightly and not without full consideration of the impact it will inevitably cause the two Clubs and their supporters.
"It should be noted that there was no issue with the playing surface at the stadium and therefore the match officials were not required to be involved in the decision making process. This was a matter of supporter safety and they were informed of the postponement once the decision had been taken.
"The EFL has now contacted Derby County and Cardiff City to inform them of their findings and no further action in regard to this matter will be taken. However, the EFL acknowledges that whilst the correct decision was taken in postponing the match, clearer and more effective communication around the decision making processes on the day would have assisted an already challenging situation. Derby County have been reminded of their responsibilities in this regard in order to ensure integrity of the competition is protected.
"As previously communicated the re-arranged fixture will take place on Tuesday 24 April, 2018 and, refunds will be available to those fans that are no longer able to make the new date. There is no decision as yet as to whether the game will be selected for live broadcast on Sky Sports."
Welshman in CA wrote:Did anyone really expect a different outcome?
Clusterman wrote:Hang your heads in shame EFL you are as corrupt and spineless as Derby County.
WelshPatriot wrote:So within 10 miles of a ground can be clear but if snow further out any club can chuck in the stewards are stuck excuse.
Well done EFL you've set the bar for the future and cannot punish any other club that does the same.
pembroke allan wrote:So every club can call off a game when it snows as long as get sag to agree to it? Just takes a bit of manipulation of how many stewards can get to ground and H&S comes into play? Brilliant
Bakedalasker wrote:What a joke of a statement.
Talk about trying ot cover yourself up. Hopefully this Harvey guy will lose his job over it.
Tony Blue Williams wrote:pembroke allan wrote:So every club can call off a game when it snows as long as get sag to agree to it? Just takes a bit of manipulation of how many stewards can get to ground and H&S comes into play? Brilliant
In a nutshell you have hit the nail on the head.
If for any reason the home club wanted a postponement then all they need is a so called valid reason for why stewards can't make it to the ground (poor weather conditions) and the game gets called off for safety reasons.
There is nothing we can do about it although I'm glad that the EFL seem to be leaning towards the points raised by CCFC which I believe could be about the travelling support and the financial impact the postponement had on them.
Tony Blue Williams wrote:pembroke allan wrote:So every club can call off a game when it snows as long as get sag to agree to it? Just takes a bit of manipulation of how many stewards can get to ground and H&S comes into play? Brilliant
In a nutshell you have hit the nail on the head.
If for any reason the home club wanted a postponement then all they need is a so called valid reason for why stewards can't make it to the ground (poor weather conditions) and the game gets called off for safety reasons.
There is nothing we can do about it although I'm glad that the EFL seem to be leaning towards the points raised by CCFC which I believe could be about the travelling support and the financial impact the postponement had on them.
Users browsing this forum: Blue since 1981, BLUE54, Bluebird-in-Jackland, bluebirdoct1962, CF14 Blue, Clickagy [Bot], FOOTSOLDIER, Google [Bot], Google Adsense [Bot], Grapeshot [Bot], ias [Bot], Proximic [Bot] and 209 guests