GAME OFF!

[drfcsteve]

Shambles. Don't say it's definitely on if you don't know for definite, simple really.

[Filo]

I don't think anyone could be too surprised it's off given the amount of rain.

I just got togged up and I said to my mate semi-jokingly, I'd better check it's on. When I logged on at 12.35 on DROS it was on. 2 mins later on here the word was out it was off.

It's just the manner that the club seem to persist in making rash statements that could easily be worded differently to allow for any risks of a change in circumstances.

And thats the whole point of the situation, everyone can see it`s pissing it down and the ground is saturated, but the club seem hell bent on shooting it`s self in the foot, over and over again, we have n`t learned from the Dave Morris fiasco!

[RedJ]

Smacks of Leicester a few years back, although obviously different circumstances.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

The same happened last season. All messages said game was definitely on. We turned up for a VSC meeting at the ground at 12.30 and we saw 'officials' at the club leaving.  Still nothing on the website. As we got the doors on the East Stand we got a call to say the ref had called it off.

12.45 message went up on DROS and we retired to the Lakeside and by 1pm we were greeted by a number of unhappy away fans. 

The moral being don't pre-judge the referees decision and if there is any slight risk then say so. "The game is on for now however........"

[RTID75]

Just got here, having left Coventry at 12:00 when the game was on.  I wondered about the lack of any car park activity anywhere...

Good job I had to come up anyway to drop presents off at my Dad's.

[1879Rovers]

It isn't the first time the club have done this. How many times in recent seasons have they said games would be on, only for them then to be called off. If they can't guarantee it, then they should stay quiet.

[1879Rovers]

I am sure in the past three or four seasons they have said similar. Leeds, Ipswich and Crystal Palace are all games that the day before they said, we have the covers on and we are confident the game would go ahead. Day of the game, it's off. Complete joke.

[LINCrover2]

http://www.doncasterroversfc.co.uk/news/article/club-statement-mk-dons-556717.aspx

[Filo]

http://www.doncasterroversfc.co.uk/news/article/club-statement-mk-dons-556717.aspx

Just a couple of issues with that statement, 3mm of rain is hardly a significant amount, yes the ground is saturated has the KM got it`s own micro climate? because although the rain is constant, we have n`t had a cloudburst and 3mm should drain off naturally without any problems, especially in an area of ground that has drainage installed. Also, were both Managers present at the stadium at 11-50 am, if they were it`s highly unusual that they would be there, unless a pitch inspection was planned, as the club say there was n`t one planned then I assume the Ref consulted the managers by phone, and how could each manager offer an opinion if they have n`t seen the playing surface?

[MrFrost]

So this was at 11.50? I bought my ticket after then........

[timdrfc]

Half the games in the country are off, yet people still find fault with the club.
Joke

It amazes me as well !

[dickos1]

Was responding to the post about giving the groundsmen the correct tools, and our games being called off when it's a bit frosty or theirs a bit of rain.
Not the clubs statement.

[donnievic]

I'm fuming, I bought my ticket 30 minutes ago.

your always moaning just take it back not hard is it

[MrFrost]

I'm fuming, I bought my ticket 30 minutes ago.

your always moaning just take it back not hard is it

That's not the point. The game at this stage had already been called off. Obviously no one had bothered to inform the ticket office, or even mention to them that there was an inspection.

[bobjimwilly]

The way I see it, the club wanted the game to be on, they checked the pitch and sought advice from the groundsmen who said they saw no reason for it to be called off, the club issued a statement, then the ref turns up and calls it off for his own reasons.

if you've bought a ticket today, simples take it back - you're already at the stadium aren't you?

if you'd bought it before today, well there's nothing you could have done anyway.

if you've set off hours ago to get here in time, then you would have set off anyway - why not have a fun day in frenchgate or wherever and enjoy the day still?

I travel from Barnsley for matches. I saw the tweet this morning and thought "nice 1", then saw it was off and thought "oh well". no biggy.

 

[donnievic]

Think it was about half 12 it was announced

[donnievic]

Always get people moaning,if ask me it's a god send with the way we have been playing and defo not a bad thing at all

[Filo]

The way I see it, the club wanted the game to be on, they checked the pitch and sought advice from the groundsmen who said they saw no reason for it to be called off, the club issued a statement, then the ref turns up and calls it off for his own reasons.

if you've bought a ticket today, simples take it back - you're already at the stadium aren't you?

if you'd bought it before today, well there's nothing you could have done anyway.

if you've set off hours ago to get here in time, then you would have set off anyway - why not have a fun day in frenchgate or wherever and enjoy the day still?

I travel from Barnsley for matches. I saw the tweet this morning and thought "nice 1", then saw it was off and thought "oh well". no biggy.

 

I can`t see how you can justify defending the indefensible, the club should have never stated the game was definitely on, even if there was the very slightest doubt, some one at the club has jumped the gun, we have n`t learned from the Dave Morris fiasco, it`s a shambles and very poor PR from the club. The VSC as the clubs critical friend should at the very least be making strong representations to make sure fiasco`s like this don`t happen again, rather than trying to defend them.

[Filo]

Think it was about half 12 it was announced

Here`s a little extract of the clubs statement

however when the referee arrived at the ground at his normal time, 11.50am, he went out to inspect the pitch

[donnievic]

Yeah and if delve further think you will find it was about 12.34 when it was announced

[Thinwhiteduke]

http://www.doncasterroversfc.co.uk/news/article/club-statement-mk-dons-556717.aspx

Just a couple of issues with that statement, 3mm of rain is hardly a significant amount, yes the ground is saturated has the KM got it`s own micro climate? because although the rain is constant, we have n`t had a cloudburst and 3mm should drain off naturally without any problems, especially in an area of ground that has drainage installed. Also, were both Managers present at the stadium at 11-50 am, if they were it`s highly unusual that they would be there, unless a pitch inspection was planned, as the club say there was n`t one planned then I assume the Ref consulted the managers by phone, and how could each manager offer an opinion if they have n`t seen the playing surface?

Please tell me how any volume of rainfall, howver slight, can 'drain off naturally' on already saturated ground.

Or better still let the Environment Agency, Councils, Water Authorities and poor buggers whos properties get flooded know - Im sure they'd benefit from your superior knowledge on the subject.

[WBDRFC]

Half the games in the country are off, yet people still find fault with the club.
Joke

You`re missing the point, the club confidently announced 1 hour previous that the game was deffo on and there were no problems, there must have been some doubt to arrange a pitch inspection, so why announce that a game in doubt was deffo on? a lot of travelling fans would have set off on the strength of that announcement, including our own fans!

It doesn't appear there was a pitch inspection. The match referee has to be at the ground 3 hours before the game, and the game was not postponed until after 12pm.

[WBDRFC]

http://www.doncasterroversfc.co.uk/news/article/club-statement-mk-dons-556717.aspx

Just a couple of issues with that statement, 3mm of rain is hardly a significant amount, yes the ground is saturated has the KM got it`s own micro climate? because although the rain is constant, we have n`t had a cloudburst and 3mm should drain off naturally without any problems, especially in an area of ground that has drainage installed. Also, were both Managers present at the stadium at 11-50 am, if they were it`s highly unusual that they would be there, unless a pitch inspection was planned, as the club say there was n`t one planned then I assume the Ref consulted the managers by phone, and how could each manager offer an opinion if they have n`t seen the playing surface?

The managers have no say in the final decision. They can give an opinion, but the referee can ignore that.  Many games are called off without the managers being consulted.

[Filo]

http://www.doncasterroversfc.co.uk/news/article/club-statement-mk-dons-556717.aspx

Just a couple of issues with that statement, 3mm of rain is hardly a significant amount, yes the ground is saturated has the KM got it`s own micro climate? because although the rain is constant, we have n`t had a cloudburst and 3mm should drain off naturally without any problems, especially in an area of ground that has drainage installed. Also, were both Managers present at the stadium at 11-50 am, if they were it`s highly unusual that they would be there, unless a pitch inspection was planned, as the club say there was n`t one planned then I assume the Ref consulted the managers by phone, and how could each manager offer an opinion if they have n`t seen the playing surface?

Please tell me how any volume of rainfall, howver slight, can 'drain off naturally' on already saturated ground.

Or better still let the Environment Agency, Councils, Water Authorities and poor buggers whos properties get flooded know - Im sure they'd benefit from your superior knowledge on the subject.

3mm, is not a significant amount, 3mm would drain off concrete without a problem where drains are installed, The KM has drainage installed and it should not pose a problem, unless the drains are overwhelmed by torrential rain, which we have n`t had, we`ve had constant rain but not torrential, most floodong in built up areas is caused by the drains being overwhelmed by a sudden influx of water, for example a river bursting it`s banks, or a torrential downpour, flooding in rural areas occurs because the run off water has no drains to take the excess away and the ground becomes saturated, like I said the KM has drainage installed and 3mm is not significant, I thought a Yorkshire water employee would understand those basics.

[Filo]

http://www.doncasterroversfc.co.uk/news/article/club-statement-mk-dons-556717.aspx

Just a couple of issues with that statement, 3mm of rain is hardly a significant amount, yes the ground is saturated has the KM got it`s own micro climate? because although the rain is constant, we have n`t had a cloudburst and 3mm should drain off naturally without any problems, especially in an area of ground that has drainage installed. Also, were both Managers present at the stadium at 11-50 am, if they were it`s highly unusual that they would be there, unless a pitch inspection was planned, as the club say there was n`t one planned then I assume the Ref consulted the managers by phone, and how could each manager offer an opinion if they have n`t seen the playing surface?

The managers have no say in the final decision. They can give an opinion, but the referee can ignore that.  Many games are called off without the managers being consulted.

I never stated that the Managers had a say in the final decision, the statement, says that the managers were consulted, how can they give an opinion on the playing surface if they are not present?

[idler]

Just got back to Bradford.
Any savings made on the bargains at the Lakeside
are offset by the cost of the deisel.
I hate mid-week games as well.
It must have cost the club shop a few bob as well.

[Albert Trousers]

Hardly surprising it has been called off, although I feel the club made an error saying game on, now they look amateurish. However every cloud, at least MK & there shit supporters have been inconvieniced. I f**king hate MK.

[NathanDRFC]

I had a planed meeting with the club regarding something else at 2pm today, and obviously we talked about the situation with todays game.

I think they know the communication could have been a lot better. With a simple cavet at the end of the 11am tweet saying, "at this stage the game looks likely to go ahead. The referee, who's decision it will be, has not yet arrived and is not due to be here until midday". I believe they thought it would be on at 11am, the rain came down etc.

The firm stance of its on, has done the club no favours and I think when reflecting on this, they know that.

For me, to move forward and learn we need to have a clear action point on how to deal with games that are touch and go. Don't want to put potential fans from not coming putting too much doubt in their minds, but likewise do not want to give information a la Dave Morris its on. A balancing act, but I am sure we can devise a plan to work with for any future occurances. I would advise all statements in future clearly state subject to a pitch insepection by the referee.

[Mr1Croft]

For me, to move forward and learn we need to have a clear action point on how to deal with games that are touch and go. Don't want to potential fans from not coming putting too much doubt in their minds,  but likewise do not want to give information a la Dave Morris its on. A balancing act, but I am sure we can devise a plan to work with for any future occurances. I would advise all statements in future clearly state subject to a pitch insepection by the referee.

Seconded!

[DonnyBazR0ver]

"At the moment the match is on subject to a later inspection. Anyone wishing to depart for the game should do so at their own risk. We will issue a further update as soon as we can"