Match Thread Blades vs Scunthorpe - MATCH POSTPONED

[Bladesman]

The club are unsure if the match will go ahead tomorrow.

The Club is advising all supporters to refrain from travelling to Bramall Lane today (Saturday) as a consequence of the treacherous conditions around the stadium and its surrounding areas from the heavy overnight snowfall.


This has had a knock-on effect to the Club's operations and has left the Ticket Office as a phone-only service today, on 0871 995 1889, although customers can still purchase tickets online.


The Blades Superstore will not be open today.


There is currently a doubt over the fixture with Scunthorpe United going ahead tomorrow (Sunday).


The pitch is covered with almost four inches of snow, which added to the snow and ice in other areas inside the stadium and the surrounding streets, makes access to the ground hazardous.


Managing Director Mal Brannigan commented: "The conditions have caught everyone by surprise and our main priority has to be safety.


"It has proved particularly difficult for staff to get in to Bramall Lane this morning (Saturday) and we advise supporters not to do so. It is proving difficult to clear the car park areas and the paths and streets around have not all been gritted yet.


"There is already a covering of snow on the pitch, which the undersoil heating should be able to clear but may cause additional problems, such as surface water around the ground. We will continually assess the conditions with regards to Sunday's game."


"We are aware that a substantial number of the 2,500 Blades who travelled to Port Vale yesterday had a hazardous journey home last night, with some either not making it back home until the early hours of this morning or having to be housed in community facilities.


"The Club has a duty to make sure that all visitors to Bramall Lane do so safely; this is very much at the forefront of our thoughts and includes the travel conditions home after the game."


Read more at http://www.sufc.co.uk/news/article/sheffield-united-snow-update-2167041.aspx#GvRdtDT0rE71AbTh.99

I hope it goes ahead and we can put to bed the loss yesterday.

 

[wizadry]

I still can't get my head around why it was so much of a suprise.The met office said we'd get 4 inches,and guess what we got 4 inches(of snow i mean) our council was nowhere to be seen with the gritters around S8 area i don't know about anywhere else.They couldn't organise a piss up in a brewery,absolutely pathetic!

 

[Bladesman]

I still can't get my head around why it was so much of a suprise.The met office said we'd get 4 inches and guess what we got 4 inches(of snow i mean) our council was nowhere to be seen with the gritters around S8 area i don't know about anywhere else.They couldn't organise a piss up in a brewery,absolutely pathetic!

Gritters? Not sure they exist in Sheffield these days.

 

[Jonboy60]

The club are unsure if the match will go ahead tomorrow.







I hope it goes ahead and we can put to bed the loss yesterday.

That picture should have all the players, apprentices and ground staff clearing the snow away. Just in case.

 

[wizadry]

The last thing we need is a backlog of games.

 

[groveblade]

Club should do everything possible to get the game on tomorrow... never a good idea to have a fixture backlog and also badly need to bounce back from (yet another) poor result yesterday...

 

[pommpey]

Gritters? Not sure they exist in Sheffield these days.

Used to mate. Me dad used to fix them at Manor Lane, BITD

pommpey

 

[metalblade]

The only time I see a grit wagon is when I give it a MOT test grrrrrrr not seen any throwing grit about last night or today, you can bet the roads are like glass tonight.

 

[sheffielder]

The last thing we need is a backlog of games.

The last thing we need right now are games! ha

 

[Toronto Blade]

If Clough was resting players on the bench for the Scunny game looks to have back fired,sounds like it isn't going ahead.
January's fixtures look tough enough without cancellations building up.

 

[Woodwardfan]

Club should do everything possible to get the game on tomorrow... never a good idea to have a fixture backlog and also badly need to bounce back from (yet another) poor result yesterday...

I can well imagine Clough doing all he can to get the game called off. He is supposed to be getting three new players in January.

 

[Tezza1889]

wow, no attempt is being made to keep the pitch clear, no covers, nobody sweeping it all off..

you'd think the club wanted the game off because form is poor or something.....

 

[SwissBlade]

wow, no attempt is being made to keep the pitch clear, no covers, nobody sweeping it all off..

you'd think the club wanted the game off because form is poor or something.....

If you're looking for a stick to beat the club, this isn't it. The pitch isn't the problem. Read the OS statement - the undersoil heating should take care of the snow, but it's the surface water which could be the issue.

Oh top of that side streets and getting to and from the ground is the concern, plus looking at it - snow lying onand around the ground.

I remember a televised fa cup game with villa years ago we got fans volunteering to clear the ground and surrounding area. My guess is that the money was too much to lose in that game... Scunthorpe probably won't be the same earner.

 

[dublin 10 blade]

Remember in my youth the club asking for volunteers to clean snow off the pitch , me and a few mates went and gave them a hand ,
few other Blades went as well , got comp tickets for the next few games .
Match was still called off though .
It's always the surrounding streets around the ground which leads to it being called off , health and safety I believe .

 

[Tezza1889]

If you're looking for a stick to beat the club, this isn't it. The pitch isn't the problem. Read the OS statement - the undersoil heating should take care of the snow, but it's the surface water which could be the issue.

Oh top of that side streets and getting to and from the ground is the concern, plus looking at it - snow lying onand around the ground.

I remember a televised fa cup game with villa years ago we got fans volunteering to clear the ground and surrounding area. My guess is that the money was too much to lose in that game... Scunthorpe probably won't be the same earner.

Just saying, might be a good time for the club and manager to not play a home match at the minute, if i need a stick to beat us with (wtf) surely I would be pointing out our current form / home form...

Scunny will be a tough game mate, we are in poor form, join the dots, and don't take everything to heart..

 

[SwissBlade]

Just saying, might be a good time for the club and manager to not play a home match at the minute, if i need a stick to beat us with (wtf) surely I would be pointing out our current form / home form...

Scunny will be a tough game mate, we are in poor form, join the dots, and don't take everything to heart..

if you read your first line back from what i quoted....

 

[Cutbush City Limits]

I may well be being a tad cynical, but the club soundbites on the OS do seem to suggest they dont want the game on.....the message is one of "We are doing all we can" but reading between the lines its all about public safety, health and safety of workers, surrounding areas etc etc....

Not got a very good feeling about tomorrow :-(

UTB

 

[Bladepicker]

Sureoy we want to play to arrest this bad form? I think if it is called off it will be on Police advice and nothing to do with the club.

If we have reached the point where we are contriving conditions in order to delay facing the might of Scunthorpe at Bramall Lane then we need to all pack up shop and go home.

 

[Dkc]

Remember in my youth the club asking for volunteers to clean snow off the pitch , me and a few mates went and gave them a hand ,
few other Blades went as well , got comp tickets for the next few games .
Match was still called off though .
It's always the surrounding streets around the ground which leads to it being called off , health and safety I believe .

Mal Brannigan said:


"We thank supporters for their offer to help in assisting us in clearing ground and surrounding areas but at the moment the locality remains precarious. Non-employees are not covered by our insurance, protective equipment is at a premium and we do not have the staff numbers to provide fans with a health and safety briefing or training."

http://www.sufc.co.uk/news/article/sheffield-united-snow-update-2167041.aspx#YUX1qkkzz3sy1dkC.99

 

[Bladepicker]

Mal Brannigan said:


"We thank supporters for their offer to help in assisting us in clearing ground and surrounding areas but at the moment the locality remains precarious. Non-employees are not covered by our insurance, protective equipment is at a premium and we do not have the staff numbers to provide fans with a health and safety briefing or training."

http://www.sufc.co.uk/news/article/sheffield-united-snow-update-2167041.aspx#YUX1qkkzz3sy1dkC.99

Get them to sign some sort of public liability waiver form, give them a shovel and a ticket to the game or voucher for the club shop and give the game every chance possible to go ahead.

 

[JohnDenver]

Get them to sign some sort of public liability waiver form, give them a shovel and a ticket to the game or voucher for the club shop and give the game every chance possible to go ahead.

It's snowing. Send for a lawyer!

 

[breeny]

Heard it all now.

 

[JasonEllis]

It's snowing. Send for a lawyer!

I was just going to say the same. The US has given us many things, I'm not sure the compensation/liability claims culture is one of the best....

 

[Deadbat]

Get them to sign some sort of public liability waiver form, give them a shovel and a ticket to the game or voucher for the club shop and give the game every chance possible to go ahead.

The statement from the club is a nonsense. Surely if people wanted to assist and clean streets etc around the ground; it would be their own risk - same way as it would if I left the house now to go to the shop?

Never been an issue for clubs including SUFC v Villa when they smelt the pound years ago.

I think the match could go ahead if they had been ready (unexpected they said when all weather forecasts said it was coming) and wanted to clear the ground/surrounding areas. It ha snot snowed since late last night and they have had 36 hours to clear the ground. Yes it might be tricky for many to get there but their responsibility is not the roads miles away; it is merely the pitch, terraces and immediate surrounding roads. Proof in pudding will be when many other local games go ahead as has happened in the past but it is pretty certain in my mind (poor league form may be primary reason) they don't want it to go ahead. The statements and pictures (someone made great efforts to go to the back of the Kop to take a shot of the precarious steps!) pretty much say 'It aint going ahead but we are not allowed to announce it yet.'

Cannot say I am that bothered. The thought of freezing my behind off watching another negative performance does not fill me with glee. Seen enough of the inept overpaid side recently (thank god I did not go to Vale and feel for those who got stuck coming home) and hopefully it will be another game we can play later in the season when who knows we may have signed some players with a spine and wont be the soft touch we currently are.

 

[Deadbat]

Interesting that I have scrolled down the BBC website and ours is the only game in doubt in the whole country? Cant see any other pitch inspections anywhere else. Maybe there will be but it seems odd.

 

[Bladepicker]

The statement from the club is a nonsense. Surely if people wanted to assist and clean streets etc around the ground; it would be their own risk - same way as it would if I left the house now to go to the shop?

Never been an issue for clubs including SUFC v Villa when they smelt the pound years ago.

I think the match could go ahead if they had been ready (unexpected they said when all weather forecasts said it was coming) and wanted to clear the ground/surrounding areas. It ha snot snowed since late last night and they have had 36 hours to clear the ground. Yes it might be tricky for many to get there but their responsibility is not the roads miles away; it is merely the pitch, terraces and immediate surrounding roads. Proof in pudding will be when many other local games go ahead as has happened in the past but it is pretty certain in my mind (poor league form may be primary reason) they don't want it to go ahead. The statements and pictures (someone made great efforts to go to the back of the Kop to take a shot of the precarious steps!) pretty much say 'It aint going ahead but we are not allowed to announce it yet.'

Cannot say I am that bothered. The thought of freezing my behind off watching another negative performance does not fill me with glee. Seen enough of the inept overpaid side recently (thank god I did not go to Vale and feel for those who got stuck coming home) and hopefully it will be another game we can play later in the season when who knows we may have signed some players with a spine and wont be the soft touch we currently are.

I really hope that isn't the case but as you say the actions of the club do nothing to disuade this viewpoint.

I would want to play it though. If we don't then we wont have a league game until Preston and could be out of the top 6, out of the cup and in a deeper dip playing at home to in my eyes the most physical side in the league who will almost certainly do a job on us.

Best chance of getting back on track is an emminintly winnable league game with hopefully a side that is eager to put things right. I hope that's us.

 

[judge]

I can well imagine Clough doing all he can to get the game called off. He is supposed to be getting three new players in January.

Ha ha

 

[mark hones]

Bet the game wouldn't be off if it was in the Premier League, and even more so if Sky were going to show it.

 

[SwissBlade]

Interesting that I have scrolled down the BBC website and ours is the only game in doubt in the whole country? Cant see any other pitch inspections anywhere else. Maybe there will be but it seems odd.

Looking around, Sheffield and Chesterfield area seems to have not only been hit badly, but the councils have clearly not bothered with anything other than snow ploughs.

-2 tonight coming back from the peak district to Chesterfield and not a grit wagon in sight. Still loads of abandoned cars around on the baslow to chesterfield road. loads of snow on the back roads over the tops, but the main roads are all clear. Side roads are obviously going to be an issue.

Seems strange that ours is the only one in doubt

 

[SwissBlade]

Bet the game wouldn't be off if it was in the Premier League, and even more so if Sky were going to show it.

Absolutely not, too much money on it, but Blades v Scunny isn't exactly a money spinner!