MATCH ABANDONED: Referee calls an end to Ipswich Town v Middlesbrough after just 37 minutes
By Stuart Watson
Saturday, February 11, 2012
4:18 PM
REFEREE Dean Whitestone – unhappy with frozen areas of the pitch – decided to abandon today’s match between Ipswich Town and Middlesbrough after just 37 minutes.
With Town having enjoyed the better of the goalless opening exchanges – Daryl Murphy hitting the bar – it was decided that areas of the pitch were deemed unsafe by the officials.
The Portman Road pitch was well protected by it’s high-tech tent cover during the week, with the trapped hot air system protecting it from the sub-zero temperatures.
Officials and both managers – Paul Jewell and Tony Mowbray – were present at two pitch inspections leading up to the game, at 11.15am and 2pm, and both times it was deemed playable.
As soon as the covers came off around 1.30pm though, the still freezing temperatures took hold and made shaded areas of the pitch in front of the dugouts rock-solid.
The linesman on that side was forced to run inside the touchline to avoid the icy ground, while Sonko limped off with a suspected broken rib after falling awkwardly with no players around him.
– More to follow.
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28 comments
Tom, in the case of a fire alarm going off in the middle of a meal, you would be fully entitled in law to not have to pay for the meal. I think you must be in a minority of you and Clegg with the comment that you have made, and when he announces that there will be no 50% charge, it will just be you. What will you say then? I suggest you look at what MK Dons did in similar circumstances recently, and then get back to us.
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Kevin Bailey
Monday, February 13, 2012
The 'odd' poster on this site appear to think that any criticism is aimed at vilification of the club. Well.it is not, it is aimed at the inadequate management of the club by an individual who appears to have little knowledge or experience in running a customer orientated business and looks, short term, at the bottom line. This is fine if there is a monopoly situation that creates a demand culture but with ITFC, until the last two results, it has been far from this mark. I really care for ITFC and cannot just stand by and let a handful of so called managers ruin the club's reputation which had been built up over the Cobbold times but which is crumbling rapidly due to the arrogant and uncaring attitudes of these people. If I am called a 'whinger' or a witch hunter, so be it but I will not be silent whilst our invisible owner who along with his managers are ruining the ITFC reputation.
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Brian Betts
Monday, February 13, 2012
I have decided that, like others, I don't think I can justify paying to watch Ipswich again whilst such abusing of supporters is in effect. As previously stated, incomplete service in any other walk of entertainment would result in full refund. The fact Clegg has announced this isn't to happen is just those running the club preying on the deep feeling we have for the club. Some have called the negative comments moaning & some have insinuated this is an indication of low level support. I think it is my only way of making a point. I could watch us losing if we had a youth side playing and there was hope in the future but with such mismanagement on and now clearly off the pitch I will support away from the ground until respect and professionalism is resumed (ie: when Jewell and Clegg are gone). In my 30+ years of supporting the team live I have never felt this kind of resentment towards those wielding the power at PR. A sorry state of affairs.
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I am Spartacus
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Fans got almost half the match, so why is it unreasonable to get another 90 mins for half price? The analogies with the restaurant don't work because if you ate half the meal and there was nothing wrong with it but there was eg a fire alarm, you would surely not expect a full refund? There is a cost to the club to put on the re match, to open the ground etc. They are operating entirely within the appropriate regs. I am sorry but I don't think the club deserve the (usual) villification from the usual suspects on this board who will use any fuel for their anti ITFC witch hunt.
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Tom
Sunday, February 12, 2012
If you went to a cinema and the film stopped halfway you would get a full refund, if you were having dinner in a restaurant and it was not upto scratch you would get a full refund, if you went to the theatre and the show was cancelled after 39 minutes you would get a full refund. If you go to Portman Road and the game is abandoned after 39 minutes you would be thoroughly out of pocket FACT
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MR.E
Sunday, February 12, 2012
The Law of Equalisation tells the ref that, if it's been well below zero for the last fortnight and minus 17 only three nights ago, as soon as the heated tent comes off, the lovely, warm ground will soak up the surrounding freezing air and, therefore, freeze over well before the end of the game. (or didn't the ref do simple Science at school)
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GAJ
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Apart from the financial loss to the supporters and ITFC, how on earth could PJ capitulate when of far more importance were the three invaluable points that looked very much on the cards. Seems TM has more clout than PJ. Our once great club has a big soft marshmallow centre now. Does PJ understand we will be replaying this game against a reinforced and most likely refreshed side? This is a tough game and you shouldn't give an inch to the opposition.
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JOHN BURLS
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Got to feel for the boro fans, but surely Ipswich fans must realise, it wasnt ITFC's decision to start the game, it was the referee's, cut the club some slack! But hey, ITFC fans seem only truely happy when moaning!
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wanderingwhy
Sunday, February 12, 2012
've just seen the true colour of Ipswich's feeling towards it's fans. I attended the Ipswich middlesbrough game and where i can understand the need to call the game off, i wish to vent my fury at having to pay again to watch the replay. Alas with 50% off. This is an absolute disgrace. When money is tight and what little i do have, i choose to spend on going to a football game i don't expect to have to pay again to see the game to it's conclusion. With the players, chairman and manager getting paid a lot more then i can ever dream of it's still us loyal fans you choose to "FINE". The fact that a person who didn't attend this game can now see the replay for £26, where as those that attended the original game will have had to have paid £39 is just beyond contempt for there fans. I can 100% say i will never be attending another ipswich game again. To be treated with such disdain is an embarrassment for the club.
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anglia owner
Sunday, February 12, 2012
I think Mr Clegg has really got it wrong this time. He cannot possibly suggest that any fan who has already bought a ticket for the Middlesbrough game should pay anything for the re-arranged fixture. Particularly the Middlesbrough fans who have all the cost of the travel again. This will simply damage the reputation of the club and further alienate home fans. I just do not think Mr Clegg has any idea how he is portraying himself and the club to the average loyal supporter.
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Tim Bartlett
Sunday, February 12, 2012
It is truly shambolic that the club reduces the absurdly high ticket prices, then tells fans that unless they take up the offer it will not be repeated, only to have two pitch inspections, to then abandon the game, and ask the very fans that they are trying to entice back, to pay again, a further 50%, meaning that they have ended up paying 12.5% MORE to watch a game with reduced prices, with two lots of travelling costs, programmes, food etc. It is spectacular in it's lunacy, and maybe those that cannot see why I refuse to attend a game until Clegg is gone, can now see why. Evans thinks that Clegg is doing an outstanding job. Jewell comes out with more nonsense, and the injury to a centre-half I said would reveal the lack of depth in the squad has happened. Never has it been more embarrassing to be an Ipswich Town fan, and it doesn;t look like changing anytime soon, with Evans, Clegg and Jewell all in charge of each other's fan clubs, each of which has just two members-each other. Clegg has once more shown himself to be completely out of touch with the supporters, and for the first time EVER I would encourage those supporters still attending games to boycott the re-arranged game, if they are expected to pay a further 50%. The club needs to realise that they are supposed to be attracting supporters, like we used to, rather than alienate them. The 50% charge for attending the re-arranged match must be waived, or I humbly ask that you do not attend to get the message across. In a season of shame, this is a new low point, and I fear it will get worse yet.
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Kevin Bailey
Sunday, February 12, 2012
MR CLEGG on Radio Suffolk Did you hear his interview? Cannot believe the cavalier attitude - we are the shareholders, the customers, The decision to play was purely a business decision, what about the travelling fans Health and Safety? The game should have been cancelled at 11am or before - that would be true Health and Safety!
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Blue and true since 1962
Sunday, February 12, 2012
We are just rubbish at everything nowadays, if only we had the forsight to have installed under soil heating like Norwich we wouldn't get into these embarrasing situations!
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bluemoon
Saturday, February 11, 2012
It seems i'm one of those that this game was supposed to lure back. Having stopped going to matches (and basicaly lost interest all together in football) in the late 90's for various reasons. I have over the last few years gone from having casualy listening to matches on radio suffolk to avidly making a point to listen. So with the discount offer i decided it was time to bite the bullet and attend a game. All was going well with town doing well and myself thinking this could become a more regular thing....and the match is abandomed. It dosent really matter what offer is given for the rematch it will almost certainly be on a week night and as i work permanant lates there is no way i could attend. So currently feel short changed. But!!!!!!! If i'm lead to believe i'm the type of person ( former supporter and lucky enough to have some disposable income) SC and ME are looking to lure back to PR then they need to act in the interest of supporters and not short term profit. I don't even expect a full refund but a 75% reduction to ANY other game this season to people who brought tickets today would mean i would give PR another go and going by the 37 mins i saw today i could get hooked. But if i'm left empty pocketed out of this then i guess its back to the shed and radio i go
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returning fan
Saturday, February 11, 2012
I agree it shouldnt have been played but for gods sake- without undersoil heating how can you legislate for minus 10 plus tempreatures- We have only lost 2 games since we have had that cover and that was watford 2010 and that was even colder. I think undersoil heating should be invested in- Shame about the game as I was watching on internet and we looked great and unlucky not to be ahead
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Philip Wright
Saturday, February 11, 2012
A massive PR disaster for ITFC. What a mess the club is in administratively. Money more imprtant than customer service. Was the owner there? Have to feel desperately sorry for the Boro fans. Can Clegg turn this from a cock-up to a positive? As MK did, offer all the travelling fans free travel and tickets for the re-staging. Very, very poor.
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RH55
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Absolute joke decision. The pitch looked fine, it took a stud and how was it in anyway more dangerous than a wet pitch. Mad amount of Health and Safety waffle. I got home and started watching the England Italy game and wondered how the hell that was played after ours was called off. I feel sorry for the 'Boro fans & think the clubs (that agree with the decision on the other page here) are having a laugh at the fans expense. Moronic.
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I am Spartacus
Saturday, February 11, 2012
As an ipswich town supporter i personally think the game should not of gone a head in the first place because of the ice conditions the referee again made a stupid decision in conditions like this especially when playing football the players welfare is very important for safety but no the game should not of been played wake up ref.
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lee
Saturday, February 11, 2012
two pitch inspections and still the referee allowed the game to go ahead surely the 2pm one should have been the latest for the call off. To play 30+ minutes and then decide was a job making the professional game played by mamby pamby players with the fantastic lifestyles and able to play 1 or 2 games a week soulds a good job to me !! Does the referee only get 50% fee ?
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Nick Ward
Saturday, February 11, 2012
After hearing simon clegg speaking on radio suffolk he has confirmed what l already thought that all he is worried about money fans will be paying out when match is played again why cant supporters just use there tickets again surely lts the fairest way
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merve
Saturday, February 11, 2012
I am not entirely sure that a joke plastic cover which leaves the margins relatively unprotected and difficult to assess can realistically be called 'high-tech' ...short-sighted maybe. The lack of apology over the PA was pretty disastrous as well. Still. trust Clegg to make an unfortunate situation worse - which he did with in spades with his pathetic platitdues in his radio interview which showed a complete lack of understanding.of the difficulties fand face in getting to any replay. A promising day looks at present like a PR disaster... unless the invisible owner puts Clegg right asap on how to attract new customers.
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Rob Steroo
Saturday, February 11, 2012
PS the groundsman were dropping all types of garden fork into the pitch right in front of me after the game was called off, where it was alllegedly dangerous for the poor little mites, right up to the hilt, shaking their heads!!!
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Concerned of Suffolk
Saturday, February 11, 2012
PATHETIC. If any club in the top two divisions cannot put on a match in normal weather conditions they should be relegated. PATHETIC. If any referee can inspect the pitch at 1100 and again at 1400 and decide that it is ok and then be advised by the fourth official that he has got it wrong and simply accept that without actually inspecting the pitch again he should be demoted to non-league football. PATHETIC. From kick-off Tony Mowbray was clearly intent on getting the match called off and Paul Jewell simply capitulated. PATHETIC. Simple Simon then talks of giving a discount to fans who have paid a fortune in travel and ticket prices for a match that wasn't rather than a full refund or ticket for the replay. Wake up Simon - you are responsible for this situation and this apology of a football club.
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peter sadler
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Should've been called off in the first place. Now the fans who want - or can - go the the rearranged fixture will have to pay again. Or was this the CEO's plan anyway?
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Deep Throat
Saturday, February 11, 2012
£1 million on hot air? That pretty much describes all of Town's signings in the last five years!
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Mike Oxlong
Saturday, February 11, 2012
What a shambles.Took three grandchildren today and this happens.CLEGG you are an utter mess sort yourself out or get out.
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brisie58
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Why can other clubsrefs get their act together and make a decision before fans have to start travelling. If it was OK at 11 why did the ref need to check it again at 2 and then he lets the game go ahead only to abandon it? Pathetic. Middlesbrough need 5 hours to get to the game so the inspection should have been at 9 or 10.I'll never travel again if there is an inspection whether it passes or not.
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M4warrior
Saturday, February 11, 2012
ok so about the big air tent we bought a few years backs for £1 million and was told no weather conditions would stop a home game.
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storey78
Saturday, February 11, 2012