1st weather postponement

[Big Cat]

It's what's under the water that's the issue. If the ground churns to mud under the water - and it may well do so with 22 players crossing over it, then getting your foot stuck in the suction there is asking for a bone break if it happens during a challenge etc.

Hard pitches should be played in the appropriate summer firm ground studs really, but if they're good pitches they shouldn't have any risk of injury outside of awkward landings. Sadly, at grassroots every pitch seems to have a hidden flipping divot somewhere.

3 hospitalised in 9 games as a direct result of falling on summer concrete (not great season stats)
I'm not buying this fearsome ankle breaking mud malarkey; not one iota

There is a thing in horse racing, termed 'false ground'. It can mean that the soft top surface sheers away from a hard pan beneath. However, we're neigh refereeing horses

 

[Sheffields Finest]

3 hospitalised in 9 games as a direct result of falling on summer concrete (not great season stats)
I'm not buying this fearsome ankle breaking mud malarkey; not one iota

There is a thing in horse racing, termed 'false ground'. It can mean that the soft top surface sheers away from a hard pan beneath. However, we're neigh refereeing horses

Well said partner...

 

[Ben448844]

Played OA Saturday and Sunday football for 17 years (and midweek fixtures as and when) and I can't remember a serious injury due to wet weather. Muddy and wet pitches have a lot more give in them. Yes you slip more but with the ground being so forgiving, I've never seen it lead to serious injury. However, if the game becomes farcical or is going to then I'll always call it off and I do recognise that there are circumstances in which wet pitches could contribute to serious injury, but I certainly haven't seen it. Firmer pitches are a much bigger issue. Just my experience. But as a ref if there are areas of considerable standing water or it's an absolute mud bath then I'll call it off. Like this morning.

 

[GraemeS]

Played OA Saturday and Sunday football for 17 years (and midweek fixtures as and when) and I can't remember a serious injury due to wet weather. Muddy and wet pitches have a lot more give in them. Yes you slip more but with the ground being so forgiving, I've never seen it lead to serious injury. However, if the game becomes farcical or is going to then I'll always call it off and I do recognise that there are circumstances in which wet pitches could contribute to serious injury, but I certainly haven't seen it. Firmer pitches are a much bigger issue. Just my experience. But as a ref if there are areas of considerable standing water or it's an absolute mud bath then I'll call it off. Like this morning.

Sounds to me like you had sensible referees and grounds staff that called off matches before getting to a point where it became dangerous?

 

[Ben448844]

Sounds to me like you had sensible referees and grounds staff that called off matches before getting to a point where it became dangerous?

Good and bad experiences. I've told this story on here before but my team turned up to a game in South Manchester (Bredbury) when the overnight temperature was -4 and it wasn't forecast to rise that day. In those days at least 7 players had to turn up even to postponed game and sign the match card in that league.

The pitch was so hard that you couldn't peg the nets or get the flags in and the grass was tinged white. It was frozen solid. The young ref made us play and even checked the nets prior to the game starting despite his lack of worry about the actual frozen pitch. I've played on some horror pitches which were clearly unfit. I've also had games called off where the pitch wasn't unsafe or worthy of a postponement. I'm very experienced when it comes to football and I've seen it all. I have a reasonable idea what constitutes an unsafe pitch and what doesn't imo.