Should you abandon a match if..
- Thread starter TravisW12
- Start date
If the ground is frozen, game off. No two ways about it
Otherwise, i'm not telling a dozen or more kids (and parents and coaches) that it's home time, unless there's a very compelling reason to postpone. Very unlikely a grass frost would be a blocker for me
I played on 4'' of fresh snow, we put cones out, on the side and it was 100% my call, no quibbles, fantastic match, 22 happy footballers, no drama queen refereeing....same for both sides. Ice and frost could and should be different but we actually had blazing sunshine... How can 22 WAGs have a morning off if I'd sent them home early!!!! Play on.... next!!!
Yes, but that doesn't mean it is good advice for new referees. If there is 4" on snow on the pitch you have absolutely no idea what is underneath it and therefore it isn't playable. Your situation might have been valid 20 years ago but it isn't any more.
To answer the OP, if it is frost covering the lines you need to see if the lines can be uncovered. If they can, and the ground itself isn't frozen, you can probably get the game on.
It was perfectly playable underneath, I had said that frosty and iced will be different too. It wasn’t 20 years ago but you knew that, but you can’t seem to help yourself in dissing my perfectly good and perfectly valid advice. This personal campaign continues! Why?
santa sangria
RefChat Addict
It’s just not good blanket advice. It’s not reasoned or appropriate given the variety of refs, experience, conditions etc. that might read it. That’s why. But you knew that
You didn't know though, there could be anything underneath the snow like holes, broken glass, etc. If you can't see it you don't know it is there.
Football survived quite well before the snowflakes culture and even with the snowflakes as I proved.
Why is it all the nanny state these days? 22 players happy to play, why be the Elf of Safety when you don't have to be! Its not always about you!!! But you didnt know that!!! ;0 Happy New Year!!
one
RefChat Addict
There is a
I don't have a fact source for it but just through experience and memory. I'm sure someone has don't some stays on this.
Yes football did survive but many players were not as lucky. The number of retirements due to injury was way more up to the early 21st century . Be it due to conditions of play or the type of tackles that were allowed to go unpunished or lightly punished. Keep in mind that top player play more football now than they did in the past.Football survived quite well before the snowflakes culture and even with the snowflakes as I proved.
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I don't have a fact source for it but just through experience and memory. I'm sure someone has don't some stays on this.
LothianRef
Member
Sometimes it can be removed to a certain extent. A few weeks ago I spent 20 minutes pre-match clearing the lines. It also cleared as the game went on. I only let the game go ahead because it was on 3G though - if it had been on any of the adjacent grass pitches it would’ve been off.
I'm leaning towards agreeing with @Sheffields Finest throughout this discussion
All this talk of risk/danger/injury is largely mythical imo
I have a pack of slightly raised high visibility training discs in the car, which I've used quite a few times to get games on. Frequently (especially in youth football), the lines are very feint and I've used the discs on that section of the pitch
Aside from playing on frozen ground, there's nothing more dangerous than playing on summer concrete (which is all the more common these days). I bang on about this latter point frequently. I don't understand why this is obvious to everyone
All this talk of risk/danger/injury is largely mythical imo
I have a pack of slightly raised high visibility training discs in the car, which I've used quite a few times to get games on. Frequently (especially in youth football), the lines are very feint and I've used the discs on that section of the pitch
Aside from playing on frozen ground, there's nothing more dangerous than playing on summer concrete (which is all the more common these days). I bang on about this latter point frequently. I don't understand why this is obvious to everyone
afronaut81
Well-Known Member
With frost you can probably see the tell the condition of the ground (ie is it hard). If the players do a simple warm up on it that may tell you more.
The home team may be able to sweep the lines too.
Ultimately though if you can't see where the penalty area is or the touchline of the pitch, the game could easily become farcical.
The home team may be able to sweep the lines too.
Ultimately though if you can't see where the penalty area is or the touchline of the pitch, the game could easily become farcical.
Instruct the CARs/ARs that they must super helpful. Get the game on.... within extremes of reason
Small-sided games, it's easy for the ref to get around the entire pitch quickly
zarathustra
RefChat Addict
The risk isn't mythical, as referees our primary role is to ensure the safety of the players, you can't necessarily do that if the pitch is under 5" of snow.
I've had games where there have been sharp sticks, bits of broken bottles, and shredded/ripped up beer cans stuck in the ground. I also know a referee who turned up for a youth game and found a sharp kitchen knife on the pitch. And then you also have the obvious dog mess etc. 5" of snow will absolutely hide all of that, unless you check every single inch of the pitch (or the home team clear the pitch) there's always the chance you'll miss something.
Summer pitches I agree with, although the difference between a baked summer pitch and frozen winter pitch is often that in the winter you often find that there can be sharp "ridges", if that's the right word, which could cause a nasty injury.
In terms of the OP, if the ground isn't frozen, then the frost is unlikely to be so bad that the home team can't clear it from the areas of the lines so the game can start, and then the frost will most likely melt over the course of the game in any case.
Thats an absolute myth, back in the day up to the 70s teams regularly had squads of a maximum 15, my guess would be faster more athletic players, sh1tty thin boots, travelling and too many games are far more factors to get injuries than ever poor pitches or crappy tackles were!
This safety thing is right but certainly over egged!!!
You've added an inch!
I'd consider moving
No need for a comparison as I'm dead against frozen pitches, but it is hypocritical to preach player safety when we all give the green light to summer concrete (3 hospital jobs I had before this Autumn's rains arrived)
The snow debate is pointless anyway because we wouldn't get close to a snow covered pitch these days
I found a used syringe on a pitch years ago, imagine if that was under cover of snow and someone fell on it?
I completely get that things used to be different, but we live in the current world not the past. Not just in football, culture itself has changed with stricter laws and more litigation.
if the pitch is frozen then call the game off. Especially if the pitch it already cut up and not flat due to flooding. That’s when people can cut themselves on the ice.
From experience frozen muddy goalmouths are the worse so even if it’s just them I’d call the game off.
But also do bear in mind that ice can melt and if it’s just warming off maybe see if you can delay the game by 15-20 minutes if you think the ice will clear.
From experience frozen muddy goalmouths are the worse so even if it’s just them I’d call the game off.
But also do bear in mind that ice can melt and if it’s just warming off maybe see if you can delay the game by 15-20 minutes if you think the ice will clear.