Play on it's only a flood

Last updated : 15 November 2002 By Tony Scholes
In charge is Birmingham referee Andy Hall and he is the referee who seems to care not what the conditions are and just goes ahead with the game.

A couple of weeks ago he incredibly gave the Fratton Park pitch the all clear despite standing water but that was nothing compared to the Moss Rose pitch he passed fit just over four years ago.

I don't think anyone on the ground could believe he allowed the Clarets' game at Macclesfield to go ahead that afternoon. There was enough water on the pitch to allow Peter Kay to film his TV adverts for John Smiths.

But it did and he then seemed to lean over backwards to help the home club in a game where he sent off Andy Cooke (a straight red card) and also gave out yellow cards to Gordon Armstrong, Chris Scott, Andy Cooke, Glen Little and debutant John O'Kane.

Since then he has refereed three Burnley games that have all ended in wins. The first was the 1-0 home win against Crewe in the 2000/01 season, he booked Kevin Ball and then last season he booked Glen Little in the 3-2 win at home to Stockport.

He will be the first referee to take charge of two Burnley games this season, he was the referee at Derby at the beginning of September. We won that 2-1 but he booked Ian Cox, Mark McGregor, Ian Moore and Tony Grant along with two Derby players. That booking of Grant has contributed to his suspension that sees him miss tomorrow's game.

On the opening day of the season he kept his cards in his pocket as Sheffield Wednesday and Stoke played out a 0-0 draw but he has been more than busy since. In ten further games he has handed out 55 yellow and 4 red cards. Twice there have been eight yellows in one game. Of the 55 yellows 25 have been given to home team players and 30 to away team players.

Those players to have seen red are Northampton's Ian Sampson in a 1-0 home win against Barnsley, Wayne Routledge of Palace as they drew 3-3 at Watford, Millwall's Matt Lawrence in a 2-1 home defeat to Forest and Danny Maddix as Sheffield Wednesday beat Bradford at home 2-1.

Hopefully there won't be too much rain but it won't matter if there is - we shouldn't expect a postponement this year at Millmoor.