What's going on, who is telling the truth?

Last updated : 19 February 2002 By Tony Scholes

How much money has this cost our club because the fixture against Bradford City has now twice been postponed when one or the other has failed to do its job? It was called off on New Year's Day because of a frozen pitch and the explanation given by the club was at very least somewhat difficult to believe.

Tonight despite the Match Saver cover being on the game was called off because of a waterlogged pitch. When we bought this cover our ground director Clive Holt proudly told us that it would take fog or conditions outside Turf Moor to get a game called off but midway through February the postponed signs have now gone up three times in 2002.

It was said in the Centre Spot when the announcement came that the covers had not been on all day, that they were not on at lunchtime. I wasn't able to see the pitch at lunchtime today so have to take the word of somebody who did see it.

Clive Holt has issued a statement through the club's official site that says, "Unfortunately the rain is incessant and the covers kept the pitch clean and dry, up until we started to take them off. We started to take them off at about 6.15 and it was a perfectly playable pitch, but unfortunately the weather forecast between now and midnight is for the same conditions, which is very, very heavy rain.

"The referee decided that, although the pitch was playable at that time, he didn't feel it was right to admit spectators as the match might not finish."

Mr. Holt tells us that the pitch was perfectly playable when the covers came off but others who saw it say that is not the case. Radio Lancashire, already inside the ground, immediately announced that there was surface water there as soon as the covers came off and people in the Harry Potts Executive Suite also said that it was obvious the game could not go ahead as soon as they came off with water everywhere.

Even Bradford City themselves have let the cat out of the bag and have said that when the covers were removed water was laying on the surface.

If Mr. Holt's statement is correct, and why would he lie to us, then can anyone explain why the opposition, Radio Lancashire and guests in the Executive Suite all have a different story to tell.

One thing for certain is that once again Burnley Football Club have shown their supporters no respect whatsoever with a late postponement with no warnings until the postponement came. That's twice we have been called off against Bradford City with no warnings whatsoever. Isn't it about time we got it right? I can assure the club that there were a lot of angry fans outside Turf Moor this evening.