Blackpool’s big Boxing Day fixture with Liverpool is in danger of being called off because of the effects of the cold weather. Two league games have already been postponed this season against Manchester United and Spurs. The club could face a substantial fine from the Premier League.
Blackpool’s big Boxing Day fixture with Liverpool is in danger of being called off because of the effects of the cold weather. Two league games have already been postponed this season against Manchester United and Spurs. The club could face a substantial fine from the Premier League.
They are the only club in the Premier League not to have undersoil heating and they could be found in breach of rule 127 which requires clubs either to have such heating or a suitable alternative. The club has been looking at ventilated hot air domes which are used successfully by rugby clubs, but none are currently available and their installation requires preparatory surveys and work if they are to function properly.
Fulham lacked undersoil heating last year, but installed it in the summer. Portsmouth also lacked it, but they were relegated. Of course, no system can cope with the heavy snow falls that have been experienced in some parts of Britain and in any case a game can be called off because approaches to the ground are dangerous – although this seems to happen less at the top level than in lower divisions.
In Scotland Falkirk are one of the few Scottish Football League teams to have undersoil heating, but they were unable to get a game with Partick Thistle played. Scottish clubs are suffering serious cash flow problems as a result of the freezing weather, exacerbated by the fact that some of them spend approaching 100 per cent of turnover on wages.