Fans blast ref for premature United postponement

Although temperatures dipped below minus eight on Thursday night meaning the Seasiders' attempts to make the pitch playable, using protective covering and hot-air blowers, were in real danger of danger of being called off most fans were confident that the game could still survive a late pitch inspection with visitors United and their fans being less than 45 minutes from the town.

Depsite the option available of waiting until Saturday when the weather situation was known to be improving the match however was then spurprisingly officially called off on Friday afternoon after referee Peter Walton carried out an inspection.

A statement on the club's website, www.blackpoolfc.co.uk, read: "Mr Walton expressed concern that the severely affected areas of the playing surface would not thaw sufficiently for the game to be completed."

But the expected overnight thaw and rising temperatures on the Fylde coast has probably made the pitch playable with fans only reporting light rain in the area.

It's quite clear that one of the biggest games in 40 years on the coast has been unneccessarily called off leaving fans angry at the hasty decision and the club without one of its biggest weekend fixtures in decades.

Source: PA