Game off

Not a bad set of results for us. Only Oldham and Fleetwood won.

Wouldn't have happened at Belle Vue

Lanza - just what I said to wife. She knows Belle Vue well as I dragged her to games during our last year at DGS/DHS when we first started going out together.

That is a myth about no games being called off because of a waterlogged pitch at Belle Vue.
Someone posted on vsc and pointed out some games that were called off for just that reason, the last one as late as the mid nineties.

In our 11 years at the KMS we have had just two games off for the same reason.

The thing about Belle Vue was that compared with most pitches of the time it was very much more resilient because it was based on sandy soil. And of course matches were played when there was a covering of snow provided it was not too deep. The state of the car park and terraces in relation to spectator safety was not an issue either. (If you met with an accident in those days due to your own carelessness you did try not to blame someone else.)

You could argue that as a sport played in winter, it is up to the players to adapt to any outdoor conditions as they were obliged to, probably at least till the 60s. Judged by today's standards most of the pitches in the wetter rainier parts of the country were unplayable from mid November onwards and it was simply accepted; it was the same for both teams and they had to adapt.

I suspect that you could relate most of what happens today to legal liability. I imagine that insurers will not cover club's liabilities for player injury where playing conditions are regarded as unsafe. (And of course the same would apply to ground safety.)

...clubs'...

Whilst we are rained off can I put in a plug for Rovers award winning fanzine, Popular Stand. It's always a good read but it's the 20th anniversary edition out now.
Take a look at www.popularstand.wordpress.com

Hull City looking at our player with no ability.
Madon

Mason

To be fair he has looked better recently, so perhaps that is what they are judging him on. But it is Sunderland Birmingham and Leeds too that have been mentioned.

I can imagine that players' agents put these stories to the press so as to ensure that their abilities are advertised to the entire potential market. It could also make the current club (DRFC) offer improved or extended terms to their contract.

It may encourage him to maintain his improvement with his reputation enhanced.