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Posted by Andy Muirhead on 04/02/2011

Today's Celtic away game to Inverness Caledonian Thistle has been called off due to the pitch being waterlogged. A pitch inspection was arranged for 10am, with referee Craig Thomson taking the decision which has enraged EVERY Celtic fan, even more so now that there was no rain from 10am onwards and the sky is now blue.

Celtic fans are not only labelling Inverness amateurish, but they are now demanding their money back, not only from the ticket fee, but also their travelling expenses and I can't really blame them. There is even talk of boycotting the re-scheduled game and subsequent games with ICT.

6.30am - that was the time that the majority of fans left Glasgow at too arrive in time for the game, and the football authorities scheduled a pitch inspection at 10am?

It is not the first time that a game between the two sides was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch. Only a few weeks ago, the Scottish Cup Quarter Final game on 13th March was postponed because the Highland club failed to deal with snow that had fallen overnight. In this day and age, all ground staff know or should know what the weather would be like before every game and then take the necessary action to try to make sure the pitch is protected.

And while it was apparent that the adverse weather conditions in November, December and January played havoc with the games, we are talking about April!

There is technology out there that can help with protecting pitches from rain, and it is more effective than undersoil heating - which some SPL clubs refuse to use anyway because it costs too much.

So what will happen now? The game will probably be re-scheduled for the week of the Scottish Cup semi final against Aberdeen, with Celtic having to play three games in six days, one of which is an important cup game.

The postponement of the game also means that Neil Lennon will now not return to the dugout until the game against St.Johnstone on 12th April.

Should Inverness now be fined for their second failure in so many weeks? What provisions did ICT take to prevent the pitch from being waterlogged, if any? And if they didn't take any was it all because of money? If it was down to financial issues, then the SPL and the SFA must take action against the Highland outfit, by hitting them where it hurts - their wallet. Whether they can afford it or not.

And if the governing bodies do not take action, then every Celtic fan who has lost out financially should send claims to Inverness - by Recorded delivery so that they have to sign for every single letter - legal action is another option, as Rangers fans did when they tried to take Dundee United to task for a call off and subsequent charge for re-scheduled game - ultimately losing the case though. The thousands of Celtic fans could possibly hire Paul McBride QC/CSC/SFA Slayer to tackle Caley Thistle.

For Celtic fans now we have to sit back and watch on as Rangers have the chance to leapfrog us in the league as they play later today. A win and seeing themselves top of the league will give them a boost, while if our game had gone ahead, they would have been under more pressure to deliver for the blue hordes.

Comments

Posted by HighlanderICT on 04/02/2011

What a complete and utter load of **** !!!!

1. Its the ref that calls the game off, not the club. The weather forecast for the area called for extremely heavy rain overnight yet the SPL insist that any inspections must be carried out by the match ref not a local ref. Not a problem in the central belt ... a little bigger 150 miles away ! Exactly how are ICT to blame for the referee's decision?

2. Our pitch was perfect in terms of drainage until we had to install USH as part of the SPL requirements. In the 10 years prior to our promotion to the SPL only ONE game called off in Inverness due to weather. Since then many many more ! you simply cannot fork the pitch any more as USH is near the surface.

3. Never had a game called off at Celtic Park because of weather? I seem to remember standing there one day and having to get back on my bus because the weather caused guttering to fall off the stadium roof .....

understand the frustration, but **** happens and you just deal with it !!!

Posted by Matt on 04/02/2011

Mate, you're a grade a ****, It wasn't ICT's decision to call the game off or make it a 10 am inspection, if the ref had waited it would have gone ahead as planned and if it wasn't for people like your chief exec making undersoil heating mandatory, drainage would be so much easier. and fined for what? it raining? remember pal, a gust of wind called off our game against you's along time ago, were we refunded money? no we got on with it. Dry your eyes.

Posted by Andy M on 04/02/2011

Fact is ICT knew that it would be raining heavily and yet FAILED to do anything about it, leaving the pitch open to the elements.

Why no Pitch coverings? Why no better drainage systems? It was ICT's decision not to install a better drainage system after installing UCH, and it was ICT's decision not to protect the pitch last night.

And the 'gust' of wind you were talking about happened due to gale force winds that battered Glasgow that weekend. And that was ONE game, in the past two/three weeks ICT have had games called off because of waterlogged pitch - convenient isn't it?

Posted by Alan Perkins on 04/02/2011

I would at least start getting all the facts before having a tantrum.
In ICT'S history they have only had 1 postponement due to the weather prior to joining the SPL, the pitch drained well and never suffered from frost due to being close to the sea.
Since joining the SPL,ICT had to pay to install undersoil heating which was never required in the first place, due to having only one SFL postmonement since 1994, the undersoil heating restricts drainage it wasnt wanted and wasnt needed, as for the previous Celtic cup game which was frustrating getting cancelled but as you know snow can be lifted off of the pitch with numerous kind hearted helpers mucking in but as you dont seem to know trying to shovel slush is a differnt story

Posted by TheChief on 04/02/2011

Andy Muirhead, should be D**khead. What a load of crap, if you wanna blame anyone blame the SPL for insisting on installing USH and SFA or not letting local refs do the inspection.

If it wasn't for the game being televised it could well have gone ahead (as a 3pm kick off) as it's been bright and sunny since about 10am and fans would have at least had more notice.

As for making improvements/getting covers if ther is no obligation for this (SPL's decision mind you) but if Celtic fancy paying for it no bother! The green brigade seem to have pleny of money for banners so could give ICT some of that cash.

What is it Celtic fans and their boner for legal action? Do they have stocks in Layers4U or something?

Get over it.

Posted by Rickster on 04/02/2011

@Highlander ICT.

Perhaps it would be an idea to read the article again, or even have someone with a modicum of intellect explain the material facts...

...there's a clear suggestion that the club are accountable for not taking the necessary precautionary measures - many of which there are - and, therefore, are responsible therein.

Of course the ref calls the game off but, if the aforementioned is carried out, that would not be necessary.

Unprofessional.

Amateur.

Just like the SFA, so at least you're comments (and your club) are consistent with the trend.

Posted by Rickster on 04/02/2011

@TheChief

Layers4u?

Maybe if there were some 'layers' on the ICT park the game would have taken place this am!

Posted by Steve maclean on 04/02/2011

What utter garbage this article is. Celtic and Inverness have
Just been unfortunate in that the last two games have coincided with very bad weather immediately prior to the games.

Celtic folk always need to blame someone when things aren't going to plan,..... refs , S.F.A, other clubs, anyone really, but in this case it was bad weather and incase you didn't know, we don't make the weather.

ICTs pitch is widely considered the best surface in Scotland and doesn't have any more of a problem dealing with excess water than any other pitch as our call off record will testify and I'll informed advice on improved drainage and covers are laughable.
Enjoy the nice scenic trip down the A9 home anyway.

Posted by TheChief on 04/02/2011

@Rickster

OOOHHHHH call the spelling police!

Regardless I'm really surprised that the Septic (sorry another spelling error) fans are not delighted that there could be a chance to blame the SFA/SPL for something else.

I had heard though that the ICT groundsman once saw an orange march on the news and also went to a wedding in a Church of Scotland so it's probably another conspiracy against the poor 'greatest fans in the world'.

Posted by gerrit o'pya on 04/02/2011

It's a feckin' conspiracy, a tells ya! Suck it up ya greetin faced bassas.

Posted by Moanthetic on 04/02/2011

"ICTs pitch is widely considered the best surface in Scotland..."

Thanks. I needed a good laugh.

Posted by Rickster on 04/02/2011

@TheChief

What are you on about? Why bring religion into or allude to that at all?

Incompetence is just that, whether it's by ICT, SPL or SFA.

Nobody is suggesting anything else, at least, Celtic fans aren't. That rubbish normally comes via the dross written in the press.

Incidentally, an example of that can be seen in the stories about Lennon's ban. It was not 'reduced' and Celtic did not 'win an appeal'.

Unfortunately, idiots read that garbage and believe it!

Posted by Johnny bravo on 04/02/2011

@moanthetic.

Tommy Cumming of ICT Groundsman of the year in recognition of the best surface ;)

Posted by Its a Conspiracy on 04/02/2011

As Celtic fans are obsessed with facts, here are a few that have been left out from the above article:

1. Tommy Cumming, groundsman of the year.

2. Pre-SPL and USH, ICT had 1 game postponed.

3. Dundee Utd and St Johnstone have both had multiple games postponed this season, games including Rangers and the Glorious Glasgow Celtic. Neither have been fined or deducted points.

Are you seriously suggesting that ICT tried to save a few grand and didn't take any precautions? So let me have a think about how this conversation went:

Tommy Cumming: 'Chairman, we need to protect the pitch'

Chairman: 'Ah afraid not. We have decided to save a few pennies and not take any precautions at all'

Tommy Cumming: 'Yes, I see now. We all know that the cost of protecting the pitch is completely relative to the amount of money the club would receive in TV revenue and matchday income'

And yet, there are Celtic fans commenting immediately afterwards taking every word in this crock of shite as gospel.

Posted by Andy M on 04/02/2011

This Tommy Cumming guy has won the award what once last season? Celtic's Groundsman has won the SPL Groundsman of the Year for THREE Years in a row!

Posted by Its a Conspiracy on 04/02/2011

Taken from the ICT website:


Caley Jags’ stalwart Tommy Cumming has won SFL Groundsman of the Year and Scottish Groundsman of the Year in recognition of his commitment to the playing surface at Tulloch Caledonian Stadium.

The former milkman succeeds Celtic’s John Hayes, the 2009 winner, and all at Caley Thistle are delighted at this accolade to a real character who has been groundsman since the club was launched and built its stadium.

“I’m thrilled to be honoured like this”, says Tommy, “though the players have been giving me stick, saying that it’s a fine surface because I try not to let them near it! When the stadium was built, there were fears in the south that we’d have a lot of home games postponed — and instead we’ve a better record in that respect than most of the south sides.


You muppet.

Posted by Andy M on 04/02/2011

@Its a Conspiracy

Check the article out in the link:

http://bit.ly/gDaDuB

Here's a wee quote:

"The Groundsman of the Year Award is competed for by the winners from the Scottish Premier League as well as Divisions 1, 2 and 3. In the Premier League, the winner was Celtic FC’s John Hayes (who has won the Award three times in recent seasons) and the finalists were David Roxburgh of Rangers FC, Tommy Docherty of St Mirren and Paul Fisk of Aberdeen FC."

Posted by ts a Conspiracy on 04/02/2011

I would think Scottish Groundsman of the Year is better than the SPL award. So with the best groundsman in Scotland, the loss of revenue for the club and our previous record of postponements, how can you even suggest it was the clubs fault? To call ICT unprofessional and amateurish is complete ignorance. Lawwell comes out and (yet again) spouts rubbish and the fans follow.

Posted by congestion conspiracy on 04/06/2011

Well done to the ICT groundsman for being the best groundsman in Scotland.
I take it Ict's grass is greener than paradise

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