In a surprising turn of events, Ipswich Town supporters were left bewildered and financially strained after their much-anticipated match against Portsmouth was called off for the second time within a month.
The Tractor Boys were set to compete in a Championship game on the south coast this evening, but officials from both clubs announced the postponement due to a waterlogged pitch. This decision comes just weeks after the match had initially been rescheduled because of a frozen field.
Frustrated fans expressed their displeasure over the repeated cancellations, highlighting the considerable inconvenience caused by these disruptions. For instance, Tim Kenny found himself two hours and 94 miles into his journey to Fratton Park when he received the disappointing news. Having taken two days off work and booked a hotel, he was looking forward to sharing the experience with his nephew, who had received a ticket as a Christmas gift.
"When I first saw the messages, I thought it might be some sort of prank. However, sitting in traffic on the QE2 bridge allowed me to cool off a bit," Kenny shared. He faced an uncertain choice: should he continue on to Portsmouth for a night out with his nephew, or should he head back home? "I'm no expert, but surely there must be some minimum standards for maintaining pitches, along with penalties for failing to meet those standards."
Interestingly, statistics reveal that the average rainfall for January in Portsmouth over the past five years has been around 90mm, yet this January alone, it reached 205mm, as reported by the club. Prior to these two matches, Portsmouth hadn't experienced a home game postponement due to weather since January 2013, when they faced Notts County.
The match, which was scheduled to begin at 19:45 GMT, will be rescheduled for a later date, which has yet to be announced. However, if the new date falls within this month, fan Andy Cumbers has stated he won't be able to attend due to lack of available leave. "I took a half-day off my last vacation day, and now that's gone. It's incredibly frustrating," Cumbers lamented, expressing disbelief that he hadn’t been informed of any potential risks to the game before setting off.
"Portsmouth’s pitch simply doesn't meet the requirements for modern professional football, especially at such a competitive level," he added.
Paul Munnings, another disappointed supporter, echoed similar frustrations. "I was caught off guard, especially since I had just booked a non-refundable hotel. Fortunately, the hotel staff were understanding and refunded my booking," he said. He recounted how he had nearly arrived in Portsmouth during the previous match's cancellation. "It can’t be that difficult to put covers on the pitch if rain is expected!"
Craig Finbow, a podcaster for Ipswich Town's Blue Monday, also faced disappointments as he planned to drive to the match with his son, Oscar. He too lost half a day's leave and incurred additional costs for parking. "It’s hardly a surprise to see some rain in this country; they manage to play football matches even at the amateur level despite less-than-ideal conditions," he noted. "So, to have two games called off due to a waterlogged pitch in the present day is quite puzzling. I doubt Portsmouth will offer any refunds, considering they can't even hire a few workers to clear the water off the field."
In response to the mounting criticism, Portsmouth FC has opted not to issue a public statement regarding the situation.
