SAG 1 Football 0

The past weekend again resulted in thousands of football fans losing out, many seeing considerable amounts of money wasted due to the excessive 'Big Brother' powers which the SAG wield, and seemingly find the weakest of excuses to use. We are heading towards a situation where whenever the mildest of bad weather is forecast it will be wiser to attend a local league football match that either cannot be sabotaged by the SAG, or which they don't have the manpower or desire to target.

And it's only when high profile figures such as Neil Warnock speak out, that the media give it a mention. Warnock labelling the calling off of Cardiff's game at Derby on Saturday 'a disgrace'. The game a none starter "following discussions between Derby County, Derbyshire Police and the local Safety Advisory Group (SAG)".

As the week has gone on Derbyshire Police have claimed not to have been involved in the final decision. I can believe that as the SAG would be the clear and obvious first suspects.

As Cardiff's Chief Executive states: '"I have asked Derby to reimburse 2,700 of our fans for their tickets and their travel."   link SAG -KGB


Cardiff’s manager, Neil Warnock, described the decision to announce the postponement at 8.30am on Sunday as “scandalous” and a “disgrace”. The kick-off was due at noon. “We came up yesterday and obviously the snow, but I think it’s a disgrace quite frankly,” he told Sky Sports News from Pride Park on Sunday. “There’s nothing here, the car parks are clear, all the shops are open. I’m very disappointed. "Safety? We’ve come from the middle of the countryside on the coach and the roads have been perfectly all right, so I just don’t know where they’re coming from with this,” he added. “It leaves a sour taste. I think it’s scandalous.”

link - SAG Go Power Mad



But it was only today, with the scandalous SAG organisations the furthest thing from my mind that by sheer accident I noticed this:

FOOTBALL fans were left fuming after a fruitless 500-mile round trip to Kent.

More than 1200 Blackburn Rovers fans travelled to Gillingham on Saturday to watch the League One leaders only to find that the game was called off due to bad weather - despite fans saying there was no snow.“At approximately 11.15am, the club was again contacted by Gillingham, who confirmed the postponement of the fixture on the grounds of spectator safety, a decision supported by the local Safety Advisory Group. “They said it had been called off due to snow, but when we arrived there wasn’t a bit of snow to be seen.” Mr Birbeck, who travels to all of Blackburn’s away games has said that people on the coach will have paid in excess of £100 to be there on the day, money they’re not sure they will get back.


And amongst the comments:

Sadly we now live in a world where the Health and Safety experts call the shots. With an Amber weather warning from the Met Office for ice and snow and the local Safety Advisory Group agreeing that the safety of the public was at risk, although the report doesn't say who the Group were agreeing with, the Club really had no alternative than to call off the match, with the agreement of the match referee. Had there been an accident causing injury to just one spectator, the Club would have been found to be in breach of Health and Safety Regulations leading to a possible criminal conviction with a huge fine and the potential for damages to be paid to the injured. No League 1 Club club afford to risk that.

The comments about the referee not inspecting the pitch and the views expressed that the pitch was playable are irrelevant.

link - SAG 1 Blackburn Fans 0

                  SAG make history at Bolton


The SAG have played their part in making football league history, as they take a central role in buggering up determining what remains of Bolton and Brentford's 2018/19 season.

A spokesman said: Following the decision taken by Bolton Wanderers’ Safety Advisory Group (SAG) to issue a Prohibition Notice preventing Tuesday’s rearranged Sky Bet Championship fixture with Brentford from taking place, the EFL will not be asking that the game is played at a future date.

And with there being no provision under EFL regulations to direct clubs to play at a later date than four days past the conclusion of the season, Bolton SAG would have been well aware that their decision this morning, would give no chance for the game to now take place, given the short window of opportunity that existed for this season.

Consequently the EFL were left with little option than to award the points to Brentford, by dreaming up a 1-0 win to the Bees. 'The decision to cancel the fixture is believed to be a first in both Wanderers and Football League history' trumpets the local paper, as Bolton SAG claim the headlines ahead of many of it's jealous rivals.

While there are annoyed Season Ticket holders claiming they've already paid for the match, and wondering whether they've now been added to a long list of BWFC's creditors, it's the young players who were denied a football league appearance by officialdom last week, who I feel particularly sorry for. A chance taken from them, for whom several will never get close too again. While the reality and excitement of playing in the actual football league would have given each and every player an abundance of energy, 21st century snowflakery considerations, cruelly snatched the dream away from these lads. It seems that as they'd taken part in a half paced youth match, they were not allowed to put their football boots back on for 72 hours. Instantly banning them from fulfilling a dream come true. A do gooders rule no doubt, but one that will haunt possibly every member of the Bolton Wanderers Youth Team, perhaps for the rest of whatever football careers they have, as how many, if any, of those lads who dreamed of pulling on the shirt of Bolton's first team, or playing at Championship level, will make the grade ?

Wouldn't it be good to see the 3,500 paid up Bolton Trust members join with fans to raise cash to employee a reasonable number of stewards for next Tuesday night, and everyone turn up outside the stadium. The Youth team in kit and boots ready to play. A couple of rousing speeches later, and then with torches lit, the large and angry crowd descend upon Bolton SAG headquarters.