Tinpot! Wednesfield v Darlaston fiasco

[Sultan of Cannock- SRFC]

A couple of weeks back we finished our Saturday shift early enough for me to take in a local game. The Express & Star listed my hometown team, Wednesfield, as hosting Darlaston just down the road so i repaired happily to my alma mata for the first time in nearly 3 decades to watch my first live Saturday footy in nearly 4 years.

Seemed a bit strange that there was nobody at the entrance to take my money, but there were a fair number of folk sitting out drinking at the far end so i parked myself up behind the goal where i used to stand with my Dad.

10 to 3 and still no players, then a man who i took to be the gateman came up to the entrance. Turns out he was a fellow would-be spectator who told me that the game was cancelled due to Darlo not paying a League fine, leaving me still not having seen any live Saturday footy in nearly 4 years.

No-one come out of this with with much credit. Had the E&S printed an up to date fixture list, i had time to plan to go elsewhere. Unless the League failed to tell them. And what were the West Midlands League doing imposing such a sanction anyway? Darlo have played subsequent fixtures. The game status has changed on the WML website from "cancelled" to "postponed " and they certainly have not awarded the points to Wednesfield.

Darlos are at fault for incurring and then not paying the fine, while if Wednesfield had put a simple "GAME OFF" notice at the entrance, i could at least have pushed on to Wolverhampton United.

To all concerned, a big thanks a LOT folks and a round of (sarcastic) applause. TINPOT! TINPOT! TINPOT!

[ambersalamander]

That is actually pretty shocking. How did they expect you just to know this? As you said, a simple sign would have done the job, if making sure the local paper printed a correction in time wasn't possible. Tinpot indeed!

[Sultan of Cannock- SRFC]

I think part of the problem is down to the fact that Wednesfield's attendances are measured in 10's rather than hundreds. The cancellation of a game at the Cottage Ground is highly unlikey to rate a mention on the broadcast media. At least until radio WM do the non-league scores at 6:45 in the evening.

To muddy the waters Wolves were on sky that day for a lunchtime kick-off so all the Wednesfield "regulars" had turned up early to see it at the social club and seemed happy to stay on drinking afterwards, game or no game. Had i bothered to walk down to the social club on arrival then i would've found out for myself it was game off, but having no interest in either the dogheads or in boozing couldn't be bothered walking down there.

Only 2 other people than me actually turned up at 2.30-2.45 for match itself, so at the end of the day, i'm sure Wednesfield didn't lose out financially and probably made more money from extra booze sales to those 20-30 people who usually would've watched the game.

Just means that if another opportunity for an early finish comes and Stafford Rangers are away ( or it's too late to get there) then i'm off home instead as the West Midlands League obviously can't be trusted!