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Torpoint Athletic V Plymouth Parkway 9/1/08


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Just a few notes for those interested in the first match under floodlights at The Mill.

Programmes - any person unable to make it to the game, but wishes to purchase a commemorative programme. Please send an SAE and payment of £1-00 to the club ( address on www.torpointathletic.co.uk)

Parking - We are holding a reception for invited guests from 6pm, so envisage the club car park to be full early. Please allow time to find street parking.

Entry - the turnstile will be open at 6-15pm with the official "switch on" at 6.30pm..

Finally, if you are planning a trip to The Mill, come over and say hello.

only 70 hours and 40 mins to go :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

then :drink::drink: :drink:

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The match was called off before it even started. It would appear the referee did not think the game would finish as it would become to dangerous. Can't blame him for that but I would have thought the game could at least have got underway and see what happened.

It was a shame because there were dignitries from around both counties, the league, the town lord mayor and many more were in attendance.

In fairness with heavy frost forecast I guess you couldn't blame the referee as he has the protection of the players to consider.

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It was a shame because there were dignitries from around both counties, the league, the town lord mayor and many more were in attendance.

I agree with what you are saying, it was a shame for all the good work put in by Torpoint - but unfortunately the dignatories would not have been subjected to possible injury - the players would have - they have to go to work on Monday. :D

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It was a major setback for the club. With all the hardwork the club had put in to get this game ready, Yes it was cold, but I am sure the officials could had started the game and if it was too dangerous then abandon the match. The condition of the pitch was no different to a pre-season friendly. Will officials refuse to play pre-season friendlies when the pitches are hard in July/August ? There was a pitch inspection at 4pm, pitch playable.

Yes players had to go to work on the Monday, but players take that risk everytime they walk on a pitch. They did switch on the lights and they looked very good, covered the whole area of the pitch.

Credit to Torpoint Ath FC for all there hard work over the last 2 years

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. Will officials refuse to play pre-season friendlies when the pitches are hard in July/August

:( To be fair hedgerow re the above - I have experienced matches being cancelled in september, due to the hard pitches as no doubt in a former life you have, so it does occurr. I accept your point about players having a risk when they walk on to the pitch, but that is life, we all have that risk when we walk out the door. The point I am making, is that additional risk is not necessary, the Match Officials obviously thought this as well. <_<

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Can I say how dissapointed I was with the match assessor last night .

The match referee had already called the game off at 18.00hrs and at 19.00hrs the assessor went around the ground putting a key in to the pitch then decided to come over to the Torpoint and Parkway contingent and tell them very loudly that he would have played it and the Ref had got it wrong

Now with this respect the Ref campaign we have this season what is all that about,really bad man management from the assessor,this is no different from the Ref sending a player off and the assessor shouting from the stand hey youve got that wrong.

This should be done behind closed doors and in a professional manner,if the assessor had turned up with the Ref then perhaps he could have given him his words of wisdom and not slated him behind his back.

Of course a lot of people were dissapointed but I have to agree with home waters the players safety is the most important thing and I think the Ref got it right.

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Guest Mark Hayman

Baldy,

Just to put the record straight.

As officers of the League you will find that we actually like to go and watch teams who compete in our League, strange as that might seem and not sit at home waiting for results to come in. For a 7.30 kick off, the League Secretary set off at 4.00 from Exeter and myself at 4.30, via the train station in Newton Abbot after picking him up, quite how you expect the postponement forum to be updated does raise a smile - to be polite.

The referee called the game off at 6.00 (we had arrived at 5:45) and his decision is final - end of, despite the vastly contrasting opinions of people there on the night. As a League imagine if the game had started and a player had broken a limb in the opening minutes, the uproar that would have followed that would have been very hard to defend especially to both clubs, the player, the players employer and ultimately his family. Player safety must remain paramount.

You were disappointed to travel a round trip of ninety miles, I was disapoointed to do a round trip of seventy miles, imagine the disappointment of all those hard working people at Torpoint Athletic who have driven this project forward and on the night were very professional in everything they did.

Our postponements Forum is a well used tool by ourselves and SWPL followers (as is unfolding this morning)but a phone call to the host club to check if the game is "on" is always a sensible measure, especially when there is a chance of saving ten litres of fuel - a frustrating night all around but well done to Paul and the officers of the club for their handling of proceedings and indeed to the officials of Plymouth Parkway.

Mark Hayman

SWPL Vice Chairman

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Thanks Mark and to everyone there for their kind comments.

Torpoint AFC did everything by the book to try and avoid wasted journeys last night. For that reason a referee was called in at 4pm to make an early decision. At that point the game was still on and the pitch playable. The match referee at 6pm thought different. His decision as Mark said is final and we respect that. There was no one more gutted that mayself last night, especially with over 60 VIP's in the club for a pre match buffet etc. etc.

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Just to put the record straight ..

I wasn't having a go at the SWPL forum or league officials or Phil in particular. I could have mentioned there was no info on Radio Cornwall either, as far as I know. The club hyped their achievment on this forum - nothing wrong with that. I'm sure it's been a struggle to get it all together. Just a pity it didn't happen for all concerned.

As for the postponemnt service .. yes I use it every Sat that I am watching a local game. Always useful to have a 2nd and 3rd choice just in case and I know Phil usually signs off with "thats all folks - I'm off to watch a game now". It is an excellent service and many people use it.

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Guest Peppermint

First of all heartfelt commiserations to Paul and Torpoint Athletic - no one can do anything about the weather.

Hopefully Torpoint will have another great night to celebrate their achievements in providing floodlights at their ground.

Secondly - the information regarding the Assessor - and his comments - this is disgraceful and undermines the match referee. What absolute arrogance - the referee is trying to think of players safety etc and this clown makes matters worse. Perhaps an assessor can come on the Forum and explain those actions - I feel sorry for the referee - as someone has already mentioned that conversation should have been done behind closed doors.

Another point I notice that Argyle's game is off today so if a professional club as to call matches off what chance us poor mortals!!!!!!

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Guest The Judge aka RED OR DEAD

Another point I notice that Argyle's game is off today so if a professional club as to call matches off why chance us poor mortals!!!!!!

Are you saying that the match at Mount Wise is at risk today ? Need to know asap so that we can head off to St Just for the Combo match instead.

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Guest Peppermint

Don't panic Judge - I was at Mount Wise at 10 am and the pitch is good order. The sun was shining and the temperature a balmy 5 degrees! Bring your sunglasses Mark - I am at Wadebridge reporting so hopefully see you later.

I just made the comment re Argyle because they are a professional club with full time ground staff and they have to postpone - I was having some sympathy for Torpoint after their disappointment.

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Guest Uncle Albert

On the subject of last night's postponement, don't the league employ a press officer whose job it should be to inform members of the league, as well as supporters of league teams, as to whether games are on or not?

In these days of mobile phones, surely the information that the game was off after a 6pm inspection could have been relayed at that time by Torpoint Athletic FC to the press officer via a phone call or a text message.

If that had happened, I am sure the press officer would have been able to put the postponement on the website very shortly afterwards. It may have saved a journey or two for those prepared to spend their hard-earned money to support the Peninsula League.

Maybe the league's press officer was even at the ground at the time, as one of the VIP guests enjoying a pre match meal? I don't know.

But those who turn out to watch games in this league are usually the last people to concern the league. As long as all the VIPs were there in time for their meal, why worry about the supporters?

I think, on this occasion, Mr Hayman and company, you were complacent last night; took your eyes off the ball. A normally well-run organisation forgot who the important people are.

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Sorry Home Waters but I'm going to bother to reply!

We have to be careful on this CORNISH SOCCER Forum that we aren't seen to be debating these sort of things too much, particularly the bad points only. The South West Peninsula League is by far the best run league I have ever come across. As was confirmed by Uncle Albert - it is normally a very well run set-up, and because of this it becomes sensitive when little things happen to which individuals comment upon.

However, they are also lovers of the game, as they should be, and cannot be expected to be at the game and at the end of mobiles and computers, all the time!

Mike Sampson, the League Press Officer, has commented on the SWPL Forum.

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Guest Uncle Albert

I won't have that said, Home Waters. It can't be all of the things you say - I've read your posts.

Only joking . . . and only trying to add to the debate which, I presume, is what a forum is for.

I forgot that Plymouth Parkway is very close to those who run the league, and criticism of any sort is frowned upon.

Very naive of me. All the best to all at Plymouth Parkway, a fantasically-run football club. I am a great admirer of your manager and the football his teams play.

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If the game was called off at 6pm there was surely plenty of time to get something on the various forums. We are in the 21st century, or at least most of us are, and with laptops, mobiles etc, it should have been done immediately, informing all the news outlets. LETS GET REAL

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Guest Uncle Albert

The voice of reason as ever, Nugget.

I've got a friend who works in the local media who tells me the first official notice of last night's postponement from the league was nearly half past nine.

As I said in my earlier post, a well-run league missed a trick last night. That's all.

This forum, or the CSWPL forum, or thisiscornwall, etc, could have had news of the postponement by 6.30pm.

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Thats crazy Uncle Albert, 3 and half ours after decision was made, game would have been finished by then!

No one is saying that the SWPL league is not a top notch outfit, but on this occasion there was obviously an error and lets hopes the lesson is learned for the future.

Moving forward as always into the sunset!

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