Inquiry underway after late match postponment

Feb 23 2010 by Gordon Bannerman, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

THE inquest got under way at McDiarmid Park yesterday as St Johnstone chairman Geoff Brown handled the fall-out created by the late demise of Saturday’s high-profile SPL clash with Rangers, due to be beamed around Britain by Sky.

The PA understands that McDiarmid Park head groundsman Chris Smith has been suspended pending the outcome of a wide-ranging internal investigation.

PA Sport also believes SPL delegate Alan Dick indicated the pitch would be playable when he examined it on Saturday morning.

It would have been playable by a customary 3pm kick-off but that was of no consequence.

And yesterday managing director Stewart Duff stressed: “This is the responsibility of the club and we have to take it on the chin.”

The game was postponed just 60 minutes before the scheduled 12.45pm kick-off with players and fans from both clubs at the stadium. Rival managers Derek McInnes and Walter Smith agreed referee Michael Tumilty had no option. While most of the park was in perfect condition, an area around the penalty box, in the shadow of the Ormond stand, had not defrosted sufficiently.

Mr Duff indicated the undersoil heating had been on “full pelt” in advance of the match and had also been on before the midweek clash with Hibs.

Today, undersoil heating specialists from Cheshire will be at the Perth stadium to examine the Perth club’s system, which was installed 13 years ago.

Mr Duff said: “We have to see whether there was a malfunction in the undersoil heating system.”

Perth chairman Brown, who was down south on Saturday cheering on his prized horse Silver by Nature at Haydock, was at McDiarmid Park seeking answers to an episode which has caused the club embarrassment and financial penalties, with the SPL likely to consider the case next month after examining reports from match officials, the SPL delegate and St Johnstone.

Meanwhile, Sky remain keen to broadcast the re-arranged fixture, with Rangers chasing the title.

But they don’t want it going up against Champions League coverage.

Tickets for the re-arranged game will be valid and in a goodwill gesture to inconvenienced supporters Saints will trim admission prices by £2 to all fans attending the next Perth game between Saints and Rangers. Full refunds are also being offered to fans who can’t attend the re-scheduled game.

Brown admitted the debacle unfolding at McDiarmid took the shine of his horse’s £57,000 triumph in the Blue Square Gold Cup Chase at Haydock.

He said: “Unlike most owners I also breed my horses and Silver by Nature is top notch. It was a big win but unfortunately the football has demanded my full attention.

“It is desperately disappointing for us all. I’m not happy about what happened but I can only apologise again to both sets of fans and we are trying to get to the bottom of it. It’s a unique situation but we have to make sure something like this never happens again.”

The undersoil heating system suffered damage when temperatures plunged to minus 16, low enough to freeze diesel, but has been up and running since then.