Voice of Reason Play On
Shooting from the lip
Pitch Battle
If a picture paints a thousand words, we could write a novel on what transpired at Dundee on Saturday.
First of all, let’s be frank. Dundee were nothing if not well intentioned on their own part in wanting the game to go ahead.
They’re on a great run of form in the Championship and, understandably, wanted to maintain their momentum.
By calling the 10.30am inspection, they clearly did the right thing.
But the very fact that inspection was required should have pressed significant panic buttons about the state of the Dens surface.
A local official, called in to run the rule, was happy enough to give the pitch a few more hours to recover.
But the evidence upon Ayr’s arrival – and that of match official David Munro – was pretty stark.
That wasn’t a pitch capable of staging a game, not without significant risk to those taking part.
Munro has taken a fair pasting from the Dundee end, with Dens officials labelling the episode a“fiasco”.
Quite what their complaint to the SPFL and SFA will achieve is anyone’s guess.
Probably not much.
But the bottom line is that Ayr should never have been made to set off on Saturday and everyone would have been saved a lot of hassle.
Players sitting masked up for a four hour round trip on a team bus isn’t exactly a fun day out if you can avoid it.
Hopefully some lessons will be learned from the escapade.
And next Tuesday’s journey will not be one in vain.
SFA chief Ian Maxwell was no doubt acting in good faith at the weekend.
But his offer to suspend the Championship appears to have misjudged the mood in the room.
Comments made by Inverness boss John Robertson sparked the move to consult clubs over a shutdown.
But even Caley themselves have said this was hasty – they are in no rush to put the league on ice.
Still, it goes to show just how precarious the situation is.
From week to week, football literally finds itself standing on the verge.
As an outlet for fans, no matter how physically removed, it remains a vital source of sanity during this prolonged period of lockdown.
And whatever can be done to keep the show on the road, should be done.
Let’s stick at it while we can.