KIT HITS FAN AS FINDLAY BLAMES BELL
by taking his team for a training session on it.
But it was Findlay who was most enraged when the match, which was due to be screened by Premier Sports, was postponed and the former Ibrox director pointed the finger at kitman Bell.
He said: “A referee was summoned but apparently the driving force behind the decision appears to be the Rangers kitman, which seems a bit odd! That is the story that is kicking about.
“The referee looked at the pitch and said areas are unacceptable but I don’t agree. It is a winter pitch. If it is not pouring with rain then it is going to be firm but it will take a key and it would take a stud.
“I certainly don’t see any difficulty and the game should have been played but it has been killed off.”
The Rangers team never even got to Central Park with Bell and security chiefs the main club officials there when the inspection took place.
But Record Sport understands they played no part in the decision to call the game off.
And it was the SFA who ordered the inspection as temperatures plummeted.
A Hampden spokesman said: “Throughout the day we were confident of the game going ahead on the information received.
“We were in touch regularly but as the temperatures began to drop mid-afternoon we insisted on an inspection.”
Rangers made no comment last night when contacted by Record Sport about the accusations against Bell.
The call-off will come at a cost for Cowdenbeath.
Findlay admitted it is a huge financial blow to the League Two club, although it appears Premier Sports will show the rescheduled fixture which is set for Wednesday January 30.
He said: “I don’t want to think about the financial implications. It’s a word you don’t want to print but it is a shambles!
“There are also huge financial implications. There is television and we also had corporate guests
set up and the tickets are non-refundable, although they will be valid for the next game.”
There was huge interest in the tie as Gers signings Jermain Defoe and Steven Davis were set to feature.
But Defoe’s debut and Davis’ return have now been put on ice due to some areas of the pitch being deemed frozen.
The call-off didn’t go down well with Blue Brazil gaffer Bollan and he claimed the fact Cowden then trained on the same pitch proved it was perfectly playable.
Bollan, a former Rangers player, said: “I’m angry and frustrated as we felt we would have been able to make the pitch playable.
“There were two problem areas where frost had got to the surface but it was touch and go.
“It’s a sore one on so many levels but we believed the game could have gone ahead.
“I gathered my players in and made the decision to train on the pitch.”
Bollan also believes their best chance may have gone as Rangers will have new faces bedded in for the rearranged date while some of his players will need to ask for time off in their day jobs.
He said: “Some of my guys have taken days off for this and they will need to do so again next week.
“Whether their employers grant them remains to be seen.”
Cowden secretary David Allan revealed the call-off was down to high winds lifting covers on the pitch.
He said: “A big gale lifted a couple of the sheets off and exposed two or three areas to the cold. The ref won’t be a popular man but I don’t blame him.”