A FIVE HOUR journey for a pint
Fans an afterthought again as Burnley-Spurs is called off
ON THE car park of Burnley Cricket Club, which backs on to Turf Moor, a Tottenham fan knew the answer to the questions but he asked anyway in the hope of some miracle. ‘Is it off? Is it really?’ The long line of people trudging away from the Barnfield Stand, following the two Tottenham Hotspur coaches that crunched up a gravel driveway, provided tangible evidence for this weary soul. It was 1.45pm and there would be no football in these parts. ‘Five hours, £7 in the car park and all for one pint of beer,’ he said. A fan of more than 50 years, he goes to every Tottenham game and sat through the spirit-sapping 0-0 draw at Everton at the beginning of the month, but this postponement was an especially bitter pill to swallow. In some respects, however, he had got away lightly. Spare a thought for one Dallas-based Tottenham fan who had taken a 31-hour journey involving planes, trains and automobiles to see his team in action, only for fate to deal him a wretched hand. Things improved later when Harry Kane tweeted an offer of a home game — as the striker’s guest. Tottenham would have had the backing of more than 3,000 fans in this part of East Lancashire but, 45 minutes before kick-off, match official Peter Bankes deemed there was no option but to accept the elements had won. The forecast was not going to get any better — it was still snowing in Burnley at 4pm — and that meant the added hazard of the external areas of the stadium becoming treacherous for supporters. ‘The groundstaff worked as hard as they could,’ Bankes explained. ‘The best thing to do was to call the game off — which we did after speaking to both managers. ‘There was going to be an opportunity to stop the game every 15 minutes but both managers were in agreement that the spectacle wouldn’t have been very good.’ Fans are adept at gallows humour, but still it was frustrating for everyone that the game could not be staged. Burnley and Tottenham will get the chance to play again at a date in the future but nobody will reimburse those lost travel expenses. Sean Dyche, Burnley’s manager, and his opposite number Antonio Conte were in agreement that it was the right course of action. As hard as Burnley’s groundsmen worked to try to make the pitch playable, every time they swept the touchlines more snow fell and covered them again. ‘In these conditions it’s not football,’ said Conte. ‘I want to play football, I want to have fun, to play and to give emotion. I think in this situation it’s impossible and there is serious risk for the players of injury.’ Tough guy Dyche, who had walked out to inspect the pitch in just his shirt and tie, added: ‘I can’t see how it could go ahead the way the pitch is. It’s a joint decision with everyone. We were ready and I made it clear if it could be played we wanted it on — as did their manager.’ As did all those fans who had ventured here from far and wide. There was no result to dissect in the pubs around the town, but it didn’t change the feeling that they had seen a defeat.