Source: Team_Talk
Saints sorry for late postponement
The Scottish Premier League clash at McDiarmid Park was postponed an hour before the match was set to kick-off at 12:45pm because of a frozen section of the playing surface.[LNB]Rangers were only aware there was a chance the game could be in danger when they arrived at the ground around 11:15am.[LNB]Ibrox chief executive Martin Bain revealed: "I've just had a meeting with St Johnstone and expressed our concerns as to why there wasn't a phone call this morning.[LNB]"It appears however that St Johnstone have put their hands up and accepted total responsibility. That being the case we've tried to see how we go forward from here.[LNB]"The club has accepted 100% responsibility and accepts that human error might have come into it too."[LNB]Tickets will be valid for the re-arranged fixture, while fans unable to make the new date will receive a full refund.[LNB]In addition, as a gesture of goodwill, admission prices for Saints' next game against Rangers will be reduced by £2 per person.[LNB]Neither manager had any complaints about the decision to postpone the match but Rangers boss Walter Smith was surprised by the late call-off.[LNB]He said: "We came to play the game and the first I knew about it was when I was walking about the pitch and was then told there was a section of the surface which was dangerous.[LNB]"It is dangerous and the referee's decision is the correct one.[LNB]"We had stayed in a hotel in Dunkeld and it is a concern that we had no inclination that the game was going to be called off or even that it was in any kind of danger."[LNB]The Scottish Premier League has yet to confirm a re-arranged date but Smith wants no distractions ahead of next Sunday's crunch Old Firm derby.[LNB]He added: "There's not a fixture pile-up as such but it does give us some awkward decisions to make with regard to when to play this game. We were looking forward to a clear week going into the Old Firm game so I would still want that."[LNB]Saints boss Derek McInnes said: "It's a total shock and I wasn't expecting this at all. I arrived at 9am this morning and it was first brought to my attention how hard the 18-yard box was.[LNB]"The revenue is too important to this club not to do everything to get the game on but we've been unable to get it on.[LNB]"There is a real frustration and disappointment but it is the right decision, of that there is no question."[LNB]An SPL spokesman said: "The SPL is extremely disappointed. The next step will be to review the reports from both the match delegate and the referee. It's too early to judge the rights and wrongs of the timing of this postponement."[LNB]A statement from Saints read: "St Johnstone Football Club wishes to apologise to all supporters for the late postponement of our game against Rangers FC at McDiarmid Park on Saturday 20th February 2010.[LNB]"Our undersoil heating was switched on for our midweek game against Hibernian FC and worked perfectly.[LNB]"The heating was again switched on on Thursday prior to our game today but an area in the penalty box at the Ormond Stand end of the ground was found to be hard.[LNB]"The match referee, Mike Tumilty, felt that this area could be dangerous for players of both clubs and called the game off. Both managers agreed with the decision.[LNB]"Once again, St Johnstone Football Club can only apologise for the inconvenience caused to all supporters."[LNB][LNB]
