Just seven Cheltenham League games were played this weekend as icy weather led to postponements across all four leagues.
Chair of Montpellier FC Liam Bond, whose weekend League Cup game against Whaddon United Reserves went ahead, is concerned about the ramifications of the abandoned matches.
“I was glad that the game was able to be played, especially with so many others falling victim to the weather. With the team still in four competitions and with the fixtures that come with that, abandonments are not what we want at all.”
Bond was surprised at how much disruption the recent weather has caused.
“I have known plenty of games to be abandoned due to rain waterlogging pitches, but never because of frost. But we can all understand player welfare has to come first and it was extremely slippery.”
Looking onto the next set of fixtures, the 30-year-old wasn’t optimistic about pitches being playable by then, particularly with Sunday’s snowfall.
“I do think next week’s games will be abandoned if this big freeze is here to stay. I hope next weekend’s fixtures are played as it is the last match until after Christmas, but there’s a strong possibility that they will be cancelled, stronger now with the snow.”
The conditions of council pitches this coming weekend are uncertain, with even Cheltenham Town asking for volunteers to clear their pitch of snow ahead of Tuesday night’s game against Chelsea U21’s in the Papa John’s Trophy.
Cancellations have afflicted teams throughout the football pyramid, with Hellenic Division One side Cheltenham Saracens’ game being postponed, as well as Cheltenham Town Ladies’ training session at the Corinium Stadium.
