Southport Football Club Expresses Disappointment at Eastleigh Match Postponement

Southport Football Club wishes to place on record its deep disappointment regarding the late postponement of today’s scheduled fixture at Eastleigh.

The Club spoke with Eastleigh Football Club on Friday, at which point we were explicitly assured that there were no issues whatsoever with the pitch and that no inspection was planned or required. On that basis, and with no indication of any concerns, Southport proceeded with its normal match preparations.

Our squad and staff travelled to the south coast the night before the fixture, requiring players to take time off work and the Club to incur significant accommodation and travel costs. At no stage prior to lunchtime on matchday were we made aware of any potential issues with the playing surface.

We were only informed of a problem when the match referee arrived at the ground on the day of the game and subsequently deemed the pitch unplayable.

We now understand that the referee had spoken with Eastleigh Football Club on Thursday and requested to inspect the pitch on Friday, only to be advised that such an inspection was not necessary.

The Club is extremely frustrated by the situation and the circumstances surrounding the postponement. The late nature of the decision has resulted in considerable and avoidable financial cost to Southport Football Club and significant inconvenience and expense to our loyal travelling supporters, who once again showed outstanding commitment in following the team.

We fully respect the authority and decision of the match referee once on site. However, we believe the events leading up to today’s postponement raise serious questions, particularly given the assurances provided to us less than 24 hours before kick-off.

Southport Football Club will be seeking further clarification from the relevant parties and will consider all appropriate next steps. We would like to thank our supporters for their understanding and continued backing in what has been an extremely disappointing situation for all concerned.