Leicester City confident game will go ahead against Middlesbrough
Leicester City will do all they can to ensure tonight's Championship clash with Middlesbrough goes ahead, head groundsman Ed Mowe has pledged.
Heavy snowfall is forecast to hit most of Britain today with up to 25cm predicted in some areas and Mowe said the club had been preparing for the wintry weather.
City have a proud history of games going ahead at the King Power Stadium, despite bad weather, and only one game has previously fallen victim, in 2007.
A team of snow clearers and gritters will be working frantically today to ensure that if the game is postponed, it won't be because of the conditions in and around the ground.
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"We have got undersoil heating and that is keeping the pitch at around 10 to 12 degrees," said Mowe, who has been on the City groundstaff for 16 years.
"It shuts off when it reaches that temperature but then kicks up again when it drops, like a household boiler. So the pitch should be okay.
"It looks like Friday will be a busy day. We have about 30 stewards on stand-by to help with snow clearing and the council are coming in to grit the stadium.
"The ground-staff and maintenance lads will also be out there gritting and shovelling, if needed.
"We have everything in hand as much as we can to get areas clear.
"We have only ever had one game called off at the King Power and that was out of our hands, when the roof of a nearby hotel blew off.
"The only concern will be the surrounding areas. We have everything covered as much as we can but other than a real freak heavy snow storm we should be okay.
"Everything is in place and it is just a waiting game now to see what happens.
"The forecast has slightly improved in the last 24 hours in terms of how much snow is predicted, but we just have to wait and see."
City's home clash with Millwall has been moved to Good Friday, March 29 (kick-off 7.45).
The fixture, which was originally scheduled to be played on March 30, is live on Sky.
Comments
by Con_cise
Friday, January 18 2013, 9:34PM
“@ boro 1987
"we left middlesbrough about 4 this afternoon"
Enough said!”
by boro1987
Friday, January 18 2013, 6:25PM
“I am typing this on an iPhone from a car so apologies if the spelling is bad
We left middlesbrough about 4 this afternoon as we where sort of expecting this but the roads are absolutely horrible the M1 is open with one lane meaning that the traffic past leeds Sheffield and Doncaster was bad but now we find ourselves just past derby the roads are just deadlocked
I also hear from twitter that the situation in the centre of leicester is even worse and I just find it laughable how this game is still on one of our journalists has tweeted Saying that he has been in sight of the king power for the last hour but still hasn't reached the stadium
Sky is putting fans in real jeopardy here because the fact is it would cost them money not to show the match and come back another day and it appears that that is more important than fan safety and that just says it all
Word is also that there was an inspection of the pitch and surrounding areas of the stadium at 5pm and boro players and staff don't believe that the game will be played”
by foxypip56
Friday, January 18 2013, 2:49PM
“just goes to prove one thing city dont care about there supporters..forget the stadium, what about those supporters and season ticket supporters that live in the county..they shouldnt expect us to travel in these wintry conditions. lets have a guess on tonights attndance..I go for around 15000...lowest league gate of the season....and its not fair on the Boro supporters either,”
by DavidJCB
Friday, January 18 2013, 1:46PM
“What is the away team can't travel the heating under the pitch won't help then.”
by dobranich
Friday, January 18 2013, 12:36PM
“It will be on there has never been a weather related match at King Power match off. Schlupp though was way down the pecking order up front even behind Vardy. I think if he gets chance to sign at Man U he'd be a fool not to. Even chance on the bench is better than the same at City. Good luck to him.”
by Sheerclass
Friday, January 18 2013, 12:19PM
“Hope the game is on tonight 3 points and we move into automatic promotion position.
Just read on sky sports that Schlupp is at Man United on trial as they are short on cover for left backs. Surely he is one we want to hold onto as he offers us great options in attack and defence . If United are interested it confirms how good he is and how much potential he has, maybe a swap deal for Keane is on the cards as they have lots of centre halfs.”
by dobranich
Friday, January 18 2013, 9:19AM
“thank God the weather forecasters are about as accurate as most of our strikers shots on goal pre Chris Wood. Snow from 2 am and heavy snow from 5 am and yet not one flake has fallen. Ok was a bit before then which they did not predict and obviously there will be some later but what do we spend millions on these forecasts for?? A pine cone or a lump of sea weed could do as well.
Can't wait to see this game I hope we get a good start and bury them big time. What a great weekend that would be if Hull and Cardiff slip up and Derby and Forest lose. Oh and Van Persie can't play for some reason and Man Utd have to rely on the others to conjure up a win. Much more difficult methinks.”