Free transport for travelling Cherries' fans

Following Tuesday's last-minute postponement of AFC Bournemouth's away match at Bristol Rovers, Cherries' chairman Eddie Mitchell has pledged to give free coach travel to fans for the rearranged game.

Referee Graham Salisbury, who will take charge of the final of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy, made the decision to abandon the match after a late pitch inspection failed on grounds of waterlogging. The match had already been rearranged once before after snow prevented play on Boxing Day.

Mitchell realised that the second postponement, made just as travelling fans would be en-route to Bristol, was unfair for supporters: "It was disappointing to have the game called off so late. It was a fair distance to go to have to just turn around and come straight back and I'm sure a lot of our supporters had taken time off work to get there."

Manager Lee Bradbury was irate following Salisbury's last-minute decision, after the team coach arrived at the Memorial Stadium to hear news of the postponement moments after arrival. Of the verdict, a frustrated Bradbury revealed: "[Salisbury] said it was dangerous in that the ball was stopping in surface water. The ball was rolling freely. It was a little bit boggy, but a lot of pitches are at this time of year."

Mitchell has previously offered free travel to supporters for the Cherries' FA Cup second round tie with Notts County after that game was also postponed, and hopes supporters will benefit from his goodwill once more.


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(Original news story posted by myself at http://buzz.bournemouth.ac.uk/?p=38353)