‘An absolute stitch-up’: Neil Warnock blasts Derby County postponement

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Derby County’s clash with Cardiff City was postponed due to heavy snowfall.

Cardiff City boss Neil Warnock has blasted the decision to postpone his side’s clash with Derby County due to heavy snowfall, suggesting it’s a stitch-up, Sky Sports report.

The Bluebirds were looking to extend their lead over fellow Championship automatic promotion-chasers Aston Villa and Fulham on Sunday as the duo dropped points a day earlier.

Cardiff’s clash at Derby was also going to be a tricky one, but with their current run of form of seven successive wins coupled with the Rams’ injury problems, there was arguably no better time to face Gary Rowett’s side.

Heavy snowfall, however, has been apparent in the East Midlands and local authorities decided to call the game off around four hours prior to kick off as they were worried about safety in the surrounding areas.

Warnock, understandably, reacted with anger to the decision as he suggested to reporters the conditions were fine and the postponement just happens to coincide with Derby’s poor form and injury woes.

“I’m very disappointed obviously. I’m not overly surprised. When I heard Gary’s remarks earlier in the week about “if we can get over this weekend’s injury crisis with this game we should be OK”‘, Warnock explained.

“Obviously there is snow but I think it’s a disgrace quite frankly. We’ve come from the surrounding areas and it’s quite accessible and quite easy to get here.”

“(But) whatever I say they’ll justify it. They’ll get the chief police officer to say what he did and all the reasons. But what I’m saying to you is the ordinary guy in the street, the Derby fans, have a look on the website and they all think it’s an absolute stitch-up – the Derby fans! Nobody else.”

“There is hardly any (snow). In a way you can’t blame them can you? You wouldn’t want to play us at the moment would you?”

Cardiff came in to the clash having won seven straight league games, and Saturday’s results gave them the opportunity to move ten points ahead of third-place Fulham following their draw with Queens Park Rangers.

The Welsh side would have been facing a Derby side who haven’t won in seven league outings and are missing a host of key players such as Matej Vydra, George Thorne, Joe Ledley and the suspended Tom Huddlestone.