Bournemouth vs Forest glitched SIX HOURS after the stadium was deemed unsafe and away fans traveled

BOURNEMOUTH’S Championship match against Nottingham Forest on Friday night was surprisingly postponed SIX HOURS after the stadium was declared unsafe – raising questions about the EFL process.

Typhoon Eunice hit Vitality all day Friday and caused structural damage at 10am.

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However, the match itself was not call back until after 4pm with hundreds of away team fans on their way to Bournemouth in dangerous conditions or already at the stadium.

SunSport can reveal Cherry‘the independent safety advisory group has recommended THREE TIMES that the game should not be played – Thursday night, Friday morning and again at lunchtime as gusts wreaked havoc across South England and Wales.

SAG believes it would make sense for play to be suspended on Thursday night after the Met Office issued a “life-threatening” weather warning for the following day.

But the EFL refused to allow matches to be postponed based on weather reports despite the government’s advice against non-essential travel.

Substantial damage was done to the roof of the main stand on Friday morning due to strong gusts of wind that also loosened placards and signs inside and outside.

After checking from a structural engineer – there Forest of Nottingham represented – it was recommended that the match be postponed as any repairs would require pickers and machines, which would not be feasible in the deteriorating conditions.

The EFL was notified but they asked for a full inspection first.

That check was completed by lunchtime with the official recommendation that the match be postponed.

However, EFL processes require clubs to submit detailed independent SAG reports in writing prior to publication – this report has been significantly delayed due to a number of other building damage incidents across the country. throughout Dorset.

It was understood Bournemouth wanted to release a statement at the time to at least advise fans of what had happened and that the game was unlikely to continue – but the EFL asked not to do so.

However, information about the game’s postponement leaked at around 3.30pm and Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest finally announced the break before the EFL released a statement of their own expressing their disappointment at the postponement. be made too late in the day after receiving the ban notice.

Angry Forest fan Martyn Webster, 61, was not aware of the postponement until he arrived at Vitality Stadium after a four-hour drive from Nottingham.

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He said: “I couldn’t believe how late they called the day they called to postpone the game. I spent £61.50 on gas and 9 hours of the day.”

Another fan, 23-year-old Chris Wallace, was riding on a cheerleader coach who had delayed their departure to await announcement.

“What frustrates me is that there’s no one communicating with the fans to let us know what’s going on in real time,” he said. Looks like we’re the last to be thought of again. ”

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