Watford have criticised the decision to call off their Championship match at Hull 18 minutes before kick-off on Sunday, insisting they did not agree to the postponement. Referee Anthony Backhouse stopped the game due to safety concerns over areas surrounding the pitch while players were already warming up at the MKM Stadium.
The fixture was one of three second-tier matches postponed because of frozen pitches, along with 14 games in Leagues One and Two. Hull said in a statement that the postponement was “agreed by all parties”, but Watford maintained they had been ready to play and that the decision was made without their consent.
“We reiterate we were ready and willing to play after the pitch was passed fit by the referee,” Watford said. “We remain disappointed by the decision to postpone and by how the decision was reached. We did not agree to the postponement.” In an earlier post on X, the club added: “While player safety is paramount, we are really disappointed the game has been postponed as we were ready to play.”
Hull’s statement acknowledged the timing was frustrating for supporters, but said: “While the pitch was playable and had been passed by the referee, areas immediately surrounding the playing surface were deemed unsafe and the decision to postpone the game was agreed by all parties. Every effort was made to fulfil the fixture.”
Elsewhere, Sheffield United’s meeting with Oxford United and Portsmouth’s clash with Ipswich were also called off. The Blades said the referee postponed their match after a pitch inspection, while Portsmouth’s pitch was deemed unplayable following an 11am check. League One postponements included Doncaster versus Luton, Rotherham against Mansfield, Barnsley’s trip to Port Vale and Stevenage’s match with Leyton Orient. In League Two, fixtures at Barnet, Barrow, Bromley, Cambridge United, Colchester, Harrogate, Newport County, Notts County, Salford and Walsall were also called off.
