A non-league football match between Spelthorne and Wembley in the Combined Counties Football League Division One was postponed just 10 minutes before kick-off after the referee deemed the pitch unsafe due to an excessive amount of goose droppings.
Wembley took to social media to announce the postponement, stating that the referee had ruled the pitch at Spelthorne Sports unsafe to play because of large amounts of goose droppings. The post prompted a flurry of humorous comments from non-league fans.
Spelthorne issued a statement clarifying that they have had an influx of Canadian geese visiting their pitch since the start of the season. They noted that on all previous occasions, the droppings had been cleared when requested by the referee. They expressed disappointment that opposition players made derogatory comments on social media.
According to Spelthorne, after both teams warmed up without issue, Wembley refused to play 10 minutes before kick-off. The referee delayed the match for 10 minutes to allow Spelthorne to clear the pitch, which they did, but Wembley still refused to play, leading to the postponement.
Spelthorne's ground is located near Heathrow Airport. Wembley, nicknamed “The Lions,” were formed in 1946 and play at Vale Farm, a stadium with a capacity of 2,450 that served as the training base for England's 1966 World Cup-winning squad.
