Black Country derby is called off
Saturday 18th December 2010, 1:00PM GMT.
The Black Country derby between Albion and Wolves at the Hawthorns has been called off because of snow
The Baggies were due to host their neighbours in the first top-flight Black Country derby in 26 years.
But the fixture has become the latest victim of the snow that has decimated the weekend’s football programme across Britain.
While the pitch at the Hawthorns was protected from snow and frost, officials could not guarantee the safety of supporters arriving at the ground for the scheduled noon kick-off.
A statement from the Hawthorns said: “Albion have been forced to postpone tomorrow’s Black Country derby with Wolves due to the adverse weather conditions.
“The club have done everything in their power to get the game on but have had to admit defeat on safety grounds.
“More than 20cm of snow fell between the early hours of this morning and this afternoon, with no apparent let up, and temperatures are predicted to drop as low as minus 10C during the night.
“All tickets purchased for this match will be valid for the re-arranged fixture.”
Latest Blog — A week is a long time in football
This time last week we were staring down the barrel, third from bottom with a worse record than at the same stage last year, writes Saddlers blogger Mark Jones.
Saddlers Blog
Business Awards
Book a Business Awards table
Join our celebrations of the region's best in business on Thursday March 22 - book your table now
Lifestyle
Interactive Dining Out map
Hundreds of reviews by the Express & Star and Shropshire Star's teams to help you decide where to eat.
entertainment
All the film reviews
Before you plan a trip to the pictures, get our critics' verdicts on all the latest movie releases
OUR NEW APP
Get the new E&S app
Download the Express & Star’s new app to your iPad or iPhone to get one week of access to our digital newspapers absolutely FREE.

Common sense. The roads have been an absolute nightmare today, another snow fall tonight and hardly anyone would be able to get to the ground – not helped by the ridiculous 12 noon kick-off time i might add!
Report abuse
Absolutly gutted.
Was looking forward to this 1 but will have to wait til New year.
Hopefully both teams can have a fit squad for this coming fixture so we can truly see whos the better team.
come on you baggies.
Report abuse
All eyes on Wigan at home then. Beat Wigan and we can get out of the bottom 3 if results go our way.
Report abuse
thank god , he must be up there looking down on us as it now gives us time to get super odemwingie fit so we can give them another thumping boing boing
Report abuse
With all the money there is in football, and the amount of people willing games to go ahead, there is NO excuse for any Premier League game to be called off due to weather.
Report abuse
Arrrrrrrrrr well it will give the wolves team some time to recoup as weve got sume important players out injured :(
We shud have a better chance of winning wen the game is rescheduled.
WOLVES AY WE!
Report abuse
hopefully the rescheduled game will be much later in the season, after the reverse fixture, i would prefer to play the tescos at home first, i think we got a much better chance of doing the double over em if we play em at home first. we’ll beat enm at home and confidence will be high for the away fixture. up the mighty wolves.
Report abuse
5. Don’t be so silly. I’m sure they could make the pitch playable but how are the fans supposed to get there! I’m thinking you’re having a wind up because your comment is so ridiculous.
Report abuse
God is a wolves fan thankyou for the snow next time we play them we will have a full team .up the wolves beware boggies
Report abuse
I remember an ALBION fixture at home to Shefield Wednesday. Derek Kevan’s last match before signing for Chelsea. Besides the HAWTHORNS match, there was only one other match being played. The infamous Bronco lane, Peter Swan and ( I believe ) Tony Kaye. played their last games before being kicked out of football for match fixing. The HAWTHORNS had about two inches of snow and some ice patches on it, the pitch was marked out in blue. the offending snow was shoved over the ends of the Brummie road and Handsworth ends. ALBION went down 3-1. Chipped the ice off our seats before we sat down. Chippy clarke collected the ball and raced towards the byline, couldn’t stop. he and the ball ended up at thetop of the Hand
Report abuse
This is really bad news !! now we have no excuse not to go Sunday xmas shopping, as well as suffering today. I’d rather have the game and lose than another 100 shops with Slade, Mud and Wham etc in the background. Anyone up for a well tempered snowball fight instead !!
Report abuse
I remember an ALBION fixture at home to Shefield Wednesday. Derek Kevan’s last match before signing for Chelsea. Besides the HAWTHORNS match, there was only one other match being played. The infamous Bronco lane, Peter Swan and ( I believe ) Tony Kaye. played their last games before being kicked out of football for match fixing. The HAWTHORNS had about two inches of snow and some ice patches on it, the pitch was marked out in blue. the offending snow was shoved over the ends of the Brummie road and Handsworth stands. ALBION went down 3-1. Chipped the ice off our seats before we sat down. Chippy clarke collected the ball and raced towards the byline, couldn’t stop, he and the ball ended up at the Back of the Handsworth stand, that’s how bad the conditions were. What a unique day that was day that was. Stood in approx’ eighteen inches of snow in the busstop, to go home.
Tell me again why the match was called off.
BOING~~~~BOING~~~~JtH.
Report abuse
Could be a good thing being called off.
As the Tango’s can concentrate on their big game on Boxing Day.
A real tussle that they need to win.
You always need to beat the teams around you.
Report abuse
Gaz7483
I think you missed the point
you moron, it has nothing to do
with the grounds!
Report abuse
Probably a good outcome for both teams under the circumstances, but after the fantastic performance against the Blues, it’s a disappointment not to get a chance to go for the double tomorrow. It is shocking that so many Premier League games have been postponed this weekend though, especially when 6 Championship games were played today. Understand that safety comes first, but surely this is the case for any large sporting event?
Report abuse
Hopefully when we come to play them we will have Robbie Keane and Joleon Lescott signed up
WE ARE WOLVES
Report abuse
5 gaz 7483 you will find its called off because of the roads the pitch is playable roads have been at a standstill today can you imagine what it will be like with 25k plus trying to get to the game
Report abuse
5- Are you living in another part of the country? As much as I was looking forward to the game its crazy to have to take a risk in driving in these conditions.
Report abuse
Absolutely gutted!
Flew back from Dubai for this match, booked time off work and everything.
If the pitch is playable, get the game on.
Report abuse
Sorry No.5, but however much money there is in football doesn’t affect how much grit the council put on the roads, or whether the buses & trains are running! There’s no point putting on the match if the fans can’t get to it…
Report abuse
Hmmmmmmm…6 inches of snow (if that!!)and the game is called off yet a couple of weeks ago Newcastle v Chelsea went ahead after 2 FEET of snow!
Report abuse
I’m glad for three reasons.
Hopefully the replayed game will be at a proper time and therefore the real derby atmosphere to go with it. If fans of both sides behave it would also take away the authorities excuse for these ridiculous mid-day kick offs (as soon as I’d typed it I realised what a forlorn hope that was.)
We won’t have Laughing Wolf going on and on exaggerating the injury list.
I think the condition of the pitch today would have made the game a bit of a lottery. Much rather have it decided on footballing ability.
PS. No 5.
What’s the point in spending loads of money to get games played if spectators can’t get to them?
Report abuse
Atleast with a re arranged date we’ll have some key players back and also there’s a chance that it may now be able to be televised for those who couldnt get tickets.
Report abuse
Makes sense hopefully us and WBA will have full fit squads. Will be good.
Report abuse
Once Again the health and safety brigade take over, maybe if the useless local council got their fingers out and started to give value for money, and made the pavements and local roads safe the match could gave gone ahead.
What’s the point of having under soil heating which costs hundreds of thousands of pounds to install and maintain, only for the health and safety to cal the game off. Personally I think it’s more to do with the the local authority being to scared of being sued by people slipping and falling over, why can’t they be honest enough to admit that. The whole country had gone soft, and the 12 o’clock kick is another joke.
Report abuse
Well next time we meet we should have the majority of our players back (unless they get injured in the mean time of course) such as vital players like Odemwingie and Olsson who have been big players this season for us. So too wolves who will have more players back for a more evenly matched and more thrilling encounter. :)
Report abuse
Odemwingie’s out. Quick…let’s hide the gritting salt!
Report abuse
I think Robert Louis Stephenson must have been a Wolves fan when he said. ‘It is better to travel hopefully than to arrive.’
Report abuse
Number 27.
Thats tickled me really made my day lol.
Report abuse
I don’t know what kind of heathen trickery and magic you Baggies used to bring the heavens down and get the game abandoned, but you cannot run and hide from the might of the Wolves forever! Soon we will descend upon you with the very wrath of the Gods themselves and smite you down with righteous vengeance! Submit to your fate, Baggies – the snow God cannot protect you forever!
Report abuse
I’m surprised the numpties aren’t out in force blaming Mick for the bad weather.
Report abuse
With our injury list thank God it was called off. 11 injured!!
Report abuse
Good point, 31. Sorry Baggies, it’s all Mick’s fault.
Report abuse
(30)
Petenuts,
More than one god, Where do you get righteous from.(31)
Bewdly, Petenuts.
You’re Numpties, don’t you know, it’s Carson’s fault.
(32)
Ritch5,
We’ll have a full side plus a new striker, your injury list will improve, then Mick can do away with your winning team. The ” Has-beens ” you want to sign will go to bigger clubs abroard, who can pay their wages. L O L.
BOING~~~~BOING~~~~JTH.
Report abuse
Looks like my Tickets heading for the Bank vault!, if it’s open that is.
BOING~~~~BOING~~~~JtH.
Report abuse
@ 34
I’m from Wolverhampton, mate – we’re all Gods over this way, haven’t you heard?
Report abuse
(36)
Is that why you’re lording it in the bottom THREE in the Premiership. Ha,Ha,Ha,Ha,Haa.
BOING~~~~BOING~~~~JtH.
Report abuse
37
As a benevolent God myself, Jack, I will not deign to lower myself to the level of your hackneyed quips. Boing, and indeed boing.
Report abuse
Due to the game being called off the wolfs had a traning session agenst 11 snowmen,the snowmen won 3-1 aye boing boing
Report abuse
(38)
Petenuts,
I accept your white flag, can you put some navy blue stripes on it next time, please.
BOING~~~~BOING~~~~JtH.
Report abuse
I heard they had to call the match off due to fears that the traveling dingles wouldn’t be able to recognise landmarks in the snow. They were afraid that they might all end up in Telford.
Snow was bad up here in Manc so getting to the game would’ve been a nightmare with all the accidents. Well done to the Albion for having the foresight to call the game off early so most people can make alternative plans.
No.19 jonny WBA
Fellow Baggie as you may be I can’t feel sorry for you mate. You just flew back from Dubai.
To all conspiracy theory Wulfies on here: yes, of course the Baggies called off the game against Wolves. We havent played a team in such a low league position at home this season, so Albion (11th) must be quaking in thier boots at the prospect of facing a second from bottom, injury ridden Wolverhampton Wanderers side who haven’t won at the Hawthorns this century.
MERRY X-MAS TO BLUE AND WHITE AND GOLD AND BLACK
Boing Boing
Report abuse