Big freeze costs Walsall six figures

Walsall chief executive Roy Whalley estimates the big freeze had cost the club £100,000 after the Saddlers lost another game to the weather.

Southend called off Saturday's clash at Roots Hall after a pitch inspection yesterday deemed the surface - under four inches of snow - unplayable.

It's the fourth successive postponement for the Saddlers, who haven't played since December 19. Home games over Christmas and new year with Norwich and Charlton were lost, along with a trip to Bristol Rovers.

Whalley admits the Banks's Stadium postponements hit the club hard.

He said: "Having the two games called off had an effect, we probably lost £100,000 worth of revenue.

"When the games are rearranged you'll never make that money up, because you won't get the same gates on a Tuesday night in January or February as you would have done over the holiday period.

"Financially it makes life more difficult, because your gate money is a major source of revenue."