Out in the cold. Southend sack groundsman over frozen pitch

January 25 – A lower-league English club has taken the rare step of sacking its head groundsman of 27 years – not because of anything to do with team but after  a match was postponed because of a frozen pitch.

Ken Hare was dismissed after Southend’s League One game against Bolton was called off last weekend.

“People generally lose their position as a result of not doing their job,” said a club statement.

“The necessary decision surrounding Mr Hare was a disappointment and of course not taken lightly.”

“Very few people have been dismissed at this football club over the past 20 years and that even extends to managers.”

Southend hadn’t had a game called off for a frozen pitch since 2013 and only a week earlier had commended the work of their groundsmen as “tireless”.

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