Southend FC Sack Groundsman

The Shrimpers crunch League One clash against Bolton on Saturday was postponed four hours before the scheduled 3pm kick-off.

Loyal Ken Hare was deemed incapable of doing his job and chairman Ron Martin swung the axe once the game was officially called off.
A club spokesman said: “People generally lose their position as a result of not doing their job.

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

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

Some fans hit out at the questionable decision.

One Twitter user wrote: “Bit of a disgrace really the groundsman getting sack, been bloody freezing this weekend not surprised the pitch froze.

Peter Miles wrote: “So Southend sack their long serving groundsman for failing to get a game on in freezing temperatures. Why not invest in undersoil heating?

Another posted: “Only at Southend can you sack the groundsman following postponement of a game due to a frozen pitch.”

Saturday’s game was the first to be postponed at Roots Hall since January 2013.

Southend sit seventh in League One following the weekend’s action, with Bolton third.