Vincent Tan has stepped into a row surrounding Derby County’s decision to postpone their Championship clash with Cardiff City at Pride Park last weekend.
Bluebirds owner Tan has pledged to reimburse ‘all officially organised supporter coach travel that made it’s way to the postponed game.’
Chief executive Ken Choo says Cardiff City want to put the ‘unsavoury episode’ behind them.
Manager Neil Warnock and fans have expressed their fury after game was called off even though 2,600 City fans made their way to the English midlands.
On the same day County decided the fixture against City could not go ahead the Sheffield Steelers ice hockey team and their supporters travelled from an hour north of Derby and then back to Yorkshire, playing against Cardiff Devils in Cardiff Bay.
Warnock and Vince Alm, long-term Bluebirds fan and spokesman for Cardiff City Supporters Club, both described the decision to call the fixture off ‘a disgrace’.
The Rams were due to host the Bluebirds at Pride Park in front of Sky Sports cameras today with a noon kick-off, but the Derby club decided at 8am the game could not go ahead.
“I’m very disappointed, but not overly surprised after I heard Gary Rowett’s remarks earlier in the week about their injury crisis,” Warnock told Sky Sports News.
“It’s a disgrace quite frankly. You look at (Derby’s) game two weeks ago against Fulham. A lot of Derby fans are saying that was 10 times worse.
“I can’t accept that today and it leaves a sour taste. I think it’s scandalous, me.”
Alm has written to the Football League, Derby County Council, Derbyshire Police and Derby County FC to make his protest and said: “There should be a full investigation by the EFL regarding the postponement of the fixture.”
This evening, Choo issued a personal response to a Football League statement relating to the postponement.
“Whilst the club has noted the EFL’s findings, it doesn’t mask the disappointment we feel,” said Choo.
“Of paramount importance to us throughout this process was that our supporters were treated fairly and with respect. Today’s findings don’t acknowledge the wasted efforts and expenditure incurred by those who travelled to the game last weekend.
“It was our contention that the very least we could expect from this investigation was that our supporters would be recompensed by Derby County, not as an admission of wrongdoing on their part, but as a simple human gesture and in the spirit of the game. For this not to be forthcoming has disappointed us more than anything.
“I’ve been in contact with Tan Sri Vincent Tan throughout this process and, in the absence of goodwill, he will be personally reimbursing all officially organised supporter coach travel that made its way to the postponed game.
“We now look forward to putting this unsavoury episode behind us and concentrating on our targets for the remainder of the season.”
The Football League have said Derby’s decision that the match could not go ahead was correct.
County said heavy snow meant the area surrounding their Pride Park stadium was in an ‘unsafe condition’ on Sunday.
An EFL statement said: “We remain satisfied that the decision to postpone the fixture was the correct one in the circumstances.
“From the information that has been assessed, it is clear that the decision to postpone the match was taken by the club but was reached following earlier consultation with the police, other emergency services and Derbyshire Council.
“The EFL was subsequently provided with a comprehensive report including a full risk assessment by Derby County as to the steps taken in the build-up to the decision being made.
“The safety and security of supporters attending matches has to be paramount.”
The re-arranged fixture will take place on Tuesday, 24 April.
