Snow go Despite the fact the people of Newcastle happily walk around their lovely city in short-sleeved t-shirts and flip-flops in 2 inches of snow, the cities council gritters were unable to get their fat arses of their chairs and out to the streets surrounding St James' Park this afternoon to chuck a bit of salt around.

Referee Mike Dean despite "having to walk the last half a mile after arriving at the ground at 5.20pm in his people carrier" did not foresee others having the same problem and actually gave the game the go-ahead at 6.30pm, only to postpone the game 45 minutes later because of the diabolical state of the roads around the ground. That must of come as a big shock to him!

Nevertheless the referee does only have authority over the state the pitch and not the surrounding areas, so blame must lie with the local authority.

Peter Varney was fuming saying: "I came in a car that was sliding all over the road and there were cars sliding into one another. There seems to have been no gritting undertaken at all, which is an absolute disgrace." Of course he was actually being paid today as his fruitless journey was considered work unlike the 500 poor Addicks who had a complete wasted journey and having spent a fair few quid in the cause of cheering our hapless lot on. Lets hope they found some solace in some decent Tyneside pubs?

Of course the ridiculous fixture planning, knocked by the club earlier in the week, is looking even more ridiculous tonight.

By the way, I understand the team tonight was going to be:

Myhre, Young, HH, Fortune, Powell, Kishishev, Holland, Hughes, Romm, Bent, Bartlett.
Subs: Perry, Lisbie, Andersen, Ambrose, Spector.  ¶ 23:25