Due to the severe flooding caused by Storm Babet, the Championship game between Rotherham and Ipswich, scheduled to take place on Friday, has been postponed.
While the pitch at Rotherham’s New York Stadium is playable, the fixture has been called off on the grounds of supporter safety.
The River Don, which flows around the perimeter of the stadium, had burst its banks, inundating the surrounding areas with floodwater.
With further heavy rainfall forecasted for Friday evening, the authorities deemed the weather conditions to pose a danger to the safety of supporters.
After discussions with representatives from the Safety Advisory Group and the EFL, the decision was made to postpone the game.
Urgent meetings were held between club safety personnel, the Safety Advisory Group, and Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council, with all parties in agreement that the fixture could not go ahead in the current circumstances.
Don Street, which is located outside the stadium, was closed to the public due to the floodwaters rising.
This, coupled with the fact that the continued rainfall was causing the floodwaters to rise further, left the authorities with no choice but to postpone the game.
The safety of everyone attending the match was deemed to be of the utmost priority.
Despite the pitch at AESSEAL New York Stadium remaining playable throughout the day, the decision was taken to prioritize the safety of players, staff, and supporters.
The EFL and Ipswich Town were informed of the decision, with all parties agreeing that postponing the fixture was the only viable option.
While the decision to postpone the game was necessary, the club expressed disappointment for supporters who were due to attend the match and those set to watch at home.
Ipswich Town also released a statement confirming the postponement of the game and stated that further details regarding refunds and a new date for the fixture would be released shortly.
