It is a situation nobody wants, a postponement on the day of the match. Sometimes games are put off very late, Charlton’s game at Walsall a couple of seasons back, was called off less than two hours before kick-off. Last season’s Boxing Day match at The Valley against Southampton, was a late victim due to a couple of frozen areas that could not be thawed in time.

Clubs have already incurred costs when games have to be scrapped so late, programmes have been printed, catering supplies have been ordered, hospitality bookings have to be refunded and their are also stewarding costs to be met. For these reasons, clubs are always keen to get matches staged whenever possible.

However, when it is obviously impossible to get a match on, the quicker a club can get it officially postponed, the better it is for fans.

Communications are much better these days, with the web and social networking sites, such as Twitter, putting the information in the public domain within seconds of a decision being made.

With the overnight temperature at The Valley plummeting to minus six, there was never any realistic chance of stageing the Rochdale match.

Charlton contacted the match referee, Stanford le Hope based Fred Graham, to request an early inspection in order to prevent as many fans as possible making needless journeys.

Graham was unable to arrive at The Valley before 11.00am so the club contacted Ian Crouch, a Football League referee who lives in Orpington. Crouch arrived at the ground within half-an-hour of the call being made and the game was called off shortly after 9.00am.

The decision would have been early enough to stop most Rochdale fans setting off as well as assisting Addicks fans who live a considerable distance from the ground.

The decision was not what any one wanted but Charlton are to be applauded for their prompt action.