GRAHAM Alexander has rubbished any suggestion that he wanted the Barrow game off.

Home manager Pete Wild accused referee Tom Nield of making contradictory statements after Saturday’s match was postponed just over an hour before kick-off.

Wild claimed the official said that “one manager wanted the game one and one didn’t” – something that mystified Alexander.

The City boss said: “That’s not how I saw it. I was never asked the question at any point.

“I wouldn’t make a habit of staying overnight and watching analysis for seven hours on the other team not to play a game of football. That’s certainly not the case.

“The referee gave me his opinion on a certain part of the pitch which I agreed with and that was it. I wasn’t asked any other question about whether I was happy to play the game or not.

“The conversation must have lasted 10 seconds and then the referee made his call to the EFL.

“I was stood for a good chunk of it with their director of football chatting away and then the referee called us over and called the game off.”

Alexander was caught on the hop as much as anyone by the referee’s decision having had no clue on the way to the ground.

“We were absolutely oblivious to any issue whatsoever,” he told the T&A.

“I got off the bus and was asked to come on to the pitch. I didn’t really know why.

“Then obviously the bad news happened 15-20 minutes after us getting there.

“The players are in that mindset for the game. We started our preparation the day before, then we have a meeting just before we leave the hotel to go through a few things.

“That whole journey from the hotel to the game, the players are getting themselves in the zone.

“By the time I’d got back to the changing room, half the lads were already in their kit. It was so close to the game and we had to be ready for the warm-up.

“There was absolutely nothing to suggest what would happen. It was a bit of a whirlwind.

“If there’s a pitch inspection, you prepare your mind for it but that one came completely out the blue. We were only coming to terms with it on the journey home.”

Alexander, who had included Lewis Richards and Ciaran Kelly in his 18-man squad, said he felt most sorry for the City supporters who were already at the ground.

“We saw all our fans milling around when we came back out to get on the bus. That’s when it hit home.

 

 

“It obviously wasn’t just us affected by it but the numbers who had made the journey. It’s not the easiest trip going across and all the way down to Barrow.

“As much as I’m disappointed for our players, the disappointment was doubled for the supporters.

“It’s not cheap getting to games anymore and the time issue as well. People work all week to get a couple of days off so to waste one of those on a pointless journey is disappointing.

“But I’ve been in the game long enough to know that some things, with the best will in the world, you can’t control.

“We’ve been in good form and wanted to continue where we left off the week before. Even after Wednesday, we were all itching for another game.

“I try to take everything in my stride and want my players to be like that. But there’s no hiding away from the fact we were really disappointed not to play.”