NIGEL Adkins admitted he was shocked when he heard Andy D’Urso had called Saints’ match at Charlton off.
The controversial decision left fans, players and staff from both clubs dumbstruck and angered.
Adkins said that he had been told yesterday morning that the game was going ahead.
And, after the referee’s 11.30am pitch inspection, he was practically certain the match would be on.
But, having then prepared his players for kick-off, the Saints boss was stunned to hear an announcement just after midday play would not go ahead.
“As we got on the bus this morning we got a message through to say that the ref was going to have a pitch inspection at half eleven,” recalled Adkins.
“We’ve arrived and we came on the pitch as a team, and we were happy to play, we were back in the dressing room and changed and ready to go basically.
“Me and (Charlton manager) Phil Parkinson both spoke to the referee, and the only concern he was showing was where the linesman runs up and down, but everyone was very confident that it would be sorted out and cleared.
“We got the lads in the changing rooms, kit on and game heads on and then we had the shout that he was going to put the kick off back fifteen minutes and have another inspection at 12pm.
“I asked the players if they were happy, and they were all happy and up for the game, and then when we came out I was shocked to say the least that the referee has turned around and called the game off.
“I know from past experience that referees never change their mind, so I asked him why but then you just have to get on with it and prepare now for Huddersfield.”
Adkins felt an extra sense of frustration, because it would have been a great chance for Saints to get a leg-up on their promotion rivals, with nearly every other League One fixture postponed as well.
“We trained Christmas night in Southampton, we came up and stayed in a hotel overnight in London and we desperately wanted the game to be on,” he said.
“We viewed it as a great opportunity, especially when you see all the other fixtures getting called off, to kickstart the season.”
Adkins added: “It was a great opportunity, and those of us who are old enough to have played long ago have all turned around and said ‘we have played on a lot worse than this and you can get on with it’.
“But, at the end of the day, I’m being diplomatic now, you have to respect the referee’s decision.
“If something went wrong, then all the fingers would get pointed at the ref as to why did he start the game.”
Adkins also expressed his sympathy for the Saints supporters who had travelled.
The manager himself went up to a group of fans that had hired out a box at The Valley, to try and give them something to remember their day by.
“We have all of our supporters traveling with all of their families, and it is very disruptive why it’s called off an hour before kick off,” he said.
“At the end of the day, if there were concerns, and I’m sure Charlton will bring this up, they would have been changed much earlier.
“If there was any doubt at half past eight in the morning, it wouldn’t have been any different between half eight and midday.”
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