Saturday 3rd October

[JJ1532]

I waited until now to get more facts, but now that we know what we know, I can say this.

I for one am disgusted at the actions of Artell and the staff at the Alex. As soon as Wintle reported positive last week, they should have rang the EFL and asked for advice. And if their advice wasn't to immediately postpone the game, self isolate and get tests(which it should be), he should have laughed, put the phone down and got the whole squad booked for tests straight away, before announcing that the Alex wouldn't be able to fulfill the fixture due to the positive result. Wintle had been around the squad at training for days and in the dressing room on at least 1 game day, maybe 2 if he was infected before the MK Dons game.

Government advice is to self isolate if you come into contact with anyone who display symptoms or has a positive result. So why would Artell care about the wishy washy EFL advice or protocols, clearly they aren't fit for purpose if they state the squad can still travel or don't demand self isolation and immediate tests. He has a duty of care to himself, his family, plus the players and management and their families. By travelling down on Friday, he knew that all of them were close contacts and should have been at home self isolating. If he didn't, then he's a moron and I've lost a lot of respect for him.

Some will say they didn't break any of the rules and protocols. But that's not the issue. The issue is travelling with a group that has been exposed to someone with the virus, thereby putting more people in danger. And he should know that. The fact that he is defending travelling and then turning up at the ground saying they were ready to play, even knowing a 2nd player was positive, is a disgrace.

I can't believe people are actually defending his actions. It's a terrible look for him and the rest of the club. I also wonder if we informed Newcastle and the EFL of the test. I'd also like to know why they didn't feel the need to release this information. Sure, withhold the name of the player for privacy reasons, but you have to announce the news. Why withhold it?

To see some actually defending the club and their actions is mind boggling.

 

[eric read]

I waited until now to get more facts, but now that we know what we know, I can say this.

I for one am disgusted at the actions of Artell and the staff at the Alex. As soon as Wintle reported positive last week, they should have rang the EFL and asked for advice. And if their advice wasn't to immediately postpone the game, self isolate and get tests(which it should be), he should have laughed, put the phone down and got the whole squad booked for tests straight away, before announcing that the Alex wouldn't be able to fulfill the fixture due to the positive result. Wintle had been around the squad at training for days and in the dressing room on at least 1 game day, maybe 2 if he was infected before the MK Dons game.

Government advice is to self isolate if you come into contact with anyone who display symptoms or has a positive result. So why would Artell care about the wishy washy EFL advice or protocols, clearly they aren't fit for purpose if they state the squad can still travel or don't demand self isolation and immediate tests. He has a duty of care to himself, his family, plus the players and management and their families. By travelling down on Friday, he knew that all of them were close contacts and should have been at home self isolating. If he didn't, then he's a moron and I've lost a lot of respect for him.

Some will say they didn't break any of the rules and protocols. But that's not the issue. The issue is travelling with a group that has been exposed to someone with the virus, thereby putting more people in danger. And he should know that. The fact that he is defending travelling and then turning up at the ground saying they were ready to play, even knowing a 2nd player was positive, is a disgrace.

I can't believe people are actually defending his actions. It's a terrible look for him and the rest of the club. I also wonder if we informed Newcastle and the EFL of the test. I'd also like to know why they didn't feel the need to release this information. Sure, withhold the name of the player for privacy reasons, but you have to announce the news. Why withhold it?

To see some actually defending the club and their actions is mind boggling.

Thank you.

You've gone some way to restoring my faith in human nature. The most balanced post by a Crewe fan that I've seen to date. Some of your other fans should take note.

 

[dannyc5]

Hahahahahaha JJ. Missed you and your rambling nonsense.

 

[dannyc5]

Thank you.

You've gone some way to restoring my faith in human nature. The most balanced post by a Crewe fan that I've seen to date. Some of your other fans should take note.

You had lost your faith in human nature because of Saturday? Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah

 

[Indian Dan]

Probably more a case of fans trying to defend the indefensible just because it’s their team. We’re all guilty of it from time to time but with Covid it could lead to a real disaster.

I think you just have to accept your club could, and should, have handled it much better.

 

[dannyc5]

Oh undoubtedly the club could have handled it better. I believe I gave an account a couple of pages ago of what I would have done if I was unfortunate enough to be David Artell. It’s the melodrama and the doomsday prophecies that get me. Also the lies, such as ‘Crewe players came into the home dressing room’ etc. People act like Covid is the plague. It’s NOT.

And also, I think people forget that the game got called off lol. In the end, the squads never interacted.

 

[dannyc5]

No, not all human nature, you fucking plank! But wankers like you get your club's reasonable fans a bad name with your stupid outlook and even more stupid comments. Or are you a parody account, I'm beginning to wonder?

Actually, feel free to crack on with your rubbish, I've said all I need to say on this issue, and your myopic retorts have become boring. Cue Danny C claiming he's won the argument...........

PS: I think I've just worked out what the "C" in your name stands for.

Bit melodramatic again eh bud.

 

[Crewelad87]

Jesus reading this thread is like watching BBC news, scaremongering nonsense. You would have thought the Crewe team would brought the bubonic plague with them. This where lies the problem in this country, and why the majority of Europe is reopening and allowing fans to return and we can’t. We’re a nation of snow flakes.

I’ve not read or heard anything to suggest we didn’t follow all the guidelines that the EFL have given us. If there is anyone to blame for this it’s the EFL, not Crewe. From what I’ve heard they told us not to test more until this week and they gave the green light for us to go to Oxford and play.

I think Oxford were right not to want to play, I just don’t get there hysteria towards Crewe and our fans, yet nothing towards the EFL???

 

[TimeyWimey]

I’m not defending the club, just pointing out the utter nonsense of a reaction. I’ve dealt with this shit properly day in day out for the last 7 months looking after covid positive kids, getting sprayed in the face by ventilators / bodily fluids of covid positive patients, sweating my bollocks off in more PPE than you can believe exists and seeing the absolute worst of it. The ifs, buts and maybes of a lower league football team turning up for a football match in Oxford is not worth giving a shit about. You are wasting your time trying to blow it up into an absolute scandal when worse is happening at your local Tesco.

 

[Robie]

The team have been back to socially distanced training and not using the facilities at the training ground in case one of them is positive.

Thankfully our team and staff have all tested negative for the virus and the stadium has been deep cleaned.

Onward to Brizzle Rovers.

 

[Luke Imp]

If there's a 5 day incubation period (and I've not checked if it is, so just going on what I've read on here), why would Oxford have already got tested, presumably off the back of the Crewe situation?

That makes no sense.

 

[dannyc5]

Yes, I wasn’t going to say anything because I didn’t want to set them off again. But (and I’m going off genuine scientific advice here) there is a 5/6 day incubation period on average (can be as long as 14 days) where the advice is basically there is no point getting tested in this period as it probably wouldn’t show, even if Covid was in your system. So Thursday/Friday will be when we really know if the Oxford lot have caught anything from Crewe. I believe they are doing further tests on Thursday, I think their manager said that.

Which brings me onto tonight’s game. Now, it’s unlikely in the incubation period to return a positive test. However, you may still be infectious in this period. So, if Oxford were GENUINELY worried about having caught anything off Crewe, tonight’s game would not be going ahead. They are obviously satisfied that there was no risk of contamination, contrary to what Oxford’s fans claim.

 

[Robie]

We know that. We test regularly off our own back and are doing everything we can to ensure Bristol Rovers are as safe as possible. I'm sure we will be having another round of tests after the 5 days.

Again, it's not a matter of being 100% happy there is no risk it's about making a reasonable effort to mitigate the risk.

 

[dannyc5]

I know the club are doing everything to keep BR safe. That’s what I said. I have been consistent in my praise for Oxford’s Covid protocols. I listened to your chief exec on the day and he was impressive. And like I said, the club must be happy there was no contamination risk when Crewe were there, as the game is going ahead tonight. If there was a contamination risk, considering we are still in the incubation period, the club would have called the game off.

 

[Robie]

I know the club are doing everything to keep BR safe. That’s what I said. I have been consistent in my praise for Oxford’s Covid protocols. I listened to your chief exec on the day and he was impressive. And like I said, the club must be happy there was no contamination risk when Crewe were there, as the game is going ahead tonight. If there was a contamination risk, considering we are still in the incubation period, the club would have called the game off.

No because whatever the measures there is always still a contamination risk so we can't call every game off.
I say again it is about taking reasonable measures to reduce the risk.

 

[dannyc5]

Now I don’t for a second think this is what you are trying to say, however the words that you decided to use to make up your last post makes it seem like this. You are saying your players could have caught covid off our lot but the games going ahead regardless? If that were the case, that would be a bit silly wouldn’t it.

 

[NorthwestOx]

Interesting to note how Nantwich Town have dealt with their positive Corona case.
Open, honest and timely.

Have Crewe tested yet?
Is the game against Wigan at the weekend off?

Nantwich Town postpone game after player tests positive for coronavirus

The Dabbers were due to travel to Gainsborough Trinity on Tuesday evening

www.cheshire-live.co.uk

 

[dannyc5]

Seeing as you asked so nicely. Wigan game on. 4 players positive including the 2 we know about, and one employee. Liaised with both the EFL and Wigan. Announcement tomorrow.

 

[NorthwestOx]

Seeing as you asked so nicely. Wigan game on. 4 players positive including the 2 we know about, and one employee. Liaised with both the EFL and Wigan. Announcement tomorrow.

Hope they all recover soon.

 

[Robie]

Now I don’t for a second think this is what you are trying to say, however the words that you decided to use to make up your last post makes it seem like this. You are saying your players could have caught covid off our lot but the games going ahead regardless? If that were the case, that would be a bit silly wouldn’t it.

How many times.... There is a risk of catching Corona from any interaction... Touching door handles... Picking up your post... Shaking hands with a Crewe player... Going to the shops... Interacting with your family who go to work and school etc.

So our player's "could have caught Corona" but the game goes ahead because we make reasonable efforts to mitigate the risk.

Can't you ask your school teacher or responsible adult in your company if you need it explaining again rather than boring everyone on here.

 

[dannyc5]

How many times.... There is a risk of catching Corona from any interaction... Touching door handles... Picking up your post... Shaking hands with a Crewe player... Going to the shops... Interacting with your family who go to work and school etc.

So our player's "could of caught Corona" but the game goes ahead because we make reasonable efforts to mitigate the risk.

Can't you ask your school teacher or responsible adult in your company if you need it explaining again rather than boring everyone on here.

I mean, that is literally what I have been saying since Saturday. Maybe in my previous 2 posts I shouldn’t have said ‘zero chance’. I should have said ‘virtually zero chance’.

So glad we agree. It has took 3 days but you have finally come around to may way of thinking. You and your fellow fans were being melodramatic. Your players will be fine.

 

[dannyc5]

"I like to think I've done the right thing morally because I quite easily could have played and infected lots of Oxford players to make them weaker for next week.. now I don't want to do that..."

WTF you walked into our dressing room having been on a coach with a player who has tested positive for Covid. Your manager knew about this at 0830hrs this morning and allowed this to happen. I don't understand how you think this is acceptable. It is not the fact our team will be weaker next week it is their vulnerable family members that they now worry for.

Crazy crazy actions from Crewe.

This story is not a non-issue!

Also, did we go into your dressing room? I thought you said Oxford mitigated the risks? This would seem like QUITE a big oversight. Very confused how you can think your club does such a good job of mitigating risks whilst simultaneously letting the away team walk into the home dressing room (I btw very much doubt that this happened).

 

[Robie]

 

[eric read]

Also, did we go into your dressing room? I thought you said Oxford mitigated the risks? This would seem like QUITE a big oversight. Very confused how you can think your club does such a good job of mitigating risks whilst simultaneously letting the away team walk into the home dressing room (I btw very much doubt that this happened).

Without wishing to enter into yet another extensive round of posts, and counter posts, on this I'll clarify as follows:

It was stated by John Mousinho (our captain) in his post (non!)match interview, that Crewe players were "in our changing room"

This was picked up by many people who heard it, myself included. From my perspective, knowing just what normally happens pre-match, I found this very surprising. But given the lax attitude of Crewe, and Artell in particular, nothing was beyond belief.

What has subsequently been clarified, as this point was pursued in subsequent interviews, is that when Mousinho used the term "in our changing room" he meant the general changing room area and not specifically the home team's changing room.

So no oversight on Oxford's part at all, merely a phrase used in an interview that was ambiguous and has subsequently been cleared up.

 

[dannyc5]

Ahhh excellent. So I was right all along. He meant the away changing room, not the home changing room. Another thing I got right, and yet another thing you lot got wrong. I find it amazing that I had to defend your club for you, when it was so clear to me that they had indeed done nothing wrong.

 

[dannyc5]

No, they wouldn’t have done! Are people on a wind up or something? This is what I mean, the world is going mad and people can’t be rational! There is no mixing of squads or staff! That is part of the agreement with the government as to why football can be played. Changing rooms in car parks, using different corridors to get onto the pitch etc etc. The only mixing between clubs is on the pitch and a fist bump at the end between the benches. Just look at the pictures of Artell and Robinson discussing what to do, stood 2m apart on the pitch with masks on. If the squads have mixed then that is clearly a problem, but there are no indications that this has happened. Maybe the Oxford fans are confusing what their captain said “they came into our changing room”. Obviously he means the away changing room provided by the club. Why the hell would Crewe all troop into the home changing room? That would be madness.

Just for clarity. This was me defending your club the other day.

 

[dannyc5]

And again here. (Now at the bottom)

 

[dannyc5]

Quite clear that Oxford fans are now accusing their own club of not following Covid safe protocols. Allowing the teams to mix is ridiculous (I don’t think you did allow the teams to mix, but clearly you lot think otherwise) and if that carries on, it won’t be long at all until football is suspended.

I reiterate. If the Covid framework is followed correctly, the squads and staff have no interaction before 3pm. Really don’t understand what you are all so petrified about. Bizarre behaviour. Not rational.

And once again here, your honour.

 

[dannyc5]

Well, if our players were allowed into your dressing room, then both clubs are guilty of a major breach. Even without the positive tests at Crewe, that type of behaviour clearly contravenes the Covid framework. But that is what your fans claim happened. Again, there is no indication that this is true. Another rumour is one of our players spoke to one of yours in the morning, and you actually found out before we arrived. Again, rumours. Nobody knowthe truth except those that were there.

I have no doubt that Oxford have followed all the correct protocols, going off what Robinson and your chief executive said. I can’t for a second see Robinson allow opposition players into his dressing room given how passionately he spoke yesterday about following procedures.

I reiterate, if all procedures were followed by Oxford, there would have been no mixing of players and staff.

Apologies, forgot to attach the 2nd one.

 

[eric read]

Ahhh excellent. So I was right all along. He meant the away changing room, not the home changing room. Another thing I got right, and yet another thing you lot got wrong. I find it amazing that I had to defend your club for you, when it was so clear to me that they had indeed done nothing wrong.

FFS, here we go again.