Fulham’s clash with Liverpool on Wednesday could be called off – due to the London Tube strike.
The west Londoners are in talks with the Premier League about a possible postponement of the match after Safety Advisory Groups (SAG), responsible for overseeing spectator safety at sports grounds, recommended it is cancelled on Wednesday unless the planned strike is averted. A final decision is expected to be made by Fulham at 3pm on Tuesday afternoon.
Craven Cottage officials have earmarked Wednesday, March 26 for the rescheduled match if this week’s game is called off.
London Underground workers staged a 48-hour walkout last week, which caused travel chaos across the capital. Another 48-hour strike is planned from 9pm on Tuesday unless a last-ditch deal can be agreed between LU bosses and union leaders.
It is understood that Fulham made an application to SAG, which is chaired by Hammersmith & Fulham Council and includes representatives from the emergency services, last week to call off Wednesday’s fixture at Craven Cottage, which begins at 8pm.
The west London club feared they would not have the required staff numbers to safely operate a match if the Tube is unavailable. The nearest overground station is Putney and that is a 20-minute walk from Craven Cottage.
Fulham employ 1,200 staff on match days and the majority of these tend to come from east London.
Fulham’s unique infrastructure and location on the banks of the River Thames means the Tube strike is more of an issue than it is at capital rivals Arsenal, who host Manchester United on Wednesday night. Emirates Stadium is served by three nearby overground stations.
Fulham are waiting on the approval of the Premier League before they announce a postponement, in order to avoid a fine from the governing body.
League officials had asked the London club to see if there was any development in the Tube strike talks over the weekend and Monday before making a final decision.
