FROST covers had been down at the Kassam Stadium for more than a week, but the Siberian chill still claimed Oxford United’s game against Fleetwood Town tomorrow.

Without undersoil heating, a luxury rarely seen outside the Premier League, clubs can be at the mercy of the elements.

U's caretaker boss Derek Fazackerley's playing career began in 1969, when games went on in conditions which would not be contemplated now.

He said: "It does take me back a year or two to my days as a player. I remember playing in one or two games where you thought ‘I’m not so sure we should be out on here’.

"We (Blackburn Rovers) played one cup tie against Luton and it was absolutely frozen solid.

"It didn’t stop us weighing into tackles, but in those days it didn’t seem to matter too much.

"Things have changed a little bit now, the pitches at the top level have undersoil heating, but it doesn’t spread down to this level and so we have to make do with what we’ve got and make the best of it.

"These days there’s a concern for the safety of the public as well if they can’t clear the gangways and the roads leading up to the ground.

"There’s a lot of things to consider."

Combating the worst of the English winter is an annual challenge, with some novel solutions to the problem attempted over the years.

Witney Gazette:

  • 1967 - Oxford United supporters at Chelmsford (from left): George Knight, Geoffrey Hatton, Martin Hatton, Harry Knight Picture: Jim Griffiths

Witney Gazette:

  • 1970 -  Firemen use foam in January 1970 during a failed bid for Oxford United’s FA Cup third round tie against Stoke City at the Manor Ground to beat the weather

Witney Gazette:

  • 1970 - Supporters Sue Mackenzie and Janice Masters discover of a postponement against Orient on Boxing Day

Witney Gazette:

  • 1979: Referee Allan Gunn tries out the Manor pitch before giving the go-ahead for Oxford United's Third Division match against Watford on January 26, which finished 1-1 Picture: Antony Moore

Witney Gazette:

  • 1985 - Oxford United manager Jim Smith and non-contract player Terry Muckelberg in an effort to clear the snow from the Manor pitch, while junior groundsman David Wedge gives a hand on the tractor ahead of the match against Shrewsbury on February 15 Picture: George Reszeter

Witney Gazette:

  • 1999 - Mickey Lewis pitches in during an attempt to get United's FA Cup replay with Nottingham Forest to go ahead in December 1999. It was eventually played the following month, where the U's lost 3-1 Picture: Jon Lewis

Witney Gazette:

  • 2013 - Tomorrow’s game is not the first in March to be hit by snow in recent years, with their 2013 trip to Northampton Town going ahead, as Deane Smalley (left) battles with Cobblers defender Joe Widdowson Picture: Jon Lewis

Witney Gazette:

  • 2016 - U's groundsman Paul Currier checks the frost covers are doing their job ahead of the FA Cup tie with Newcastle United in January. The game went ahead, with United winning 3-0  Picture: Jon Lewis