15 minutes—that’s how long Charlton’s goalkeeper, Sam Bartram, stood on the field during a Boxing Day game on December 25, 1937, against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. As the heavy fog made the visibility poor on the pitch with players barely able to see each other, the match had to be abandoned. Yet, poor Bartram kept guarding the goalposts, convinced his teammates were doing well keeping the Blues away from his penalty box.

It wasn’t until a policeman approached Bartram and informed him that the game had been called off and everyone else had already left the pitch!

We hope you’ve heard this hilarious yet iconic story from the beautiful game. Well, that’s soccer for you—sometimes unpredictable, much like the weather. And when it’s Boxing Day, anything can happen. No wonder the recent Wrexham vs. Blackpool League One game had a similar yet distinct incident that left many fans fuming.

It’s not like one of the goalies of either side again found themselves in a situation like Bartram’s; in fact, the whole match was played with the Red Dragons securing a 2-1 win over the Tangerines. We don’t know about the players but fans definitely faced problems throughout the 90 minutes of the game, mainly because of the weather.

Apparently, the fog once again proved to be a major problem—not just for those watching the game from the comfort of their homes, but even for fans catching the action live at the Racecourse Ground. Surprisingly, the entire match was played under these conditions, making it a rather absurd viewing experience for ardent supporters.

Ashley Fletcher opened the scoring for Blackpool within three minutes, but Wrexham staged a quirky comeback. Paul Mullin equalized in the 24th minute, and Steven Fletcher’s late penalty in the 88th minute sealed the deal for Phil Parkinson’s side. Then again, despite the victory, fans expressed frustration, taking to the internet to voice their displeasure.

Wrexham fans slam weather conditions despite lucky win over Blackpool

While Red Dragons supporters must be pleased with the result and the much-needed three points, many are still upset about the poor viewing conditions. The fact that the game was played in such weather has sparked outrage across social media.

Of course, one has to agree that the Christmas schedule always brings unpredictable weather, especially in soccer. But the fog during this clash between the Red Dragons and the Tangerines was truly absurd. So it is only natural to see supporters express their anger as they couldn’t get to watch the game they were much anticipated to:

“Struggling to see a f****** thing!”

Surprisingly, a nearby League Two fixture between Tranmere Rovers and Accrington Stanley was called off due to the weather. However, the Wrexham vs. Blackpool match continued despite deteriorating conditions on the pitch, leaving fans questioning why the game was allowed to proceed:

“The game should be called off. How has this game stayed on?”

Who would have thought that it was at the start of the game that fans were facing trouble? No wonder this Blackpool supporter has taken a cheeky dig at Ashley Fletcher for being able to find the net inside 3 minutes into the kickoff:

“How did he see where the goal was with all the fog?”

If the supporters in the stadium were struggling so imagine what it would have been like for those watching on TV. This Wrexham supporter was also surprised how Paul Mullin managed to see the goal and net an equalizer:

“Intermittently watching at work and just saw Mulls lace one through the fog! Is it as bad in person as it looks on the TV? This was then confirmed via images from the ground.”

If the TV viewers and even the supporters in the stadium were facing problems then we’re wondering how tough day at the office it would have been for VAR officials. Well, this fan has rightly stepped up to show some sympathy for the referees for being able to officiate in such weather:

“Watching this Wrexham game and this fog has to make the V1/V2’s job a nightmare.”

Interestingly, this was just a glimpse of all the angry responses from ardent fans. Regardless, we would like to know your views as well. Do you think that Wrexham vs Blackpool should have been called off? Let us know in the comments.