A PLEA for an extended football season has been made by the chairman of the Mercian Football League.

George Silverman said about 100 games had been postponed so far this season because various local authority-owned pitches had been declared unfit to play on by Malvern Town Council.

Mr Silverman said some games had been called off prematurely.

"They inspect the pitches on Thursdays," he said.

"But sometimes we feel that inspection is a bit premature and that if they had waited a bit longer some of these games could have been played.

"Some of the blame has to be down to the weather, but the Council seems to be calling games off in blocks and denying a lot of pleasure to local people."

Town clerk Stuart McDonough said they had the right to cancel matches to protect pitches in areas like Sling Lane and Lower Howsell.

"People need to bear in mind that these pitches aren't drained," he said.

"Our concern is firstly the damage that can be caused by playing on a wet pitch, and secondly that if we allowed these matches to go ahead they would get progressively worse and then be completely unplayable."

Mr McDonough said that if the Council delayed making a decision about the condition of the pitches, then people would complain because they had not been given enough notice.

"We're using sports grade sand to try and dry the pitches up but it's made absolutely no difference because it's been so wet," he said.

"The cancellations this year are extreme because of the weather conditions but we've no intention of taking the goalposts away until all the matches have been played."