Watching for games at the weekend, it was interesting to hear how difficult lots of professional teams have found it to train this last couple of weeks because most outside pitches have been frozen solid.

It’s not just problems with pitches though it’s also a problem getting to the grounds.

I got my U9s up to training to clear the astro turf pitch we can use. Six turned up. I slipped on ice and could barely walk. The parents faced a gruelling drive home. They won’t do that again in a hurry.

Wickham Wanderers have found the same problem. Because they were playing Leeds United who have undersoil heating and an army of people to clear snow off the pitch, they had to travel all the way up north to their match.

They haven’t trained all week, whereas Leeds have a plastic training pitch which they can use in conditions like this.

Most clubs have to train indoors if they can find somewhere open.

When you hear that a big club like Manchester United with all their facilities are finding it difficult to train even though they have undersoil heated training pitches you know there is a problem. Your local rec isn’t going to be much use.

Manchester Utd have penciled in a trip to Dubai to train – now there’s a thought. Wonder if my local club would stump up the cash for a little trip like that.

But there are things you can do if you can sort out a flat bit of snow to pass the ball around on. Get everyone to bring flasks of hot drinks and do half an hour of simple passing. As long as its daylight your players should be okay.

I’ve been asking around to see what players have been up to and thought I’d put up a couple of clips for you to see:

And remember in the 70s when games went ahead with an orange ball?