Christmas fixtures set for review

Newcastle's game was one of 17 postponed on Wednesday

The Premier League could change the way it allocates Christmas fixtures following pressure from Government.

Three top-flight games were lost to weather on Wednesday with Charlton fans seeing their game at Newcastle called off 25 minutes before kick-off.

That meant a 600-mile round trip and prompted Sports Minister Richard Caborn to ask for a review.

Now the Premier League has said: "It's an issue we will be looking at further with a view to next season's fixtures."

The statement added: "The fans are the most important thing and we have to make sure that our fixtures reflect that."

Full reaction to Newcastle-Charlton row

"We try to ensure holiday games are as close as possible. But there are not enough derby fixtures to go around," Premier League spokesman Dan Johnson told BBC Radio Five Live on Thursday.

"It is particularly difficult this Christmas because we are having to squeeze in an extra game because, after negotiations with the Football Association, we agreed a four-week break at the end of the season for England's World Cup preparations."

"Also, you don't know when the bad weather is going to fall. You could have a very mild Christmas when it is possible to play the games and then have a winter frost in January.

All the weather forecasts on Wednesday said the situation was going to deteriorate Sports minister Richard Caborn

"All clubs have to have undersoil heating but you are still in the hands of the elements to some extent."

The Premier League's reaction came as Caborn said: "I will write to the FA and Premier League and ask them at the very least to review the rules.

"They need to consider how far people are travelling, and the likely weather conditions, to stop this unacceptable situation happening again.

"All the weather forecasts on Wednesday said the situation was going to deteriorate, not get better, and yet in Newcastle's case the match was only called off less than half-an-hour before kick-off."

As well as the three Premiership matches, 14 other games around the country were postponed due to frozen pitches or unsafe conditions.