Seven games beat the weather last weekend but another 42 did not.

So how does this season compare with previous years for postponements?

The most famous season to be affected by the weather was that of 1962-63.

On December 22, 1962, 20 matches were postponed and, the following week, the number increased to 29 – but that was only the start of the very cold spell.

After the few matches that went ahead on December 29, no more games were played until the March 9!

And it was not just the amateur game that suffered as Huddersfield Town also had a long period of inactivity.

A total of 350 matches were postponed but, as there were only five divisions, it was the equal to 70 per division.

The District League meeting in February of 1963 debated a way out. It was resolved that each club play 20 matches.

This was in most cases six fewer than had been planned at the start of the season, but it meant that 200 of the 350 matches were not rearranged.

Six years later, in the 1968-69 season, some 400 matches were postponed and the problem for the League that season was the weather affected much later on in the season.

By this time, the League had expanded to eight divisions, so the average was 50 per division (fewer than the 62-63 season).

Flood-struck Battyeford Sporting Club playing fields

However, the League managed to reschedule and complete the postponed fixtures with just a handful of games being unfulfilled.

This season there are eight divisions, so for this season to be the worst in “modern times” it would have to have a total of 560 games postponed – that’s 70 per division.

Last Saturday the 42 games brought the total to 392 – about 160 short of the relative record, but with the ground being so saturated, more postponements are likely and the record could be broken.

The problem this season is that the weather has been wet and that affects some grounds more than others. In the two seasons mentioned previously, the problem was frost and snow which normally affects grounds uniformally throughout the district.

This has resulted in a variation between the number of games some clubs have to play.

Several teams have only eight still to play with Heywood Irish Club Reserves have even fewer at just five League matches remaining.

At the other end of the scale, a few have 13 to play while Wooldale Reserves still have 14 to play.

This variation has made a solution more difficult to find, as an answer to the problem that suits one club may not suit another.

The possibility of the same two teams playing two games on the same day has had mixed response – partly because of this variation in needs and partly because some clubs are against it on principal.

One of the practical problems that could arise is if a team turns up for a double-header with the bare number of players.

If they suffer an injury to one of their players in the first game, then they may have to start the second match short handed.

The current situation is that if two clubs wish to do this then they both have to write to the League Secretary, but any delay in doing this makes the option less likely as it could only take place if the two teams still have to play each other twice, and one is willing to sacrifice home advantage.

But the League still have to address the problem.

The likelihood of clubs agreeing to a reduction in the number of games per division, as in 1962-63, is extremely small.

Also the fact that in 1968-69 a large number of fixtures were rearranged without a great number of unfulfilled fixtures is also unlikely now, based on last-season statistics.

Last season the fixture problem was a lot less critical but, towards the end of the season, a total of 28 matches were unfulfilled.

The probability if nothing is done is that a lot more matches will be unfulfilled and titles could be won in the Management meetings – not very satisfactory.

On a lighter note, Slaithwaite’s fixtures and problems might bring some amusement.

They last played a league fixture on October 31.

On nine Saturdays since then they have been due to play a West Riding County FA Trophy match. They have won on two of these Saturdays and, on one occasion, they were leading when the match was abandoned. But the other six were all postponed.

As County Cup fixtures take preference, they are always scheduled the following week so, today, they are trying to play Farbank for the third time.

Their problems don’t end there. They still have to play their first-round match in the Groom Cup, they are still in the Huddersfield FA Cup and have a matter of 13 League games.