Football League action has been decimated

Four matches in the Championship have fallen foul of the cold snap and Leagues One and Two have been even harder hit, with only three of the 24 scheduled fixtures surviving inspections on Thursday.

The Championship basement battle between Sheffield Wednesday and Peterborough is one of the biggest casualties, along with Watford v Sheffield United, Preston v Doncaster and Reading v Newcastle.

The pitch at Hillsborough was protected by undersoil heating but areas immediately surrounding the ground were covered in a thick blanket of snow, rendering roads and pavements in the vicinity treacherous.

Wednesday chief executive Nick Parker said: "It is highly unlikely these areas could be cleared to the extent that would allow fans to come to the game and be guaranteed of their safety."

Watford head of operations Glyn Evans said: "We'd made great efforts to make sure the pitch was in good condition but, with freezing temperatures forecast for the area overnight and Friday, this was a clear-cut decision to have to make concerning our supporters."

Birmingham say they are "extremely confident" Saturday's game against Manchester United will go ahead.

Burnley are making every effort to ensure their Premier League match against Stoke goes ahead at Turf Moor.

A spokesperson said: "The pitch has undersoil heating and is currently playable, however our main concerns in terms of spectator safety are the surrounding streets."

A decision will be made on Friday on whether Sunderland's Premier League home clash with Bolton on Saturday can go ahead.

The city's Safety Advisory Group called an extraordinary meeting on Thursday to discuss the implications of the ongoing wintry conditions gripping much of the country.

The group, which comprises representatives of Sunderland City Council, police, ambulance and fire services as well as the club, will meet again on Friday, with weather forecasts suggesting that conditions will worsen over the weekend.

Group chairman Ken Scott, of Sunderland City Council, said: "It is too soon at this stage to make a definitive decision regarding the status of the match.

"However another meeting will take place tomorrow after which we will make a further announcement.

"In the meantime, we will continue to monitor the weather conditions and associated safety issues."

In League One, only the fixtures at Leeds and Norwich are still hoping to survive the wintry blast, while Northampton v Chesterfield is the last game currently standing in League Two.

The big freeze has also wreaked havoc with the fourth round of the Scottish Cup.

The Morton v Celtic and Kilmarnock v Falkirk ties were called off on Wednesday and seven more followed on Thursday, meaning just seven of the 16 matches remain.

Postponed games: Championship: Preston v Doncaster, Reading v Newcastle, Sheffield Wednesday v Peterborough, Watford v Sheff Utd.

League One: Brighton v Brentford, Bristol Rovers v Stockport, Carlisle v Millwall, Charlton v Hartlepool, Gillingham v Tranmere, MK Dons v Swindon, Oldham v Leyton Orient, Southampton v Huddersfield, Southend v Walsall, Yeovil v Colchester.

League Two: Aldershot v Rochdale, Bury v Darlington, Cheltenham v Hereford, Crewe v Grimsby, Lincoln City v Accrington Stanley, Morecambe v Burton, Notts County v Macclesfield, Port Vale v Bradford, Rotherham v Bournemouth, Shrewsbury v Barnet, Torquay v Dagenham & Redbridge.

Scottish Cup Fourth Round: Ayr v Brechin, Albion v Stirling, Edinburgh City v Montrose, Forfar v St Johnstone, Inverness CT v Motherwell, Kilmarnock v Falkirk, Livingston v Dundee, Morton v Celtic, Raith v Airdrie Utd, Ross County v Inverurie Loco Works.