On the face of it, this seems very unfair on the poor chap and completely over top - sacking a groundsman after 27 years because the pitch was frozen by the weather. Yes, he could have taken precautions but the ground down here in the south has been frozen as solid as a rock for about 8 days now. And it was minus 9 degrees C last night in Kent. It's bloomin' cold. Or am I missing something?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38717420" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

He was probably too cold to do his job properly.

As you say "surely there's more to this".

Strange that they've released a statement about sacking a groundsman

The most unclear sentence is
"The Shrimpers said following the postponement that covers and heaters were put in place on the pitch but the temperature in Essex dipped to well below freezing and the referee decided the game would be called off in the interests of player safety."

Is that following the postponement they put the heaters & covers on or they were put on and this was the statement following the postponement?

If it's the former then why if it's been postponed?
If it's the later then what else could he have done?

Presumably he's forgot/neglected to put the heaters and covers on despite the forecasted freezing weather. Why they didn't just come out and say that rather than the slightly cryptic statement made I'm not sure.