Birmingham City may finally invest in undersoil heating after their derby with Wolverhampton Wanderers was the most high-profile of four FA Cup third-round ties called off on Saturday because of inclement weather.

Temperatures in the West Midlands fell to -8C on Friday night before Howard Webb, the referee, called off the match after an 11.45am pitch inspection. Birmingham, who have spent five years in the Barclays Premier League this decade, use covers and a hot-air balloon to guard their pitch against freezing but this postponement may persuade the club to install undersoil heating. The cost is likely to be between £100,000 and £400,000.

“We do employ a system of covers and heated air balloons and it’s always worked,” a spokesman for Birmingham said. “This is the first game called off due to the weather since the board took over in 1993. The covers had done their job when we left the stadium at 10pm on Friday but as overnight temperatures dipped to minus eight, it became apparent that an inspection was required.”

Angry fans vented their frustration on phone-ins and message boards — especially since West Bromwich Albion’s tie with Peterborough United five miles across Birmingham went ahead — but both clubs were satisfied with the decision. “The referee made his decision in the interests of the players’ safety and we are happy to abide by that,” Jez Moxey, the Wolves chief executive, said. “When he arrived at the ground Mick didn’t feel the pitch was playable and all we can do now is look forward to the new date when the game is played.”

That will be a week tomorrow, when Histon against Swansea City, Cheltenham Town against Doncaster Rovers and Leyton Orient against Sheffield United will also be restaged.

There were undignified accusations after Histon’s match was called off fewer than four hours before kick-off when Gareth Baldwin, the chairman of the Blue Square Premier club, made unsubstantiated claims that Swansea had persuaded Phil Crossley, the referee, to call off the game even though conditions were improving. Baldwin said: “The lads have trained on the pitch today with no mishaps. The Swansea officials were on their phones to the FA from 9 o’clock saying the pitch was not safe.”

Crossley said the pitch was playable at the time of the 11.30am inspection but because of the forecast, he could not guarantee the game could finish. “I make an independent decision: whatever thoughts were being passed to me must not come into the equation. The most important factor is players’ safety.”