A new Pitch

[Red wizard]

I think Martin is finding it tiresome because this is the first year the pitch hasn't stayed in top condition. Its also the been very cold all winter so we've had to have the covers on. The weather is the ony reason the pitch is bad. Chances are we won't get a winter like this for a lot of years. Yet people still keep going on about it when its clear to see why the pitch is so bad.

[ravenrover]

Our pitch for the latter part of this season has been an utter disgrace.

It has killed any possibility of playing decent football and I'm sure our players must have dreaded playing on it.
As a spectator I've certainly not enjoyed the football served up on it, and that is no criticism of our players.

Whatever the cause of the problem, I sincerely hope the club and the Groundstaff have a solution to it for next season and beyond.

And I'm surprised that Silent Majority finds it tiresome that the subject keeps coming up - it is quite important.

For goodness sake give it a rest!
Anybody with half a brain cell would know that you can't keep grass covered up for 6months and expect it to be green and lush after that!
And yes it is tiresome to hear all the amateur gardeners telling the professional that they don't know what they are doing!   

[tommy toes]

I think Martin is finding it tiresome because this is the first year the pitch hasn't stayed in top condition. Its also the been very cold all winter so we've had to have the covers on. The weather is the ony reason the pitch is bad. Chances are we won't get a winter like this for a lot of years. Yet people still keep going on about it when its clear to see why the pitch is so bad.
First time it hasn't been in top condition?
The pitch has been awful since the day the stadium opened. The ball bounced like a ballon and bobbled all over the place from day one. The groundstaff are not to blame, whoever laid it in the first place is.

[Red wizard]

 

Our pitch for the latter part of this season has been an utter disgrace.

It has killed any possibility of playing decent football and I'm sure our players must have dreaded playing on it.
As a spectator I've certainly not enjoyed the football served up on it, and that is no criticism of our players.

Whatever the cause of the problem, I sincerely hope the club and the Groundstaff have a solution to it for next season and beyond.

And I'm surprised that Silent Majority finds it tiresome that the subject keeps coming up - it is quite important.

For goodness sake give it a rest!
Anybody with half a brain cell would know that you can't keep grass covered up for 6months and expect it to be green and lush after that!
And yes it is tiresome to hear all the amateur gardeners telling the professional that they don't know what they are doing!   

Its nice to know there are at least a few of us who can see why the pitch is bad.

[Red wizard]

Tommy, we all know its a hard pitch. However to say its been awful from day one is very harsh mate.

[tommy toes]

Sorry Red, my opinion is that it's an awful pitch and always has been.

[GM-MarkB]

I think Martin is finding it tiresome because this is the first year the pitch hasn't stayed in top condition. Its also the been very cold all winter so we've had to have the covers on. The weather is the ony reason the pitch is bad. Chances are we won't get a winter like this for a lot of years. Yet people still keep going on about it when its clear to see why the pitch is so bad.
First time it hasn't been in top condition?
The pitch has been awful since the day the stadium opened. The ball bounced like a ballon and bobbled all over the place from day one. The groundstaff are not to blame, whoever laid it in the first place is.

It has never been 'laid'. Andy grew it from day one from seed...so in actual fact you are blaming the groundstaff

[IDM]

Tommy toes - exactly how many times have you played on our pitch to make that judgement? I can remember several seasons until quite recently where when on form, we could pass that ball all over the place.

And neil grainger, don't you think "utter disgrace" is a bit OTT?  "disappointing" perhaps, due to the factors we all know about, but a "disgrace" - no, there are far worse things happening in the world that warrant being described as a disgrace, and the state of a football pitch aint one of them.

 

[eastender]

It's the old saying " You get what you pay for".

We pay £42K ....  and Man Utd pay £500k for the same pitch.

I've no problem with that and don't expect the same quality...but.

Having said that , if we can't afford to maintain a Desso  pitch , why have one ?


http://www.goal.com/en/news/596/exclusive/2013/03/13/3821437/manchester-united-to-spend-500000-on-new-old-trafford-pitch

[Dagenham Rover]

Its a whole new Desso pitch Manu are installing  to replace a grass pitch, not the annual refurbishment Desso pitchs require hence the cost

[eastender]

Pretty sure it got mentioned on here by Andy the groundsman last year , that the team from Desso who did the work on our pitch went straight to Old Trafford to do the refurb on theirs.

[eastender]

Its a whole new Desso pitch Manu are installing  to replace a grass pitch, not the annual refurbishment Desso pitchs require hence the cost

Man Utd do have a Desso  pitch and can obviously afford to maintain it to a decent standard.

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desso

[Dagenham Rover]

Just going on the article linked by eastender it implys its a whole new Desso pitch

[lakesiderover]

Definitely can't blame Rugby for the state of the pitch. The pitch was in a bad state before the Rugby season even started.

What I would like too see next season is the ground staff leaving the grass a bit longer. There's too much bounce on the pitch when cut to short.

What are other people's option on the grass length?....

[Red wizard]

I don't know enough about green keeping to have a opinion tbh. I leave that to Andy and his team who do a cracking job imo.

[Andy Thompson]

Definitely can't blame Rugby for the state of the pitch. The pitch was in a bad state before the Rugby season even started.

What I would like too see next season is the ground staff leaving the grass a bit longer. There's too much bounce on the pitch when cut to short.

What are other people's option on the grass length?....

I have just replied to your twitter message Melv to answer your question..hope it made sense and if you have any more questions please fire them across i would be happy to answer them.

Manchester united are having a Desso installed this summer, they currently have a Fibresand pitch. £500k is about right for a new Desso pitch to be installed ..they will dig out the old fibresand rootzone, bring in a new fresh rootzone, if Hewitts are doing it they will stitch the Desso first then sow seed but if Malinsons are doing the work (they did ours originally in 2006) then they grown in a pitch then stitch the pitch with Desso afterwards. Only these 2 companies presently have the licence to install Desso pitches in this country.

Manchester united will have the use of their growing lights to help with the establishment of grass and to maintain throughout the winter months when sunlight and heat is at a premium.

[ravenrover]

I don't know enough about green keeping to have a opinion tbh. I leave that to Andy and his team who do a cracking job imo.

At last somebody with sense

[Red wizard]

There is a lot on here who wouldnt know where to start growing a pitch. I'm one. I wouldn't like Andy t telling me how to weld. I'm a plater welder. So when the experts like Andy say its the bad weather that's ruined the pitch I take his word for it.