The "pitch"

[Willis]

First home I've been too this season due to holidaying in Crete through much of August. I'd read about the pitch on here so was expecting it to cut up, but my god not to the extent it was today. Even the ref was putting tufts back and stamping them down.

There's clearly something fundamentally wrong with it. I have no idea what can be done to rectify the situation but surely it'll be better to re-lay it and give it a couple of months, or however long it takes to "take" or whatever it does, than to carry on playing on that surface. The team are clearly not happy in it, which was evident today by the hoofball played all game long, even when we had 45mins against 10men they continued to play long ball rather than the quick short passing game that was successful for them last season.

Gawd knows where we'd play our home games whilst a new pitch beds in, but if we put up with it for the rest of the season I can't see how it will improve and effectively we'll be playing 46 away games this season as it's not conducive to proper football and the ball players we have in the team are stifled on that mockery of a football pitch.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[OldBlueLady]

We discussed the pitch at our recent liaison meeting as, obviously, it's a huge concern. I won't say too much yet as the Minutes haven't been signed off - but it is nothing to do with groundsmen and more to do with a situation out of the club's control, which meant it was later being laid than it should have been meaning it's not had the chance to "bed in". It's hoped with some TLC over the next couple of weeks, that it will show signs of improvement.

 

[RHB]

Whilst were in the mood shouldn't you have an 'ic' on the end of pedant :winking:

Grammatically, it's perfectly correct for Crowstone Crevette to describe himself as a pedant. this, in turn, could make his comment pedantic.:dim:

 

[Pubey]

I thought someone posted on here a few weeks ago the decision to reseed the pitch was not made by the new groundsman and his team. The decision came from higher up.
We were told that pitch would be much better today, but it was just as bad.

I guess if you think about it the situation is this:

- we're skint, so Ron is going to have an interest in saving money where possible and will look at the re-turfing of the pitch as a significant expense and will want to know if it's essential
- we have a new groundsman, I know nothing about the guy (lady?) but he may be relatively new to the field (pun intended), he may not feel confident about 'pushing back' against a suggestion to do the cheaper option, and who can blame him given what Ron did to the previous groundsman.

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

Going to be the same for the opposition as well, so guess we're have to get used to 'hoof ball' every game?. Get a wet winter & it will resemble Derby's in the 70's by Feb.
At least we've got an excuse if we don't do well this season, it was due to the pitch!.

 

[rigsby]

Have to say it appeared to cut up more easily than the last few games. Certainly caught out a few players out first 20 mins.
So giving it more time hasn't worked so far :unsure:

 

[mattitouk]

We discussed the pitch at our recent liaison meeting as, obviously, it's a huge concern. I won't say too much yet as the Minutes haven't been signed off - but it is nothing to do with groundsmen and more to do with a situation out of the club's control, which meant it was later being laid than it should have been meaning it's not had the chance to "bed in". It's hoped with some TLC over the next couple of weeks, that it will show signs of improvement.

OBL, I completely understand your situation with not being able to comment in any detail about it being "out of the clubs control" & due to the minutes not being signed off. Which is absolutely fair enough.

But purely in your own personal opinion, (as a guesstimate only) how long do you imagine the relaying / re-seeding of the pitch was delayed for? are we talking days, weeks or months?

 

[LBBlue]

That's what was said two weeks ago and it's no better.

In any other business the "health and safety" would ban employees from working on it - it's potentially dangerous.

It will cost us loads of points as every one will come here play defensively and play for set pieces.

 

[OldBlueLady]

OBL, I completely understand your situation with not being able to comment in any detail about it being "out of the clubs control" & due to the minutes not being signed off. Which is absolutely fair enough.

But purely in your own personal opinion, (as a guesstimate only) how long do you imagine the relaying / re-seeding of the pitch was delayed for? are we talking days, weeks or months?

It was 3 weeks later than it should have been.

 

[mattitouk]

It was 3 weeks later than it should have been.

Thanks OBL, it makes a little bit more sense to me now.

 

[Fitz]

Could some of the injuries be due to the state of the pitch...hamstrings and groins etc. I think so!

Rearrange next home game I think and get some professionals in to sort it out, otherwise we will be playing on a mud bath all winter!

 

[ec2shrimper]

Could some of the injuries be due to the state of the pitch...hamstrings and groins etc. I think so!

Rearrange next home game I think and get some professionals in to sort it out, otherwise we will be playing on a mud bath all winter!

Agree. It must be a factor with so many injured. I also believe that it is affecting the confidence of the players to run with the ball. Players such as Robinson who rely on pace to run past defenders. Last year he was ideal to bring on to run at tired defenders. This year nowhere near as effective.

 

[LBBlue]

Brown was complaining that we didn't use the flanks after Nile came on. It was like a ploughed field in front of the greens and blacks. No one was going to be able to run with the ball on that.

 

[wivs]

The pitch was reseeded late, probably due to all the matches being played on it after the season finished. From what I recall it was about £1200 to hire the pitch for a game. I think there was matches going on through most of May ( my vets side took the opportunity to play on the hallowed turf, which at the time was immaculate, ironically enough!! )
So unfortunately it looks like trying to raise some extra money for the club could end up costing us more to put it right in the long run.

 

[OldBlueLady]

The pitch was reseeded late, probably due to all the matches being played on it after the season finished. From what I recall it was about £1200 to hire the pitch for a game. I think there was matches going on through most of May ( my vets side took the opportunity to play on the hallowed turf, which at the time was immaculate, ironically enough!! )
So unfortunately it looks like trying to raise some extra money for the club could end up costing us more to put it right in the long run.

The problems had nothing to do with the end of season pitch hire.

 

[Lord Football]

The pitch was reseeded late, probably due to all the matches being played on it after the season finished. From what I recall it was about £1200 to hire the pitch for a game. I think there was matches going on through most of May ( my vets side took the opportunity to play on the hallowed turf, which at the time was immaculate, ironically enough!! )
So unfortunately it looks like trying to raise some extra money for the club could end up costing us more to put it right in the long run.

That wouldn't make a difference. Most league pitches are available to hire during May. Roots Hall has been for several season.

I was messing around at Southampton at the end of May (and some mates were at Millwall and Chelsea after that). All those pitches were relaid and are fine.

I suspect it is because someone new has done something different and it hasn't worked.

 

[BARNETBLUE]

What a fiasco this is...In my near 50 years of support Roots Hall ALWAYS had a decent playing surface.This was known throughout Pro football as a given. NO matter how much we fans moaned about Players, results, managers or Chairmen or anything else, the Club had a decent pitch worthy of a higher level...Now this shambles...Come on Mr Martin sort it out!!!

 

[HudsonNo1]

I was leaning towards blaming the pitch being up for hire after the conclusion of last season but it seems that's been ruled out by a few on here, so for any grass experts on here. What is the problem?

Has it been done on the cheap?
Is it down to the new groundsman?

Surely someone knows the reason why its cutting up so much.

 

[BB Blue]

My god Iv'e never read some rubbish from people (sorry OBL) that the pitch is a disgrace because of some sort of a 3 week delay!

I work at a championship golf course, (greenkeeper) and if our greens (all year round) were anyway like Roots Hall we would all get the sack. Of course I am not suggesting that RH should be like a golf course green! But I'm not saying, that all apart we have (at our hotel) a football pitch which I would say is of premiership quality, and have had many top teams train there, if especially they have a game in the London area.

IMO something has happened which is not acceptable, as we have always had a brilliant pitch at RH

There is no excuse for the poor pitch at the start of the season.

 

[South Bank Hank]

My god Iv'e never read some rubbish from people (sorry OBL) that the pitch is a disgrace because of some sort of a 3 week delay!

I work at a championship golf course, (greenkeeper) and if our greens (all year round) were anyway like Roots Hall we would all get the sack. Of course I am not suggesting that RH should be like a golf course green! But I'm not saying, that all apart we have (at our hotel) a football pitch which I would say is of premiership quality, and have had many top teams train there, if especially they have a game in the London area.

IMO something has happened which is not acceptable, as we have always had a brilliant pitch at RH

There is no excuse for the poor pitch at the start of the season.

Interesting post, triple B. In your clearly experienced opinion, what seems to be the problem, what might have caused it, and what are our best options?