Field Mill pitch

[WVStag]

You want to see Tranmere’s if you think ours is bad! Newport is also starting to look bad & that’s had a lot spent on it.

Maldon can I ask what experience you’ve got as a groundsman? You sound like you know what you’re on about so I’m intrigued. I think Mez & the lads do a really good job so your post has taken me back a bit as I’ve never seen any criticism of Mez before.

You certainly can, I spent 3 years working for Talbot Farm Landscapes where, we laid many football pitches for the likes of QPR, Portsmouth and Burton Albion to name a few when we worked for SIS Pitches, we also landscaped some of the Olympic Village in London including part of the London Stadium after the original contractor gave back the contract as it was a step to far.

Preparation is the key when laying or re-laying a sports surface, the soil needs to be worked then worked again, you can't just take the top off and re-seed the underneath hoping all is going to grow well for a few seasons because it wont.

Drainage is the key, making sure you have the soakaway running in the right direction to the lowest point of the pitch. Getting it laser lined is crucial, this will ensure the water will drain away to it's lowest point and not hang about underneath the pitch like it is doing. It's plain to see to someone like myself who has worked in the "Sports Surface Industry" that the re-seeding was done on a small budget, most football clubs use the "Turf Roll System," it costs a little bit more but, it's the only way for a sustainable surface that isn't going to look like it's been ploughed ready to plant potatoes after a few games in wet conditions. The science behind growing grass for professional football use has come on in leaps and bounds in the last 15 years, there's a grass out there now that can grow in sand and without water, I think it's called TIFF 118, it's sprayed on in a mulch helping it bind to the sand enabling it to take root and grow.

I would also urge the club to buy more sun lamps, having a row of three isn't going to work, shell out a little bit more and increase the amount to cover a quarter of the pitch due to the West Stand blocking out even the winter sun, this will encourage the grass to grow even in winter when temperatures are minus 1.

Any groundsman worth his salt will know that you can't scrimp and scrape when it comes to the playing surface because, a few days of rain will have it looking like a paddy field.

The pitch needs a lot of work doing to it over a few seasons, laser 50 points of the pitch, find the lowest point then, work from there.

Hope that clears everything up Dan?

Fantastic mate thank you. I knew you knew what you were on about which is why I asked. Hopefully your post can help JR see that he needs to give Mez a bit more money for the pitch as I know a lot of the stuff he’s had over the years has been funded by the SSA.

The fact remains - we haven’t lost a fixture to the rain in five years

That doesn’t speak for the quality of the playing surface on a matchday though, does it Edders...

Thanks Maldon for your insight. Enjoyed reading it.

[Dan]

Edders I think we had one postponed last season didn’t we? Mez and his team do a brilliant job but if he can get a bit extra help I’m sure he’d love it.

[Maldon Stag]

You want to see Tranmere’s if you think ours is bad! Newport is also starting to look bad & that’s had a lot spent on it.

Maldon can I ask what experience you’ve got as a groundsman? You sound like you know what you’re on about so I’m intrigued. I think Mez & the lads do a really good job so your post has taken me back a bit as I’ve never seen any criticism of Mez before.

You certainly can, I spent 3 years working for Talbot Farm Landscapes where, we laid many football pitches for the likes of QPR, Portsmouth and Burton Albion to name a few when we worked for SIS Pitches, we also landscaped some of the Olympic Village in London including part of the London Stadium after the original contractor gave back the contract as it was a step to far.

Preparation is the key when laying or re-laying a sports surface, the soil needs to be worked then worked again, you can't just take the top off and re-seed the underneath hoping all is going to grow well for a few seasons because it wont.

Drainage is the key, making sure you have the soakaway running in the right direction to the lowest point of the pitch. Getting it laser lined is crucial, this will ensure the water will drain away to it's lowest point and not hang about underneath the pitch like it is doing. It's plain to see to someone like myself who has worked in the "Sports Surface Industry" that the re-seeding was done on a small budget, most football clubs use the "Turf Roll System," it costs a little bit more but, it's the only way for a sustainable surface that isn't going to look like it's been ploughed ready to plant potatoes after a few games in wet conditions. The science behind growing grass for professional football use has come on in leaps and bounds in the last 15 years, there's a grass out there now that can grow in sand and without water, I think it's called TIFF 118, it's sprayed on in a mulch helping it bind to the sand enabling it to take root and grow.

I would also urge the club to buy more sun lamps, having a row of three isn't going to work, shell out a little bit more and increase the amount to cover a quarter of the pitch due to the West Stand blocking out even the winter sun, this will encourage the grass to grow even in winter when temperatures are minus 1.

Any groundsman worth his salt will know that you can't scrimp and scrape when it comes to the playing surface because, a few days of rain will have it looking like a paddy field.

The pitch needs a lot of work doing to it over a few seasons, laser 50 points of the pitch, find the lowest point then, work from there.

Hope that clears everything up Dan?

Fantastic mate thank you. I knew you knew what you were on about which is why I asked. Hopefully your post can help JR see that he needs to give Mez a bit more money for the pitch as I know a lot of the stuff he’s had over the years has been funded by the SSA.

The SSA have given Mez some valuable tools to enable him to keep the pitch playable, if they really want to donate something I'd recommend them buying him a few rows of sun lamps to get into the middle of the pitch to encourage the grass to grow, buy him a row every season then before you know it a quarter of the pitch is covered. These sun lamps are a god send for football clubs, why don't the club cant ask the police to donate some when they've done a job on some local cannabis growers, didn't Notts County get their sun lamps that way?

[Dan]

You want to see Tranmere’s if you think ours is bad! Newport is also starting to look bad & that’s had a lot spent on it.

Maldon can I ask what experience you’ve got as a groundsman? You sound like you know what you’re on about so I’m intrigued. I think Mez & the lads do a really good job so your post has taken me back a bit as I’ve never seen any criticism of Mez before.

You certainly can, I spent 3 years working for Talbot Farm Landscapes where, we laid many football pitches for the likes of QPR, Portsmouth and Burton Albion to name a few when we worked for SIS Pitches, we also landscaped some of the Olympic Village in London including part of the London Stadium after the original contractor gave back the contract as it was a step to far.

Preparation is the key when laying or re-laying a sports surface, the soil needs to be worked then worked again, you can't just take the top off and re-seed the underneath hoping all is going to grow well for a few seasons because it wont.

Drainage is the key, making sure you have the soakaway running in the right direction to the lowest point of the pitch. Getting it laser lined is crucial, this will ensure the water will drain away to it's lowest point and not hang about underneath the pitch like it is doing. It's plain to see to someone like myself who has worked in the "Sports Surface Industry" that the re-seeding was done on a small budget, most football clubs use the "Turf Roll System," it costs a little bit more but, it's the only way for a sustainable surface that isn't going to look like it's been ploughed ready to plant potatoes after a few games in wet conditions. The science behind growing grass for professional football use has come on in leaps and bounds in the last 15 years, there's a grass out there now that can grow in sand and without water, I think it's called TIFF 118, it's sprayed on in a mulch helping it bind to the sand enabling it to take root and grow.

I would also urge the club to buy more sun lamps, having a row of three isn't going to work, shell out a little bit more and increase the amount to cover a quarter of the pitch due to the West Stand blocking out even the winter sun, this will encourage the grass to grow even in winter when temperatures are minus 1.

Any groundsman worth his salt will know that you can't scrimp and scrape when it comes to the playing surface because, a few days of rain will have it looking like a paddy field.

The pitch needs a lot of work doing to it over a few seasons, laser 50 points of the pitch, find the lowest point then, work from there.

Hope that clears everything up Dan?

Fantastic mate thank you. I knew you knew what you were on about which is why I asked. Hopefully your post can help JR see that he needs to give Mez a bit more money for the pitch as I know a lot of the stuff he’s had over the years has been funded by the SSA.

The SSA have given Mez some valuable tools to enable him to keep the pitch playable, if they really want to donate something I'd recommend them buying him a few rows of sun lamps to get into the middle of the pitch to encourage the grass to grow, buy him a row every season then before you know it a quarter of the pitch is covered. These sun lamps are a god send for football clubs, why don't the club cant ask the police to donate some when they've done a job on some local cannabis growers, didn't Notts County get their sun lamps that way?

Yes they did.

[Spiritater]

Notts Plod doing something to benefit MTFC , c'mon folks that's never going to happen. They'd sooner scrap em.

[Bradders]

Edders I think we had one postponed last season didn’t we? Mez and his team do a brilliant job but if he can get a bit extra help I’m sure he’d love it.

Crawley, a year ago last November.
If drainage is part of the problem I'll be surprised. As you know, the club spent a lot rebuilding the drainage and that transformed the pitch to one of the least likely in the League to be waterlogged. It always used to be one of the most susceptible, despite being in a raised location. I think the Crawley match was postponed after Biblical rain.

[EdwinstoweStag]

Edders I think we had one postponed last season didn’t we? Mez and his team do a brilliant job but if he can get a bit extra help I’m sure he’d love it.

Crawley, a year ago last November.
If drainage is part of the problem I'll be surprised. As you know, the club spent a lot rebuilding the drainage and that transformed the pitch to one of the least likely in the League to be waterlogged. It always used to be one of the most susceptible, despite being in a raised location. I think the Crawley match was postponed after Biblical rain.

You’re right Bradders. I’d forgotten that one. It’s true that the pitch handles rain well but really struggles with bibles.

[Rob]

Edders I think we had one postponed last season didn’t we? Mez and his team do a brilliant job but if he can get a bit extra help I’m sure he’d love it.

Crawley, a year ago last November.
If drainage is part of the problem I'll be surprised. As you know, the club spent a lot rebuilding the drainage and that transformed the pitch to one of the least likely in the League to be waterlogged. It always used to be one of the most susceptible, despite being in a raised location. I think the Crawley match was postponed after Biblical rain.

You’re right Bradders. I’d forgotten that one. It’s true that the pitch handles rain well but really struggles with bibles.

I seem to remember, maybe Dan can too, that Haslam was told when the West Stand was rebuilt, that if he had some transparent panels in the roof it would help sunlight get onto that area the pitch that always seems to be the worst - just in front of the dugouts. Needless to say, our mate decided against the extra few pounds it would have cost.

[Dan]

Yes mate spot on. One of the many corners he cut from the original plans.

[EdwinstoweStag]

Yes mate spot on. One of the many corners he cut from the original plans.

Was t the original plan for the pitch to be rotated 90 degrees?

[Rob]

Yes mate spot on. One of the many corners he cut from the original plans.

Was t the original plan for the pitch to be rotated 90 degrees?

It was one of the plans, as was redeveloping rather than demolishing the West Stand. The biggest mistake (as well as the general the cost cutting, lack of supporters bar, lack of club shop) was not moving the ground 20 metres or so to the left as you look from the QLE to allow proper redevelopment of the Bishop.

[Big yella]

Yes mate spot on. One of the many corners he cut from the original plans.

Was t the original plan for the pitch to be rotated 90 degrees?

It was one of the plans, as was redeveloping rather than demolishing the West Stand. The biggest mistake (as well as the general the cost cutting, lack of supporters bar, lack of club shop) was not moving the ground 20 metres or so to the left as you look from the QLE to allow proper redevelopment of the Bishop.

That's because the public footpath runs less than 20m behind the IG stand. Also why it couldn't be turned.

[Bradders]

Yes mate spot on. One of the many corners he cut from the original plans.

Was t the original plan for the pitch to be rotated 90 degrees?

It was one of the plans, as was redeveloping rather than demolishing the West Stand. The biggest mistake (as well as the general the cost cutting, lack of supporters bar, lack of club shop) was not moving the ground 20 metres or so to the left as you look from the QLE to allow proper redevelopment of the Bishop.

That's because the public footpath runs less than 20m behind the IG stand. Also why it couldn't be turned.

Public footpaths are rerouted all the time. Perhaps it was used as an excuse, but it's always been frustrating that the golden opportunity to move the pitch was missed.
Mind you, it could be moved towards the West Stand a little bit, giving just enough space on the Bishop Street side for a decent small stand. Wouldn't help the pitch problem, but perhaps if the transparent roof sections were also installed it would make a difference.

[Rob]

Yes mate spot on. One of the many corners he cut from the original plans.

Was t the original plan for the pitch to be rotated 90 degrees?

It was one of the plans, as was redeveloping rather than demolishing the West Stand. The biggest mistake (as well as the general the cost cutting, lack of supporters bar, lack of club shop) was not moving the ground 20 metres or so to the left as you look from the QLE to allow proper redevelopment of the Bishop.

That's because the public footpath runs less than 20m behind the IG stand. Also why it couldn't be turned.

Public footpaths are rerouted all the time. Perhaps it was used as an excuse, but it's always been frustrating that the golden opportunity to move the pitch was missed.
Mind you, it could be moved towards the West Stand a little bit, giving just enough space on the Bishop Street side for a decent small stand. Wouldn't help the pitch problem, but perhaps if the transparent roof sections were also installed it would make a difference.

It would have been able to be re-reouted via the old training pitch, as you say Bradders, however, it would have cost more money for a variety of reasons and that was why Haslam didn't do it. Nevertheless, it was something the club should have done at the time, amongst so many other things. What we had was a shell, but thankfully our new owners are slowly but surely doing something with that shell. I mean, what kind of idiot builds a new ground and doesn't include a club shop, decent changing rooms and a supporters bar?

[Big yella]

If you reroute a public footpath you are liable for everyone’s costs. You pay both yours and the councils court and legal fees. You pay for all the works to be done, they must be completed six weeks before the old path is closed. You must pay for all new signage and in most cases you are charged with the upkeep of the footpath. As you can imagine the cost runs into tens of thousands and we all know there is no way Hasaloan was going to pay for that.

[Sandy Pate Best Stag]

Although far from perfect, the pitch is looking a lot better today so hopefully we will be able to take advantage of it.

[The One]

Pitch should be fine, had loads of manure on it for years.

[Sedgwick]

This is the thing with the internet, sound like you know what you're on about and no one will question you.

Glad Mez has seen this raspberries and rubbished it.

[Martin Shaw]

[Sneag]

This is the thing with the internet, sound like you know what you're on about and no one will question you.

Glad Mez has seen this raspberries and rubbished it.

You just have to find the right site, then cut and paste.

Hey presto, instant expert.

[Maldon Stag]

This is the thing with the internet, sound like you know what you're on about and no one will question you.

Glad Mez has seen this raspberries and rubbished it.

You just have to find the right site, then cut and paste.

Hey presto, instant expert.

There's no copy and paste in my post just experience at a high level, why are you so bitter?

[Sedgwick]

This is the thing with the internet, sound like you know what you're on about and no one will question you.

Glad Mez has seen this raspberries and rubbished it.

You just have to find the right site, then cut and paste.

Hey presto, instant expert.

There's no copy and paste in my post just experience at a high level, why are you so bitter?

You've just been outed as completely wrong by actual experts.... nice to have a go at the groundsman though because we have to hate on someone don't we?

[bellwhiff]

This is the thing with the internet, sound like you know what you're on about and no one will question you.

Glad Mez has seen this raspberries and rubbished it.

You just have to find the right site, then cut and paste.

Hey presto, instant expert.

There's no copy and paste in my post just experience at a high level, why are you so bitter?

You've just been outed as completely wrong by actual experts.... nice to have a go at the groundsman though because we have to hate on someone don't we?

Where has he been outed as wrong ?

[Captain Cunno]

Exactly.
Its Maldons opinion on an issue nothing more nothing less but the usual suspects/experts jump all over it...

[Maldon Stag]

You've just been outed as completely wrong by actual experts.... nice to have a go at the groundsman though because we have to hate on someone don't we?

Please point me in the direction of where I've been proven wrong? I worked for Talbot Farm Landscapes while studying for my DipHE and Diploma to become an OPD in the NHS, working for "Talbot Farm Landscapes" paid my way through University pre 2012.