The Pitch

[cammy_boy]

1 hour ago, Bullitt said:

I like watching the wee BBC facebook programme they put on with Steven Thomson talking about the weekend events and their predictions for the upcoming games. Usually its on a Friday but they had one at lunchtime today.

Guest speaker was Mikey Stewart and he claimed that enquires on the park being ripped up in the winter break and a hybrid playing surface being installed have been made. I can't see how that's even possible.

9:45 onward...

 

He stated that he had heard this on off the ball on Saturday evening. About 5 minutes after someone on here had wishfully asked if ripping it up and laying a new pitch (a hybrid one) was possable. Seems like a bit of a coincidence and his source is a lazy jurno pal reading speculation on here. 

Hope im wrong. 

[skygod]

It would seem impossible to dig up the base and lay a new pitch in a month at a time of the year when the weather is worst and growth is impossible. Not to mention sourcing and installing undersoil heating.

Unlike in the close season, there would be no leeway to rearrange fixtures, certainly not the cup tie on 20 January unless we ceded home advantage. Even then there would be the question of a possible replay.

 

 

 

 

Edited December 4, 2017 by skygod

[fraz65]

6 minutes ago, skygod said:

It would seem impossible to dig up the base and lay a new pitch in a month at a time of the year when the weather is worst and growth is impossible. Not to mention sourcing and installing undersoil heating.

Unlike in the close season, there would be no leeway to rearrange fixtures, certainly not the cup tie on 20 January unless we ceded home advantage. 

 

 

Is home disadvantage not a more reflective term?

[Wrangodog]

We could possibly replace the artificial surface with turf in the time period, Hearts replaced their grass pitch with another grass pitch in a shorter timescale, but they did it in late February not early January. Replacing the current surface with a hybrid grass surface in the winter shutdown seems highly unlikely, unless the preparatory work done before the artificial surface was laid is similar to the preparation for a hybrid pitch. Replacing the surface in the summer break would be far more likely.

[Zorro]

2 hours ago, historyman said:

I wouldn't have thought the middle of a Scottish winter would be the right time to lay a playing surface that contains grass

Waiting until we’ve gone another seven months without a home win, wouldn’t seem to be the right time either. 

[Scooby_Doo]

Well it would, if that is when the grass grows. 

You think a better alternative to our pitch is a hybrid with no grass in it?? 

[Zorro]

22 minutes ago, Scooby_Doo said:

Well it would, if that is when the grass grows. 

You think a better alternative to our pitch is a hybrid with no grass in it?? 

It’s almost as if you don’t understand how hybrid pitches are installed. 

[cammy_boy]

33 minutes ago, Zorro said:

It’s almost as if you don’t understand how hybrid pitches are installed. 

How are they installed? Would it be possable to do in a month in the middle of winter?

[Zorro]

20 minutes ago, cammy_boy said:

How are they installed? Would it be possable to do in a month in the middle of winter?

Of course it’s possible. The question is could we afford it. 

[cammy_boy]

7 minutes ago, Zorro said:

Of course it’s possible. The question is could we afford it. 

Right. I take it there would be heat lamps on constant to get grass growth?

[Killiepie]

 

[Zorro]

15 minutes ago, cammy_boy said:

Right. I take it there would be heat lamps on constant to get grass growth?

I’d think laying established turf rather than growing it in winter would be the preferred option. Most turf companies offer “lay and play” turf, cut thicker so it’s heavier and less prone to movement.  Whether that turf would come with the fibres already intertwined (euro 2016 pitches) or  would require having the fibres “threaded in” (lWembley) would depend on the preferred system. With modern machinery a pitch can be put down in less than a day. 

[cammy_boy]

Cool. Thanks for the info. Like you said cost will be the real issue. 

[Scooby_Doo]

1 hour ago, Zorro said:

It’s almost as if you don’t understand how hybrid pitches are installed. 

I don't. Nor did you. But at least I made you Google it. 

[Wrangodog]

2 hours ago, Zorro said:

Of course it’s possible. The question is could we afford it. 

It takes an average of three to six weeks to lay an artificial turf sports pitch. If you have an existing sports field with the right foundation, you may not have to lay the entire field again. Pitch renovation is also an option.

[Zorro]

8 hours ago, Scooby_Doo said:

I don't. Nor did you. But at least I made you Google it. 

Seriously?

7 hours ago, Wrangodog said:

It takes an average of three to six weeks to lay an artificial turf sports pitch. If you have an existing sports field with the right foundation, you may not have to lay the entire field again. Pitch renovation is also an option.

The average Uk salary is around £28k. Of course many people earn much more than this. Averages are meaningless in this context. You can put down a pitch far quicker than 3-6 weeks IF you’re willing to pay for it. 

[Wee_Eck1979]

It may be possible to do it quickly but I’d expect that doing it in a rushed fashion would lead to further issues and more cost further down the line.

The sensible option would be to persevere with the pitch as is and take the summer to address the issue.

[CB]

There is, of course, the small matter of our pishy undersoil heating, which hasn't been used for years now, that needs to be addressed, if it were to be a natural surface.

Much to the annoyance of everyone, if anything was to change during the winter break, i'd be putting down a 'football specific' synthetic surface (or the Desso Playmaster [lay & play hybrid]). Then, a couple of years down the line, when a training facility had been built, i'd invest in a grassmaster hybrid system. Because, up yours grandpa. Move with the times. If you had your way, it would be a potholed red ash surface, covered in dug sh**e.

In the event, that nothing at all happens during the break. Someone should be sent to B&Q to get they wee garden path boards. You know, the ones with the holes. And lay them round the perimeter.

Because, wheelchair users have been finding it a struggle to get going on the rugby surface, as we don't seem to water behind the goals. Like pushing through your maiden aunt's thick custard.

[Zorro]

Rip up the carpet, lay new under soil pipes on top of the old system (although I’m not even sure if there’s a requirement for it under the current rules*) and put a pitch on top of it. Pitch would be slightly higher but it works at Old Trafford. 

 

*in fact here’s the rule

H10 Each Club shall provide, maintain and use in such manner as to ensure its efficient and effective operation an adequate winter pitch protection system.  Such systems shall be fully utilised by the Home Club before any League Match or Play-Off Match where there is a reasonable possibility of its pitch otherwise being frozen or covered in snow or ice so as to ensure that the League Match is able to take place at the venue and on the date and time scheduled notwithstanding such possibility.  

Edited December 5, 2017 by Zorro

[Scooby_Doo]

Calm doon @Zorro - average UK wage, hybrid pitch mechanics, pitch regulations.

Gonnae leave some Google for the rest of us to use this morning?

[Zorro]

2 hours ago, Scooby_Doo said:

Calm doon @Zorro - average UK wage, hybrid pitch mechanics, pitch regulations.

Gonnae leave some Google for the rest of us to use this morning?

I just like to stick with the facts scoobs. You should try it. It literally took seconds to find the pitch regulations. I’m sure even you’d manage. 

[Wrangodog]

36 minutes ago, Zorro said:

I just like to stick with the facts scoobs. You should try it. It literally took seconds to find the pitch regulations. I’m sure even you’d manage. 

The facts are we're not going to replace the artificial surface with a hybrid pitch in three weeks in the middle of winter.

[Skora11]

The pitch is an excuse, not the problem, of our home form.

[Bonbon19]

You can however lay normal turf in the winter if the ground isn’t frozen and the groundwork has been done before hand . That would be the biggest factor against it being done.

[skygod]

3 hours ago, Zorro said:

Rip up the carpet, lay new under soil pipes on top of the old system (although I’m not even sure if there’s a requirement for it under the current rules*) and put a pitch on top of it.

 

Just a wee reminder of how much s**t there is underneath the "carpet":