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Pitch
Feb 15, 2010 9:22:21 GMT
Post by garethl on Feb 15, 2010 9:22:21 GMT
Interesting thoughts from PD re. the pitch. Not sure what we can do about playing so much on it without getting rid of reserve and youth team, which isn't an option at this club. The only other option would be finding somewhere else for them to play matches, but don't know how viable that is . . .
One thing is for sure something needs to be done sooner rather than later about it. It's hard enough attracting support without having to watch terrible games because there is no other way to play. As PD says it's good to be playing so many away games after Tuesday!
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Rax
1st team Player
Posts: 1,171
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Pitch
Feb 15, 2010 10:49:53 GMT
Post by Rax on Feb 15, 2010 10:49:53 GMT
This comes up every season and other than inject a shed load of dosh into the club there doesn't seem to be an answer. The thought about whether we qualify for a grant has cropped up time and again and I think the answer was a short but sweet 'No'.
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DaveF
1st team Player
Posts: 1,726
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Pitch
Feb 15, 2010 11:10:06 GMT
Post by DaveF on Feb 15, 2010 11:10:06 GMT
There are grants available but you can only apply once in any 3 year period, so clubs have to plan what they apply for (also covers all other ground improvements) and, of course, you don't get 100% funding. At some point we WILL have to relay the pitch from scratch, but significant funds still need to be in place even if we were lucky enough to get a 50-60% grant.
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Pitch
Feb 15, 2010 11:15:04 GMT
Post by garethl on Feb 15, 2010 11:15:04 GMT
Maybe that changes if we achieve the status that we are currently striving for? Also is it worth doing a long term fund raising job on it. Even if it takes 10/15 years to get the cash it's better than simply saying it will be like this forever more?? I know the sums of money we would need are very significant but surely the club/supporters needs to have a plan to get to grips with it. We can't just have it going on every year like this and probably only getting worse. If people come down and watch games on a ploughed field it is not exactly going to help bring them back. Part of attracting more fans through the gate is providing good entertainment - Brazil v Argentina would struggle to put on any type of game at GGL.
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Pitch
Feb 15, 2010 11:16:48 GMT
Post by garethl on Feb 15, 2010 11:16:48 GMT
Thanks CoSec. That was written before I'd seen your post. If we could get a 50% grant that would undoubtedly make any fund raising effort a lot easier!
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filbert
1st team Player
Posts: 1,177
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Pitch
Feb 15, 2010 11:34:22 GMT
Post by filbert on Feb 15, 2010 11:34:22 GMT
There is an advert that appears quite often in the NLP regarding porous blocks that are used on sports fields. Presumably they soak and drain the water out of the pitch and probably cost a fffortune. How much would humungous covers a la Wimbledon cost that all you fit, young and healthy people could haul on and off the pitch when WET weather is forecast?
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DaveF
1st team Player
Posts: 1,726
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Pitch
Feb 15, 2010 12:00:34 GMT
Post by DaveF on Feb 15, 2010 12:00:34 GMT
Funny Filbert, I wondered the same thing earlier this morning !
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filbert
1st team Player
Posts: 1,177
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Pitch
Feb 15, 2010 12:06:32 GMT
Post by filbert on Feb 15, 2010 12:06:32 GMT
Are we not playing against the Haule brothers soon? ;D
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Pitch
Feb 15, 2010 12:06:22 GMT
Post by garethl on Feb 15, 2010 12:06:22 GMT
That is a lot of work! Getting water off covers for the whole pitch would need a regular task force of a significant amount of people. Also not cheap at all if cricketing covers are anything to go by!!
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Pitch
Feb 15, 2010 12:12:05 GMT
Post by os on Feb 15, 2010 12:12:05 GMT
I been wanting to help do something about the pitch for a few years now like start a fund but its a huge undertaking. I lot of talk in the past has suggested digging out the existing pitch but I wonder if there is money to be saved by building a new pitch on top?
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DaveF
1st team Player
Posts: 1,726
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Pitch
Feb 15, 2010 12:23:26 GMT
Post by DaveF on Feb 15, 2010 12:23:26 GMT
Not really, we are on clay and so the drainage issue still has to be addressed.
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Pitch
Feb 15, 2010 12:26:09 GMT
Post by pault on Feb 15, 2010 12:26:09 GMT
Might make it worse putting a new pitch on top - There is a lot of work that goes into constructing a decent pitch, The soil is probably bad and would need a soil test done, drainage would need to be put in which is a cost, the pitch would then need to be laser graded to get it level, plus the cost of machinary and topsoil seed etc. We dont help ourselves with warms ups a lot of the fast feet work should be done off the pitch (maybe behind the collingwood goal etc) there is a great website www.pitchcare.com they have some of the best groundsman on there giving free advice etc
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Pitch
Feb 15, 2010 12:39:00 GMT
Post by vern on Feb 15, 2010 12:39:00 GMT
Why are youth and reserve games being played on the GGL pitch? Surely we could rent out a local park, or Colston Avenue for a few bob?
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Pitch
Feb 15, 2010 12:41:17 GMT
Post by os on Feb 15, 2010 12:41:17 GMT
Not really, we are on clay and so the drainage issue still has to be addressed. What you do is build your drainage system so no water goes into the existing ground, then you suspend the pitch on top of it?
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DaveF
1st team Player
Posts: 1,726
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Pitch
Feb 15, 2010 12:47:27 GMT
Post by DaveF on Feb 15, 2010 12:47:27 GMT
Sounds even more expensive OS !!!
Vern, even the youth and reserve leagues have ground-grading requirements.
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