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Post by Tom Bowen on Feb 17, 2023 10:34:27 GMT
Hampton and Richmond now have planning permission for a new pitch. I wonder if this will become the norm?
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Post by borobob on Feb 17, 2023 11:29:51 GMT
As our weather patterns change, both dry and wet, I think it is inevitable that clubs, at lower levels, look to the artificial systems of grass to avoid long and costly delays due to cancellations by weather.
The bonus of hiring the facility is of course a benefit, which clubs use to control and assist their finances.
Like them, or not, it something that we will have to accept and adapt to.
Might be sometime before the upper levels accept it of course!!
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Admin
Administrator 
Posts: 910
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Post by Admin on Feb 17, 2023 12:16:04 GMT
Each club's circumstances and priorities will be different. I'm far from convinced that benefits outweigh the costs, particularly in an area like ours that already has a fair number of all-weather facilities. However I'm open to persuasion if anyone can show me their calculations. Our "offer" would also be relatively inflexible i.e. hire a full-size football pitch or nothing. And I doubt local residents would be delighted with the idea of our current floodlights being in use night after night during the winter months, so the cost of a modern lighting system very likely would need to be added to the equation. There's also the practical issue of balls being booted out of the ground, which would be bound to happen - the thought of people foraging in unlit allotments to get their ball back is entertaining.  There could well be more mileage in examining the business case for developing part of Moor Road Rec in conjunction with the council to provide a fully flexible facility for football, hockey, 5-a-sides, tennis, etc, i.e. a not dissimilar set-up to that at Boreham Wood. |
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Post by Tom Bowen on Feb 17, 2023 13:00:11 GMT
Might be sometime before the upper levels accept it of course!! Thing is with the upper levels is that they won't need it as particularly PL and some Championship teams have undersoil heating. |
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Post by borobob on Feb 17, 2023 14:58:37 GMT
Yes, PL clubs have under soil heating, but the cost of running that is still horrendous, although insignificant in their flush world.
There maybe a few Championship sides that have slid down who may also have it, but financing it may prove a problem to them if they stagnate at that level or fall further.
Clubs from Div 1/2 and lower levels of the pyramid, will always have that conundrum, although some are now resorting to Poly tunnels and blow heaters in frosty times. Reasonably expensive as well, for a one off use, but not permanent, so can be viable if a big game is forthcoming with a maximum crowd that would pay for most of it.
The reverse problem is warmer times, when pitch maintenance is due, seed sown and watering needed! With recent drought conditions, and water shortages, looking to become more common, this makes the supply of a grass pitch for the forthcoming season even more difficult, particularly in the southern areas of the country.
A problem and discussion will go on for many years I think. Answers on a postcard please!
Go on!! What's a postcard? Ask your Grandad, oh that's me!!
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Post by farnboroughfan1 on Feb 17, 2023 16:59:43 GMT
It's a no from me.
A ball doesnt bounce the same on fake grass.
Players suffer more injuries from playing on it
Some players cant play on it all
Football should be played on natural grass..
The recent postponements could have been offset by loading a few extra league games into first 3 months off the season.
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Post by borobob on Feb 17, 2023 17:52:12 GMT
Yes I agree, I'm in the no category as well, although I accept that it can be beneficial in certain circumstances.
It is definitely a different game, and those with artificial pitches do, I believe, have an advantage, over those that don't, by playing half the season on plastic against those that play on it only a couple of times!!
Loading the games at the front end, is one solution, but if we have another summer like last year the pitches will be baked dry with cracks appearing, and little grass growing without, horrendous water bills!
Catch 22 really.
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Post by borobob on Feb 19, 2023 12:28:52 GMT
That is my reasoning on alternative surface pitches!
Whatever people say, I still believe they give an advantage to those that have them against those that don't, for around 40% of the season.
There are advantages and dis-advantages to using them, mostly financial, for Clubs but, if certain Clubs can gain an advantage, however small that may be, they will use it.
I'm not decrying the pitches per se, but there must surely come a time when a decision must be made for all, or none, to have them!!
There are also, as Nigel says, different degrees and standards of plastic pitch, at different venues.
To continue with some have/some don't is not fair to all clubs, or the integrity of football!
Yes, it also works the other way for those with artificial pitches, who then have to play on grass alternate weeks, but is it also fair for them to chop and change as well!!
To me it's all or no one. My vote is no one!!
Grass for all with, if possible, a plastic alternative for training or hiring! May not be plausible for most but seems the only alternative, unless we all go plastic, or all stay grass!!
Whatever the discussions, I fear that the changing weather patterns, too baking hot or too freezing cold and wet, will ultimately make the decision for us!!
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Post by Tom Bowen on Feb 19, 2023 16:54:03 GMT
That's why I agree with the suggestion to frontload the fixture list from August to at least October, then there would be fewer game postponed due to weather.
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Post by betweenthesticks on Feb 19, 2023 20:44:37 GMT
I'll declare my hand. I love grass and hate 3G. Even when some of the pitches I used to play on in winter were more frozen mud than grass, I'd prefer that to anything artificial. Folks may recall that Formula1 ran two separate 'Championships' some years back - one for turbo charged cars and one for non-turbos. How about separation of 3G and grass playing leagues if 3G pitches start to proliferate..?! A bit like indoor and outdoor sports... |
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