Phil M
1st team regular
Club Welder
Posts: 145
|
Post by Phil M on Apr 11, 2023 12:18:24 GMT
We do have a Bow Dry, but only good for small areas of surface water, not the whole pitch. They are very good at getting the water off, but fill up really quickly so if you're not near the edge of the pitch, it's a constant trek to the edge to empty it. Yesterday's flooding was more about pitch compaction rather than anything else. Too many matches in too short a space of time and bad weather straight after the last verti-drain hasn't helped. Getting the pitch playable for the Chippenham game ruined the surface and closed all the drainage holes up. So trying to get the match on for the fans, sometimes causes more damage. Yesterday's weather forecast was for a lot more rain, and I believe Ash had a torrential downpour about 1pm but it missed Cherrywood, making the early decision seem the wrong one. If anyone wants to come down and make the decision whether to have a pitch inspection, or leave it until the match ref arrives, with the opposition here, and some fans having traveled long distances, then feel free, I will gladly relinquish the role.
And for those that say about the ref wanting to get paid for not doing anything etc, please take note that no match means they don't get paid.
|
|
|
Post by Brian Berger on Apr 11, 2023 13:26:50 GMT
We do have a Bow Dry, but only good for small areas of surface water, not the whole pitch. They are very good at getting the water off, but fill up really quickly so if you're not near the edge of the pitch, it's a constant trek to the edge to empty it. Yesterday's flooding was more about pitch compaction rather than anything else. Too many matches in too short a space of time and bad weather straight after the last verti-drain hasn't helped. Getting the pitch playable for the Chippenham game ruined the surface and closed all the drainage holes up. So trying to get the match on for the fans, sometimes causes more damage. Yesterday's weather forecast was for a lot more rain, and I believe Ash had a torrential downpour about 1pm but it missed Cherrywood, making the early decision seem the wrong one. If anyone wants to come down and make the decision whether to have a pitch inspection, or leave it until the match ref arrives, with the opposition here, and some fans having traveled long distances, then feel free, I will gladly relinquish the role. And for those that say about the ref wanting to get paid for not doing anything etc, please take note that no match means they don't get paid. With all due respects Phil, this is quite a strange post. Normally, the Football Secretary talks to the Manager and Groundsmen if there is any doubt that the match will be played. After discussing the situation with them, he would then call in a local referee at the same level or higher level to come and do a pitch inspection. The local referee would then ring the match referee and between them they would decide what to do regarding the game. The match referee, if it has been decided that there is a chance that the game can go ahead, will normally attempt to arrive at the ground earlier than he was expecting to, to do his own pitch inspection. Tonbridge are just over an hour from us by coach so the match referee had until at least 1230 hours before he had to make his decision. I appreciate that there are costs involved here, the local referee needs to be paid for his time and travel and so do the match officials. As for the preparation of the pitch for the Chippenham game, it should not be prepared for the fans, it should have been prepared for the Manager and the playing staff. What did they do, put a heavy roller on it to close all of the drainage holes? I was sent a copy of the film of the pitch inspection and I can honestly say, I have never seen that much water on the pitch following three days of sun and an overnight shower. I thought that someone had left the sprinklers on.... Tell Spencer, if he wants someone to make a decision on the pitch, lift my ban, I will do it.
|
|
Phil M
1st team regular
Club Welder
Posts: 145
|
Post by Phil M on Apr 11, 2023 14:24:57 GMT
You've completely missed my point.
As groundsmen, myself and Kev know the pitch better than anyone else. There is no consultation with anyone else other than the match ref, and the inspecting ref. The match can only be called off by a match official. We keep others in the loop, but ultimately, when we walk into a flooded pitch at 8am, the decision whether to call for a pitch inspection because we think it's too bad and the forecast won't allow time to recover, rests on our shoulders, and there is a hell of a lot of pressure that goes with that. We have to explain those actions to the owner, manager, league and the opponents. We have to cancel stewards at short notice for which there is a cost. We have to face abuse on social media for being incompetant. If you seriously think we wanted to call the game off on Bank holiday Monday, when we were expecting a large crowd, and when we have a little over two weeks of the season left to fit the rearrangement in, after having spent 8 hours of my Easter Sunday preparing it for the match, you need your head testing.
Going back to the Chippenham match, it was at the end of 4 home match cancellations on the trot, we could have given up on that game, and called an early pitch inspection as it was flooded. But the forecast was for a dry day so we agreed with the match ref not to call a pitch inspection and give it every chance, We then worked for 6 hours, Bow Drying and forking, and got the match on. All those actions come at a cost to the condition of the pitch, including the subsequent work, and have contributed to the compaction which caused Monday's rain to lie on the surface.
|
|
|
Post by armchairarry on Apr 11, 2023 15:02:20 GMT
Some people are never happy Phil . Most of us appreciate the hard work that the volunteers put in. The club did what they can to get the games on, hindsight is great and I'm sure there are lessons learned about different techniques at different times etc. I highly doubt the club would deliberately put an Easter Monday home crowd in jeopardy.
|
|
|
Post by Brian Berger on Apr 11, 2023 16:36:11 GMT
You've completely missed my point. As groundsmen, myself and Kev know the pitch better than anyone else. There is no consultation with anyone else other than the match ref, and the inspecting ref. The match can only be called off by a match official. We keep others in the loop, but ultimately, when we walk into a flooded pitch at 8am, the decision whether to call for a pitch inspection because we think it's too bad and the forecast won't allow time to recover, rests on our shoulders, and there is a hell of a lot of pressure that goes with that. We have to explain those actions to the owner, manager, league and the opponents. We have to cancel stewards at short notice for which there is a cost. We have to face abuse on social media for being incompetant. If you seriously think we wanted to call the game off on Bank holiday Monday, when we were expecting a large crowd, and when we have a little over two weeks of the season left to fit the rearrangement in, after having spent 8 hours of my Easter Sunday preparing it for the match, you need your head testing. Going back to the Chippenham match, it was at the end of 4 home match cancellations on the trot, we could have given up on that game, and called an early pitch inspection as it was flooded. But the forecast was for a dry day so we agreed with the match ref not to call a pitch inspection and give it every chance, We then worked for 6 hours, Bow Drying and forking, and got the match on. All those actions come at a cost to the condition of the pitch, including the subsequent work, and have contributed to the compaction which caused Monday's rain to lie on the surface. Phil, I take exception to your comment that you think I 'need my head testing'. I have only ever been told this once before and that is when I sold the Club to Spencer after he asked me to trust him and give him a chance. We know how he repaid me. You, above, state " making the early decision seem the wrong one". You also state " Too many matches in too short a space of time and bad weather straight after the last verti-drain hasn't helped.What I wrote was from experience of spending over 40 years at the Club and I do know the pitch better than both you and Kevin. I was there when it was laid out to grass and I know what was there prior to the ground being built as we played there as children. It was scrubland with plenty of ditches to drain the water as it flooded then. I know also where the drainage is across the pitch and I know where to drain the pitch from. There are other people at the Club that have my knowledge of the pitch and it's beginnings. Many of us used to help around the ground on work parties and helping Ron Manville when he was the groundsman. I stand by everything I have said above and if you as a Director of the Club have to resort to calling supporters who disagree with your comments, names, I find that, as a long time supporter and former Life Member, disturbing. I know what Rule 15.2 and Rule 15.4 state in the Handbook. I referred to them before I posted.
|
|
|
Post by psimms50 on Apr 11, 2023 16:37:57 GMT
Phil, I know you do an exceptional job at the club and I'm sure both the club and the vast majority appreciate all you do.
|
|
|
Post by ginger49 on Apr 11, 2023 16:55:48 GMT
Brian, I take offence to you coming on the forum trying to stir the shit. As someone who actually worked on the pitch with Ron Manville and others since I think the guys doing it now do a wonderful job. The area that the water stays in has done so since we moved to the ground there is no drainage under the main stand. When Simon hollis had the new pitch laid I told him then that he needed to address the issue. Back in our conference days myself Tony Dixon and Geoff pither dug soakaways at both ends of the main stand on the edge of the pitch, this helped for a few seasons buts these are now full of silt. For somebody who claims to want to return every season your certainty not going about it the Wright way
|
|
|
Post by armchairarry on Apr 11, 2023 17:39:39 GMT
You've completely missed my point. As groundsmen, myself and Kev know the pitch better than anyone else. There is no consultation with anyone else other than the match ref, and the inspecting ref. The match can only be called off by a match official. We keep others in the loop, but ultimately, when we walk into a flooded pitch at 8am, the decision whether to call for a pitch inspection because we think it's too bad and the forecast won't allow time to recover, rests on our shoulders, and there is a hell of a lot of pressure that goes with that. We have to explain those actions to the owner, manager, league and the opponents. We have to cancel stewards at short notice for which there is a cost. We have to face abuse on social media for being incompetant. If you seriously think we wanted to call the game off on Bank holiday Monday, when we were expecting a large crowd, and when we have a little over two weeks of the season left to fit the rearrangement in, after having spent 8 hours of my Easter Sunday preparing it for the match, you need your head testing. Going back to the Chippenham match, it was at the end of 4 home match cancellations on the trot, we could have given up on that game, and called an early pitch inspection as it was flooded. But the forecast was for a dry day so we agreed with the match ref not to call a pitch inspection and give it every chance, We then worked for 6 hours, Bow Drying and forking, and got the match on. All those actions come at a cost to the condition of the pitch, including the subsequent work, and have contributed to the compaction which caused Monday's rain to lie on the surface. Phil, I take exception to your comment that you think I 'need my head testing'. I have only ever been told this once before and that is when I sold the Club to Spencer after he asked me to trust him and give him a chance. We know how he repaid me. You, above, state " making the early decision seem the wrong one". You also state " Too many matches in too short a space of time and bad weather straight after the last verti-drain hasn't helped.What I wrote was from experience of spending over 40 years at the Club and I do know the pitch better than both you and Kevin. I was there when it was laid out to grass and I know what was there prior to the ground being built as we played there as children. It was scrubland with plenty of ditches to drain the water as it flooded then. I know also where the drainage is across the pitch and I know where to drain the pitch from. There are other people at the Club that have my knowledge of the pitch and it's beginnings. Many of us used to help around the ground on work parties and helping Ron Manville when he was the groundsman. I stand by everything I have said above and if you as a Director of the Club have to resort to calling supporters who disagree with your comments, names, I find that, as a long time supporter and former Life Member, disturbing. I know what Rule 15.2 and Rule 15.4 state in the Handbook. I referred to them before I posted. I don’t know who you are but you seem like the type of person who just likes stirring for no reason whatsoever. The kind of person who “was here first” and feel entitled. I’ve seen your comments on the club Facebook this week suggesting that the sprinklers were left on and comment like that. Again, not bothered who you are or who you think you are. But I think the club is better off with people like Phil - those that do it all for everyone’s benefit, not just their own recognition.
|
|
Admin
Administrator
Posts: 905
|
Post by Admin on Apr 11, 2023 22:57:39 GMT
*a narrator notes*
There's always been a drainage problem in front of the Main Stand. That's due to it originally being built to survive a nuclear attack (or something) - think deep foundations of reinforced concrete that act as a dam. There's nowhere for the water to go.
The only practical (if costly) solution is to bulldoze the main stand, dig out the foundations and have another go. Well, us fans are often surprised, but a Club owner doing this would be the biggest surprise ever!
|
|
seered
Squad member
Huh?
Posts: 22
|
Post by seered on Apr 12, 2023 9:11:48 GMT
I think there's only one thing for it. A PITCH-OFF!
Next season Phil & Kev take on just one half of the pitch and Brian's Old Boys take the other. The side with the least postponements come the end of the 23/24 season wins.
|
|