Onthefringes Posted February 23, 2010 Report Share Posted February 23, 2010 I certainly don't think there's anything more that the club could have done to improve the pitch. They spent the money, relaid the pitch and put considerable effort into sorting out the drainage problems. We certainly haven't had any problems with the pitch flooding, have we? I'm sure there was an article at the time the work was carried out that said the first winter would be difficult as the pitch wouldn't be properly bedded in. Unfortunately, the extreme cold we've had, so much worse than usual, has forced the club to run the undersoil heating virtually non-stop which has churned up the pitch and turned it into a complete mess. It's very unfortunate but I fail to see what else could have been done. Not what those in the industry have been saying Plenty discussion here features the same tired adage I've highlighted in italics... nothing forced the club to run the undersoil heating virtually non-stop - we had no games programmed! The undersoil heating wether in use or not did not churn up the pitch and turn it into as mess. It's not unfortunate, proper use and knowledge of the system would have prevented this scenario. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Diggle Posted February 23, 2010 Report Share Posted February 23, 2010 Also the scheduling has to be looked at. 5 matches in a month on a pitch in February is hardly going to help maintain a good standard of pitch. OK one of them was the League Cup Semi Final and one was rescheduled but that's still 4 SPL matches within a month. If the SPL is really concerned about the quality of pitches at this time of year what about scheduling matches with a bit more common sense - say no more than two home matches per month. See in all honesty - that's not even approaching a valid point. Fir Park was always played on every saturday - if the first team ver away the reserves were at home. There's always a pile up in the early months of the year too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brazilian Posted February 23, 2010 Report Share Posted February 23, 2010 Its a perfectly valid point if the club in association with the SPL are really trying to look after a pitch that was forecast to have been delicate after the summers works but then were the club really thinking about the pitch when they agreed to host an extra game for the cup? or did they look at the pitch when asked and say Result! its looking great and hardly any games to be played on it until the cup Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJ1210 Posted February 23, 2010 Report Share Posted February 23, 2010 What Motherwell should have did was close fir park till the pitch had bedded in and hired accies or airdries grounds on a ground share. Wouldn't have been able to use Airdrie as it doesn't have undersoil heating and has been one of the first to go off every time there has been a problem with weather this season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Welldaft Mk1 Posted February 23, 2010 Report Share Posted February 23, 2010 At the very least I think we will have to re-turf the section in front of the POD stand. The rest of the pitch is poor but this area is appalling and cuts up as soon as the plyers run onto the pitch! It is a big area but it cannot continue to play like that or we will have a match called off. The areas in front of the goals were re-turfed and look ok since that was done. I am quite sure there has been a level of incompetence in the way we have looked after the pitch - but there is no denying the fact that we have had the worst winter in many decades which has made the job of maintaining the pitch almost impossible........ Maybe we should announce an enquiry into the SPL and the way they are running the game and conducting TV negotiations. They are more feckless than the rest of us put together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweed Posted February 23, 2010 Report Share Posted February 23, 2010 I suspect the SPL are carrying out an investigation to be seen to be doing something and will find that we have done all we can. Especially as we apparently were told and they were told that a harsh winter this year would cause us problems - IN JULY! However as our pitch is brought up every Saturday, Sunday and Monday in the press it is an issue of interest so the SPL will feel they need to do something. Not worried at all. And if the SPL were as involved as documented even if they find against us we would win an independent appeal. Unless we have been told a lot of bullshit in which case we could be in bother but I have no reason to believe that to be the case and if it were I don't see why the SPL didn't refute the story as garbage in August rather than risk losing credibility now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Optimus Prime Posted February 23, 2010 Report Share Posted February 23, 2010 What Motherwell should have did was close fir park till the pitch had bedded in and hired accies or airdries grounds on a ground share. The costs of this would have worked out cheaper that the repair bill we are going to have or the cost of re turfing the pitch and the fine we are going to end up with. Don't know about that. This is ok in principle but to be absolutely safe the club would have needed to close Fir Park between November and March - not practical and very costly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatcalf Posted February 23, 2010 Report Share Posted February 23, 2010 Completely agree with you mate. Was going to mention Celtic as well, but Rangers have been investigated warned about their conduct before (like us with the pitch) whereas Celtic haven't (I don't think anyway) so thought they were a better example. Actually that highlights again just how unfair any sanctions on another club would be for any misdemeanour. The fact Shellic have never been pulled up for their Republican shoite is a source of amazement but then the SPL is just a mouthpiece for them two cheeks of the same erse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatcalf Posted February 23, 2010 Report Share Posted February 23, 2010 Maybe we should announce an enquiry into the SPL and the way they are running the game and conducting TV negotiations. They are more feckless than the rest of us put together. Now you're talking my language Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haggischomper Posted February 23, 2010 Report Share Posted February 23, 2010 Think how well off Scottish fitba' hadn't been forced to introduce 10,000 all-seater stadiums and undersoil heating. No wonder clubs are hovering on the verge of going bust Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigshinyhead Posted February 23, 2010 Report Share Posted February 23, 2010 I am fed fucking up hearing about our cocking pitch. We are unbeaten in the league in 2010, have 18 points from 24 (should have been 20 but for a spastic linesman) and have conceded, what, one goal in 8 matches? Not even the league leaders (who we annihilated 1-1) can boast that yet all we ever read about MFC concerns the fucking pitch. We know it's shite. Loads of pitches up and down the UK are shite but somebody's has to be the worst and it's ours. I'm not saying the press should ignore it but for fucks sake, a bit of balance eh? There's far more to talk about at our club right now than just a shitey pitch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
decorator Posted February 23, 2010 Report Share Posted February 23, 2010 I am fed fucking up hearing about our cocking pitch. We are unbeaten in the league in 2010, have 18 points from 24 (should have been 20 but for a spastic linesman) and have conceded, what, one goal in 8 matches? Not even the league leaders (who we annihilated 1-1) can boast that yet all we ever read about MFC concerns the fucking pitch. We know it's shite. Loads of pitches up and down the UK are shite but somebody's has to be the worst and it's ours. I'm not saying the press should ignore it but for fucks sake, a bit of balance eh? There's far more to talk about at our club right now than just a shitey pitch. i said earlier,were winning on it so fuck them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brazilian Posted February 23, 2010 Report Share Posted February 23, 2010 Reasonably well balanced report on STV news there, including good footage showing the good and the bad! and worked in With the positives from Lukas and the promotion of the sport relief mile. honest coverage, It'll never last Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
star sail Posted February 23, 2010 Report Share Posted February 23, 2010 Just as well some of the punters on here don't work for the SPL. If they did we would be heading for the first division. We all saw the proof in the summer on the official website of the pitch being fixed. We played three European games at Airdrie (with financial consequences) to allow the pitch to knit together and still you people say the club have not done enough. That there is an investigation in the first place is a disgrace and just the SPL's way of being seen to do the right thing. If the club get fined for this we have to start asking big questions about issues beyond dodgy linesman. We need to get behind our club on this and stop bashing them for the coldest winter in 30 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pepper Posted February 23, 2010 Report Share Posted February 23, 2010 Whay are the Club always forced to act on these things. I'd like to see us being a little pro-active for a change. Any other team in the league with a pitch anywhere near as bad as ours would have had it completely relaid at the earliest opportunity. That is the only way to solve the problem and get everyone off our backs. I know it costs a fortune but this is getting beyond a joke, and it's only a matter of time before games are called off or a player is seriously injured. Get it sorted Motherwell! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albie Posted February 23, 2010 Report Share Posted February 23, 2010 If we want the game played on Saturday we better lay some turf in front of the POD as previously suggested. No way will Iain Brines deem it playable after todays announcement by the SPL. Better advise the groundstaff to do it now as guess what's coming towards the end of the week......SNOW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cakes Posted February 23, 2010 Report Share Posted February 23, 2010 I suspect the SPL are carrying out an investigation to be seen to be doing something and will find that we have done all we can. Especially as we apparently were told and they were told that a harsh winter this year would cause us problems - IN JULY! However as our pitch is brought up every Saturday, Sunday and Monday in the press it is an issue of interest so the SPL will feel they need to do something. Not worried at all. And if the SPL were as involved as documented even if they find against us we would win an independent appeal. Unless we have been told a lot of bullshit in which case we could be in bother but I have no reason to believe that to be the case and if it were I don't see why the SPL didn't refute the story as garbage in August rather than risk losing credibility now. I think you've got it spot-on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brazilian Posted February 23, 2010 Report Share Posted February 23, 2010 If we want the game played on Saturday we better lay some turf in front of the POD as previously suggested. No way will Iain Brines deem it playable after todays announcement by the SPL.Better advise the groundstaff to do it now as guess what's coming towards the end of the week......SNOW Snow is forecast from tonight! although reasonably mild temps? footage on STV news showed covers already on much of the pitch most troublesome area in front of the Phil O'Donnell stand remain uncovered, presumably until the last possible moment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted February 23, 2010 Report Share Posted February 23, 2010 Got slated on Radio Clyde about it. Also some guy on complaing that there were no numbers on the seats in the South Stand. Peter Martin was wondering if 'Alan Burrows' was listening Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 'Flow Posted February 23, 2010 Report Share Posted February 23, 2010 Peter Martin was wondering if 'Alan Burrows' was listening Simple answer to that.... No! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian-in-Oz Posted February 23, 2010 Report Share Posted February 23, 2010 We were told at the beginning of the season that the first year would be bad and after that the pitch should be fine. I've no idea if that's just a pile of pants or not but any work on the pitch isn't gonna happen til close season so let's give them the benefit of the doubt & see how the pitch mends itself over the summer. If next season it's still a tatty field then move the home games to Strathclyde Park and just throw doon a couple of jumpers as goals. Would make it so much easier for bawbag refs to chalk off legit goals against the h*ns. 'That's in ref 2-0 to the Well' "No it wasnae it clearly went over the sleeve of Granpa Broons cardy so still only 1-0" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
numpty Posted February 23, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2010 Whay are the Club always forced to act on these things. I'd like to see us being a little pro-active for a change. Any other team in the league with a pitch anywhere near as bad as ours would have had it completely relaid at the earliest opportunity. What, like we just did? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazs66 Posted February 23, 2010 Report Share Posted February 23, 2010 We were told at the beginning of the season that the first year would be bad and after that the pitch should be fine. Just trawling the web looking for general grass info and the concensus seems to say that sowing from seed requires 9-12 months for normal wear and tear before a lawn is ready for everyday use. Playing football isnt normal everyday lawn wear and tear!! Another turf site says they grow grass for 1-2 years before they sell it to joe public. Not defending the state of the pitch, but watching the highlights on the beeb last night, Falkirks goalmouth, Rugby Park, and the Aberdeen/Raith game at Pittodrie also highlight pitches that are less than perfect for football and are cutting up badly. Just ours is the worst of a bad bunch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trafficlight Posted February 23, 2010 Report Share Posted February 23, 2010 Guys, I haven't gone through the entire thread, so apologies if this has already been answered, but why is the pitch in such a state already, so soon after all that time and money was spent on it? I thought that was meant to resolve the problem long term Was the work sub-standard, or is there some other explanation? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted February 23, 2010 Report Share Posted February 23, 2010 Guys, I haven't gone through the entire thread, so apologies if this has already been answered, but why is the pitch in such a state already, so soon after all that time and money was spent on it? I thought that was meant to resolve the problem long term Was the work sub-standard, or is there some other explanation? Bad weather + driving a tractor over new grass= Bad pitch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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