Pitch Work (Award Winning!)

I think drainage is the major issue with a huge lump of concrete right in front of the main stand area underneath the length of the pitch. Old foundations I believe.

 

Ah, OK.

 

On the contrary it was when they didn’t dig it up in 2019 that the pitch looked awful in the winter just before the lockdown. They did a big digging up job this summer and done a far better job. The drainage installed in 2018 has also improved things massively.

 

Early days yet this. Only played 8 games on it

 

11 with the women's game vs Leeds.

We have been very fortunate with how the weather has been so far as we are yet to have a match where it's throwing it down during the match so the drains have been given time to work and dry the pitch out before kick off like on Saturday. However, is is definitely an improvement on previous seasons so hopefully we've turned a corner with the pitch.

 

to be honest, it was sloshing it down all day before the FGR game and rained a little the day too. it held up really well all things considered! do agree with you looks like we've turned the corner. Do wonder if I am going to miss the smell of mud.

 

We have had a relatively dry and extended summer/ autumn. Until recently no real prolonged rain, reasonable nighttime temps and we are into November (light frost this morning I know).

Led to believe that poor drainage caused by some old Midland Road foundations is the culprit. And if not permanently sorted the pitch will always break down as weather worsens.

 

Nothing to do with Midland Road and the old foundations on the main stand side were overcome as a problem when the drainage was upgraded around 3 years ago. Since then it’s been a gradual improvement with bedding in of the work done and assistance from the two lighting rigs.

 

The pitch has been highly commended by the efl, which is great and I have to say it has looked better the season than previous recent seasons
however reading the article Newport's pitch was voted best in league 2
this seems strange as unless I'm mistaken Newport had to play some fixtures away from Rodney parade because the surface was so bad?

 

VALLEY PARADE PITCH 'HIGHLY COMMENDED' | News | Bradford City (bradfordcityafc.com)

 

Was only saying last match that I've never seen the pitch look so good at the end of season.

 

It was last season when Newport had to play at Cardiff for a few games including our match down there

 

Thanks, knew they played some games away from their home, but thought it was more recent, any way they must have made significant improvements this season

 

Newports pitch was re laid by the rugby club ,who are their landlords.

 

Our pitch has looked good this time around.

Weather has been kind this winter too.

So not playing any football on it has helped too.

 

Feel a bit hard done by here Polo. The four shortlisted were Newport, Tranmere, Exeter and us. The first two are Desso pitches as most PL clubs, installed for the current season but Desso is part artificial composition, not 100% grass. To add to injury Rodney Parade is owned by the Welsh RFU as far as I know and they were responsible for the installation and I think a lot if not all the cost, similar with maintenance. Previously County shared with the Dragons and also a junior club hence the poor condition of the playing surface but now it's just the two clubs.
That aside, great effort by Mick Doyle and symptomatic of a lot of effort going in across a lot of the aspects of the club behind the scenes by Ryan and team through the difficult Covid period in particular.

 

The pitch is absolutely perfect now, it’ll look fantastic tomorrow hopefully in the sun. As Roger says as Newport, unlike us, have shelled out non of the costs and probably little of the maintenance it seems strange to give them the award. The EFL are probably just relieved or isn’t in the mess it was last season when it made ours at its worst look like Wembley.

 

Fair play to the club. They take plenty of - mostly fair - stick. Good to see one area of what we do invested in and managed properly, and it deserves credit.