The pitch

Edin got involved, second hand grass seed ‍♂️

 

Didn’t look good yesterday. Lots of bare patches, probably due to cover being on. Thought it might have started growing again with all the sunshine.

 

It's an absolute mess. On a whole it's probably slightly better than what it's been in previous years but the usual areas are still terrible mud baths. Another Edin *@?$ up.

 

The marginally better state is probably, entirely down to the fact that this winter has been much milder and drier than last year.

Another top job.

 

I spoke to Paula Watson about the pitch this week.

When the scope of works was explored, the options ranged from at one end, replace the drainage, improve the irrigation and re-seed (which we went for), to the Rolls Royce solution of undersoil heating and a complete overhaul which would cost in the region of £1m

One of the big issues is the lack of sunlight in certain areas, particularly along the main stand/TL Dallas corner which makes grass growth difficult.

The business case for this was the loss of income and wasted costs from the postponed games last year. We've had no games postponed this season, when, but for the drainage works, the grounds staff have said two games would have had to have been called off so far.

Based upon the business case, it has achieved its objective and whilst by no way is it perfect, it is immeasurably better than the cow field that Parky endured when entertaining the likes of Sunderland.

To get the solution that the fans, players and club wants to get to - we'd need to have sustained success in the Championship to justify the capital expenditure.

 

Fair enough.

 

We should be starting to re seed the pitch in the next couple of weeks, We have sunlight lamps that should be used on the areas showing wear,

 

The sunlight lamps are used in between games and I've seen them in use all this week. The difficulty is that they only cover a small section, so the most problematic/important areas are prioritised, for example, the penalty boxes.

 

We should perform better in facup and get a free pitch! Generously donated by a wealthy premiership outfit. Lol

 

Quite right Eric, I can go further. Given my previous experiences with the pitch Paula asked me to go to a meeting with Edin to present her options for the pitch renovation. The meeting took place and she professionally presented a number of options from Rolls Royce to 'do little'. Paula had also involved a former specialist at the Sports Turf Centre at Bingley who was to act as Consultant, overseeing the works. This guy had come from overseeing the World Cup preparations in Russia so was a top dog.
I supported Paula with her Rolls Royce recommendation which included significant drainage work to replace blocked drains. As I recall the cost was in the region of £75k (not the six figures later quoted by Edin), I thought that was great value for money and said so, complimenting Paula on her work. Edin, as was his way, always had to have someone in line to blame if things went wrong and asked me to run with the project, I declined on the basis that we had a Consultant, Paula, Mick Doyle the groundsman and the contractors plus ER himself who ultimately spent a lot of time observing and no doubt commenting.
The contractors also carried out remedial work at Rawdon Meadows which is first rate, even with the high water table caused by the river.
Then comes the rub! ER quietly cut the costs, not from the six figures he claimed but from the £75k he had approved to something in the order of £55k and according to some industry talk/evidence, less than that.
You get what you pay for and I feel for Paula Watson that the subject of the pitch has come up again at a time when we are trying to get the ship back on course.
On that subject, Eric, Ambassador and former Director Glenn Ackroyd spent a chunk of time at VP last week trying to assist JR and the team on the commercial side. I know as I was there dealing with our Business Rates Revaluation. We are having to sort a chaotic situation left behind, not just by ER but by Silke Rahic, plus the previous accountant and to a degree James Mason. Filing is shambolic, information/papers are lost or just mislaid and the staff have a large task on their hands, mostly due to the fact they were not allowed to do their jobs and were kept away from information.
The upshot of this is they need our support from JR and others and your patience as fans, it will get sorted, JR is doing a great job and others are trying to help.

 

Blimey what a mess.

 

Bloody hell Wetherby, what a mess! I know when ER left we were told further stories would gradually reach the public domain and to be honest I think what you have posted here does help the fans get a fuller perspective and understanding of the awful mess certain people have left our club in. Can I just ask do you think there are still more 'revelations' yet to come out?

 

Just to clarify, Onside, I would not want anyone thinking I had lumped James Mason in the overall criticism. I got on well with James and still do, indeed I tried to mentor him at times so my comments in the post above relate to my findings in recent times after James has been gone for many months. I would not suggest he left things in anything other than good order and knowing how his lines of communication were cut off and he was discredited the things I found are likely to be the result of actions by others, not James himself. Just to be clear.

 

That will be a matter for Stefan and Julian, I think.

 

You've read it wrong. Eric says the £1 million includes undersoil heating etc. which Paula looked at but didn't present formally as an option. She probably mentioned it to Eric in the conversation she had with him. My Rolls Royce was the comprehensive package Paula did present which included extensive drainage work which was carried out as we know and as Eric pointed out when he said it has been a benefit this season.

 

Does it require the right upkeep?

I mean this team of specialists installed it and are our groundsmen aware of what needs doing to keep it as it was in the summer? I’m
Not disrespecting them but surely it’s the after care that helps too. Not just the drainage being right

 

75k is still bugger all, a drop in the ocean, surely? Speaking as a layman.