Artificial Surfaces

[Glyn]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17064905

Hallelujah! - the worm just may be turning!!!

I've seen well over a hundred games on a 4G surface, it affords excellent passing football and the old issues like an unfair bounce and problems with slide-tackling are no more

These facilities represent the way forward enabling 24/7 community use (with commensurate increases in rental and bar income!) and giving clubs a decent surface on which to train in almost any weather

Some of us saw HTFC fit in a friendly at TNS a couple of winters ago (against Ellesmere Rangers who were also going through a barren period) the day after the host club had played a WPL game, with snow piled around the pitch but the surface perfectly playable

Compare that with the postponements we've had of late, plus the Keys Park grass being used for a Youth Team game on Wednesday night (and training last night) after a game on Tuesday night and with a key league game coming up on Saturday, and you'll see the benefits

Come and see me any time and I'll bore you to death with all the points in favour!!

[Glyn]

You can have your say in the survey by following this link

http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB22ERJWUK6Y6

[Perton Pitman]

How much to install one of these surfaces?

[Glyn]

How much to install one of these surfaces?

Pass. But I'm pretty sure that grant assistance is available (from the Football Foundation I think), I believe that both Stratford Town and Nantwich got help with the artificial surfaces which are adjacent to their grounds

Nevertheless, if HTFC were permitted and did decide to go ahead with installation, a major fundraising effort would be needed.

Don't forget that the Pitmen Prize Draw is our way of helping the club with improving its infrastructure..... for any forum users who aren't in already, there's no time like the present....

http://www.htfcsa.co.uk/prizedraw

[Glyn]

Interesting that googling finds a FA guidance note from as long ago as 2005...

http://www.thefa.com/GetIntoFootball/Fa ... _Part1.pdf

I'll do a bit of research into costings, maybe starting here

http://www.greenfields-cms.co.uk/sports ... ball-turf/

and here

http://www.greenfieldsturf.co.uk/sports ... ball-turf/

(looks like they installed Stenny's artificial surface)

Ah, we seem to have some pricing guidance here

http://www.greenfieldsturf.co.uk/turf-c ... alculator/

[sucaba]

Sutton Coldfield would be a good place to start.They installed theirs this season..Perhaps a call to them would confirm.

[Glyn]

Sutton Coldfield would be a good place to start.They installed theirs this season..Perhaps a call to them would confirm.

I'm sure that could be arranged.

As I see it, it's for the club to decide if they want to pursue this option and assess the cost and the availability (or not) of grants and then if our help is needed in raising finance we step in.

But maybe none of the above until the FA consultation process has taken place and we know that we wouldn't be shooting ourselves in the foot by proceeding.

We don't want to end up in a Durham City-type-situation where we get Man Ure at home in the FA Cup but can't play it on our own ground....

[Glyn]

Just going off on one of my tangents, I see that the Premier League supports NL ground improvements to the tune of £6m (I take it that's per annum?)

http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/inde ... &nid=82761

Well done them

[Glyn]

Learned yesterday (from my local reporter!) that Gala Fairydean have a 3G surface now

And here's a novel way of funding them....

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Release ... 3/16134101

[Glyn]

Looks like £400k is a (wait for it) ball-park figure

http://www.welsh-premier.com/index.php/ ... cial-pitch

(Thank you, I'm here all week )

[Glyn]

Learned yesterday (from my local reporter!) that Gala Fairydean have a 3G surface now

And here's a novel way of funding them....

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Release ... 3/16134101

Another one - and I'm still loving the way that Scottish clubs are getting funding for these....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-s ... d-18143420

[Glyn]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18285716

Bl00dy ostriches

Never mind, they've got the important things right, like a return to 7 subs in the Championship....

[Glyn]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18285716

Bl00dy ostriches

Never mind, they've got the important things right, like a return to 7 subs in the Championship....

Conversely, my friends in Wales want to be trend-setters

http://www.welsh-premier.com/index.php/ ... artificial

[Glyn]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18285716

Bl00dy ostriches

Never mind, they've got the important things right, like a return to 7 subs in the Championship....

Conversely, my friends in Wales want to be trend-setters

http://www.welsh-premier.com/index.php/ ... artificial

More here

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-18422611

Good report, except that he got the name of TNS' ground wrong

[Glyn]

The worm is turning.... slowly....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18833248

This throws up as many questions as it answers but my brain hurts so I may be back with those in the next day or two...

[Glyn]

http://nonleague.pitchero.com/news/satu ... um=twitter

See Gus Poyet's comments about Maidstone's new 3G surface... especially on a day when PSFs were being cancelled...

[MarcJ]

It no doubts has benefits but unaffordable for the pitmen for the time being. Unless someone feels like throwing a ton of money at the club which would surely be better used to help gain promotion.

[Dobba]

Well, I'm working on it Marc, one lottery ticket at a time.

[Glyn]

It no doubts has benefits but unaffordable for the pitmen for the time being. Unless someone feels like throwing a ton of money at the club which would surely be better used to help gain promotion.

Once the FA give the go ahead for artificial surfaces to be used for all games (and it will happen, it's only taken us 46 years to get goal-line technology) an artificial surface would pretty quickly pay for itself, cf the Sutton Coldfield model, and grant money would be available - but yes, not to cover 100% of the cost, so some serious fundraising might be necessary...

[MarcJ]

Well, I'm working on it Marc, one lottery ticket at a time.

Me too, if I win the euromillions Im chucking a fair bit at the pitmen lol!

[Glyn]

Here's the artificial surface at Park Hall Oswestry (ie the home of TNS) this morning...



.... which is why I think they need to be called "artificial" rather than "all-weather" surfaces

[Del]

TUFC Chairman was on BBC local tv last night stating that for a £500k outlay on an artificial pitch - the money could be recouped in 5-6 years because the venue could be used 365 days a year!

Ooo-arr!

[Glyn]

http://www.birminghamfa.com/news/2013/f ... facilities

So, the FA is happy to sanction the installation of lots more artificial surfaces..... yet it won't let clubs use them in the FA Cup.....

Funny old game....

[Glyn]

The future is plastic....

http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/inde ... &nid=94554

[Dobba]

Apparently the council are looking at adding one to the redevelopment of Hednesford Park. Might come in handy for training on when Keys Park gets frozen over.