BM - Surface

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Darlofan97
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BM - Surface

Post by Darlofan97 » Sun Jul 07, 2019 9:14 am

Went to the game yesterday - and that was probably the worst playing surface we have returned to at BM over the past couple of years. Dry, sandy, bobbly, after not really having a hot summer like we had last season.

Do DRFC even maintain the pitch over the off-season? Looks like it has just been left from April; and we spent all that money around 2 years ago on a new surface & drainage. Shocking.

We desperately need some form of sprinkler system.

super_les_mcjannet
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Re: BM - Surface

Post by super_les_mcjannet » Sun Jul 07, 2019 9:29 am

Yep pitch is poor.

Believe very little if anything was done with it over the summer, probably because we had no money/plans so Rugby club will just treat it as they would normally.

It really needs some watering to improve currently and a longer term plan, we will have one of the worst pitches in the league this season.

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divas
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Re: BM - Surface

Post by divas » Sun Jul 07, 2019 9:34 am

First thing that struck me from the highlights. For a pitch to look like that in July is disappointing, even moreso given the investment two years ago. You could see at the back end of last season that it desperately needed a good water and some remedial work. Ironic that it’s not actually the rugby played on it that’s caused the issue rather a basic lack of care and a bit of watering by the looks of it.

We’re obviously going to try and play most of our football on the floor next season so it’s definitely a concern.

The Golden Hairclip
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Re: BM - Surface

Post by The Golden Hairclip » Sun Jul 07, 2019 9:41 am

The referee swapped his boots for trainers just after half time. Crazy.


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Darlofan97
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Re: BM - Surface

Post by Darlofan97 » Sun Jul 07, 2019 10:06 am

Catch 22 for the club. We’ve been firm with our approach that we won’t be investing a further penny in BM until we have a new tenancy agreement, but the pitch is going to ruin.

We need to move on from the SV, and start negotiating with DRFC for more favourable terms. BM needs improving. Something as simple as seating/terracing behind the goal & a new irrigation system will do wonders.

onewayup
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Re: BM - Surface

Post by onewayup » Sun Jul 07, 2019 12:26 pm

Negotiations between the rugby club and ourselfs are continually being held, I think a stronger line has been taken with DRFC as they haven't been very accommodating for us since getting there , they seemed to welcome us as a cash cow initially but things are getting a little better and with mr Johnson's and mr Morley's astute input it will get even better throughout the season.
The football club have made giant strides with these people in charge, I'm sure they will continue until we get a level that we and there finally happy with,

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loan_star
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Re: BM - Surface

Post by loan_star » Sun Jul 07, 2019 3:24 pm

The rugby club are meant to maintain the pitch. Probably not arsed since they don't need a good surface for the game they play.

quakersfan
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Re: BM - Surface

Post by quakersfan » Sun Jul 07, 2019 6:20 pm

I chatted with Chris Stockdale at the end of lst season and he indicated pitch costs were shared and that work would be done done May/June ready for pre season matches. With lots of rain these last few months it should be better than ever, TBH I didn’t really focus on the pitch on Saturday but be interested in how much as a fan owned club how much we spent on the pitch to get it up to scratch. scratch.

Emdubya
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Re: BM - Surface

Post by Emdubya » Sun Jul 07, 2019 6:23 pm

quakersfan wrote:
Sun Jul 07, 2019 6:20 pm
I chatted with Chris Stockdale at the end of lst season and he indicated pitch costs were shared and that work would be done done May/June ready for pre season matches. With lots of rain these last few months it should be better than ever, TBH I didn’t really focus on the pitch on Saturday but be interested in how much as a fan owned club how much we spent on the pitch to get it up to scratch. scratch.
70 grand rings a bell.Contributed to it but can’t remember the exact amount.

quakerste
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Re: BM - Surface

Post by quakerste » Sun Jul 07, 2019 6:27 pm

If I remember rightly the agreement was we paid £80k to upgrade the pitch and install better drainage. The rugby club were then to maintain the pitch there after.

I don't call cutting the grass alone maintaining the pitch, you can see it slowly deteriorating year on year to worse than a playing field. For pre-season this year if work had been carried out and the pitch had additional seed and fertilizer added it should have been immaculate with the amount of rainfall we had early summer.

polarbear
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Re: BM - Surface

Post by polarbear » Mon Jul 08, 2019 6:45 am

We desperately need some form of sprinkler system.
[/quote]

Spennymoor now have 20 pop up sprinklers with the new football league standard pitch, you could always borrow some water, just turn up with buckets.
Also spennymoor will have no problem getting pitch waterlogged in a dry spell this season.

Darlofan97
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Re: BM - Surface

Post by Darlofan97 » Mon Jul 08, 2019 6:49 am

This isn’t a thread or topic about Spennymoor. What you have just said is irrelevant to discussing the BM pitch.

Emdubya
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Re: BM - Surface

Post by Emdubya » Mon Jul 08, 2019 7:35 am

polarbear wrote:
Mon Jul 08, 2019 6:45 am
We desperately need some form of sprinkler system.
Spennymoor now have 20 pop up sprinklers with the new football league standard pitch, you could always borrow some water, just turn up with buckets.
Also spennymoor will have no problem getting pitch waterlogged in a dry spell this season.
[/quote]

Uncle Brad could have saved himself some money on the sprinkler system by getting you and Spen to just stand on the pitch.
Two of the biggest fucking drips known to mankind.

al_quaker
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Re: BM - Surface

Post by al_quaker » Mon Jul 08, 2019 8:09 am

The surface was
Emdubya wrote:
Mon Jul 08, 2019 7:35 am

Uncle Brad could have saved himself some money on the sprinkler system by getting you and Spen to just stand on the pitch.
Two of the biggest fucking drips known to mankind.
:lol:

The BM surface was terrible on Saturday - it really should look better than that at this stage. Makes me wonder what the rugby club have been doing all summer to it. All I can hope is there is a masterplan to get it looking as good as it can be for teh first home league game, and this is all part of the cycle..

H1987
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Re: BM - Surface

Post by H1987 » Mon Jul 08, 2019 9:05 am

It just looked in dire need of some watering. Surely they have sprinklers anyway, get someone in to turn the things on every day at the state it is now, and it might recover a bit for the seasons start.

I’d imagine that’ll be a lot worse to play rugby than football on when it’s dry, so it’s in their interests to get some grass on it.

Darlo_Pete
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Re: BM - Surface

Post by Darlo_Pete » Mon Jul 08, 2019 11:23 am

Looks like there might be a bit of rain in the next few days, which hopefully will help the pitch.

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Re: BM - Surface

Post by Yarblockos » Mon Jul 08, 2019 1:01 pm

H1987 wrote:
Mon Jul 08, 2019 9:05 am
It just looked in dire need of some watering. Surely they have sprinklers anyway, get someone in to turn the things on every day at the state it is now, and it might recover a bit for the seasons start.

I’d imagine that’ll be a lot worse to play rugby than football on when it’s dry, so it’s in their interests to get some grass on it.
If the Rugby Club weren't the most consummate amateurs then they would be aware of what was in their interests. The basics are beyond them.

Darlofan97
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Re: BM - Surface

Post by Darlofan97 » Mon Jul 08, 2019 6:14 pm

H1987 wrote:
Mon Jul 08, 2019 9:05 am
It just looked in dire need of some watering. Surely they have sprinklers anyway, get someone in to turn the things on every day at the state it is now, and it might recover a bit for the seasons start.

I’d imagine that’ll be a lot worse to play rugby than football on when it’s dry, so it’s in their interests to get some grass on it.
It needs more than watering; the grass was patchy & there was still loads of sand on the pitch.

I believe there are some form of sprinklers come to think of it, but these look manual which require a lot of time & effort to water the full pitch.

Perhaps the rugby club & football club need to look at recruiting a full-time groundsman, even a part-time one would spend more time on the pitch than what has been recently, the pitch has been neglected all summer by the looks of it.

50 years
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Re: BM - Surface

Post by 50 years » Mon Jul 08, 2019 7:35 pm

Let's hope that the rugby club are not back to being skint again and are making cut backs on things like water (if they are on a meter) and groundsmen time. If they have not being managing money because of us being a cash cow and close season being limited cash flow from us, things like the pitch may suffer.

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loan_star
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Re: BM - Surface

Post by loan_star » Mon Jul 08, 2019 7:37 pm

Heard a rumour the groundsman had quit as they didn't want to follow his advice.

AndyPark
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Re: BM - Surface

Post by AndyPark » Mon Jul 08, 2019 7:39 pm

They make an absolute fortune from us, they take every virtually penny. They SHOULD NOT be suffering any financial issues.

Least they can do is to stick to their end of the bloody bargain and sort the pitch out. We've done everything else.

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Re: BM - Surface

Post by quakerste » Mon Jul 08, 2019 7:46 pm

If that's the case surely there must be a couple of keen retired grounds persons out there who support the club's who may be willing to offer there services voluntarily?

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loan_star
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Re: BM - Surface

Post by loan_star » Mon Jul 08, 2019 7:52 pm

quakerste wrote:
Mon Jul 08, 2019 7:46 pm
If that's the case surely there must be a couple of keen retired grounds persons out there who support the club's who may be willing to offer there services voluntarily?
All very well finding a volunteer but of the people in charge of funding the maintenance of the pitch are unwilling to spend whats needed then you are still going to struggle to get a good surface.

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Re: BM - Surface

Post by quakerste » Mon Jul 08, 2019 8:28 pm

It's surprising what someone with the experience could do without breaking the bank.

Ghost_Of_1883
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Re: BM - Surface

Post by Ghost_Of_1883 » Mon Jul 08, 2019 8:34 pm

quakerste wrote:
Sun Jul 07, 2019 6:27 pm
If I remember rightly the agreement was we paid £80k to upgrade the pitch and install better drainage. The rugby club were then to maintain the pitch there after.
We paid 42k for pitch improvements.

Money down the drain by the looks of it!

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loan_star
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Re: BM - Surface

Post by loan_star » Mon Jul 08, 2019 9:00 pm

Just had a look at the highlights now, that pitch is awful!!
Looks like Feethams did back in the 90s at the end of the season.

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divas
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Re: BM - Surface

Post by divas » Mon Jul 08, 2019 9:26 pm

Ghost_Of_1883 wrote:
Mon Jul 08, 2019 8:34 pm
quakerste wrote:
Sun Jul 07, 2019 6:27 pm
If I remember rightly the agreement was we paid £80k to upgrade the pitch and install better drainage. The rugby club were then to maintain the pitch there after.
We paid 42k for pitch improvements.

Money down the drain by the looks of it!
We also had matched FSIF funding available at that time so it was £80K

trevstanley
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Re: BM - Surface

Post by trevstanley » Mon Jul 08, 2019 11:27 pm

It's very disappointing that the club have not come out and made a statement following these comments. Come on Darlo , don't be like my club and make a statement !

Maurice_Peddelty
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Re: BM - Surface

Post by Maurice_Peddelty » Tue Jul 09, 2019 7:09 am

Has anyone emailed asking for a statement? I was told goalmouths have beeb reseeded so was that obvious on Saturday or on the highlights?

LoidLucan
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Re: BM - Surface

Post by LoidLucan » Tue Jul 09, 2019 8:38 am

Presumably the very well respected company that installed the new pitch would have left a set of instructions/guidelines that would need to be followed to keep it in optimum condition.

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