rjdgull
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Post by rjdgull on Jan 9, 2016 11:01:30 GMT
Absolutely right decision to postpone this one - the rain we had in the last 24 hours alone would have put any normal match in doubt.
Well done to Exeter - a draw was probably the best result for them!
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Post by valgull on Jan 9, 2016 20:40:32 GMT
Clearly the pitch and drainage must be in a very bad state, partly due the exceptional rainfall over the past few weeks. However, it does make you wonder what the previous regime were doing with their mega budget - clearly not investing any of it in one of the most important parts of a football club! Presumably the weather in Exeter is more or less the same and their game seems to be on! It might seem to be a positive for us as we have not really strengthened the squad yet - but postponed games add to potential fixture congestion and a mid week crowd will almost certainly be less. I still do not understand why the Club did not want to even consider a possible offer from TUST to help fund some pitch covers - surely they would help (they seem to do a good job for cricket pitches)! Has a ( possible ) offer ever been made formally to the current board? The club currently has covers, although not to cover the entire pitch. The problem remains though, that when the covers are removed the water has to go somewhere other than back onto the pitch. Covers alone cannot solve the drainage problem. |
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Post by tqriviera on Jan 10, 2016 11:33:51 GMT
The matter was raised for discussion at the TUST AGM and the CEO (attending as a TUST member) stated that it was not something that the Club needed and that, anyway, investment would be made in the summer to completely cure the pitch/drainage problems. So, there was no further discussion and the matter was considered closed.
I am well aware that the water has to go somewhere even if covers are on but there are surely solutions to ensure that it drains OFF the pitch and not into it - as far as I am aware, it is not a requirement for the areas off the pitch to be playable.
It was interesting to see the TV pictures from Eastleigh and, according to the comments before the game from their CEO, their covers were the only thing that gave them any chance of getting the game on. It did look virtually unplayable but, according to Chris Todd, they have played on worse this season. Is the Plainmoor pitch in an even worse condition than Eastleigh? If so, what are the chances for Tuesday?
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 10, 2016 15:36:51 GMT
We don't need more Rons!
The covers don't even cover half of one flank and the drains haven't worked efficiently for over twenty years! The drainage at St James park is what you would expect at a championship level club, 3 ft spacing right down the pitch ours is at about 8 ft and semi collapsed with a smaller clearance diameter! Eastleigh have covers and better drainage because of recent investment but still needed away fans to pitch in to get it on! The new board will address the situation when finances allow unlike the previous boards that wouldn't listen to the staff and experience they had on tap! I don't even want to mention seale Hayne!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 10, 2016 16:01:00 GMT
As Merse informed his BTPIR members:
'As a point of information, those pitch covers that Eastleigh are using are the ones provided by the TV company to attempt to minimise any postponement chances and hence; disruption to their TV schedules and extensive setting up costs being spent in vain.
Not only do you get a shed load of money for being on live TV but the loan of a full set of pitch covers too!'
Eastleigh were also willing to hire other equipment in order to get the game on, as they didn't want to miss out on that Television cash bonanza. I suspect there'd have been no earth-breakers and no covers to be seen, had it been an ordinary League game for them this weekend.
EASTLEIGH are moving heaven and earth – well, technically, just the earth – to ensure nothing can put the damper on their massive FA Cup tie against Bolton tomorrow.
The Spitfires are confident the game will go ahead despite the recent deluge and poor forecast after hiring a mini earth-breaker to help dry out the Silverlake Stadium pitch by blowing air under the surface and creating drainage holes.
With the help of fans and volunteers Eastleigh put protective covers on the playing surface on Wednesday night.
link - Heaven And Earth-Breaker
Would we have been able to rely on sufficient fans and volunteers to help out with such tasks I wonder ? Hopefully the answer is yes, as that community spirit will be an essential ingredient if a new ownership model is being seriously considered.
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