The Pitch

[Egg]

You could tell this was going to be a quick job, at the final game it was quite clear that the pitch had been sprayed with Roundup to kill it off, at least a week before the game. It was proper yellow, apart from the meter around the pitch which was as green as green. Was surprised to see that.

Is this some kind of joke? Surely, the old pitch is dug up, not killed off with weedkiller?!

 

[muppetdodger]

Is this some kind of joke? Surely, the old pitch is dug up, not killed off with weedkiller?!

Ah but the point is, I think the roundup prevents deeper roots re sprouting, which grass, especially weed grass, does in abundance. So you spray it off, once the chemical is in the grass it translocates to the roots, then take the top off and the old root dies. Sow the new grass and you have a grass surface with no invasive species - I'm a farmer so I have some experience in this! The weedy grass once established will take over if not properly killed off. I was just surprsed that it was done early enough to see it taking hold on the final day.

 

[muppetdodger]

Just look at this image from the final game. Zoom in on pitch far corner by big bank - obvious green square unsprayed, and also look in left corner by flag, there is a clear arc where the sprayer must have run and missed a bit. Even along the touchline by the AS stand you can clearly see a darker green line - look in front of the kids

 

[Bridgy 81]

I know absolutely nothing about this subject but was at SJP for the first time in a while for the Port Vale match and thought myself, although the pitch looked in great condition for the last game of the season, that it seemed to have a lot of lighter patches all over it. I just assumed that was normal.
Anyway, it didn’t seem to me to affect how the pitch played and I’m very happy to leave the technicalities to Chas and his team.
I reckon the quality of our pitch this year has been a large contributory factor in our success.

 

[iscalad]

View attachment 8540
Just look at this image from the final game. Zoom in on pitch far corner by big bank - obvious green square unsprayed, and also look in left corner by flag, there is a clear arc where the sprayer must have run and missed a bit. Even along the touchline by the AS stand you can clearly see a darker green line - look in front of the kids

Ermm, may be being a bit dim-witted here (no surprise to some) but isn't the grass outside the pitch artificial? It certainly is on the IP stand side.

 

[SaintJames]

Ermm, may be being a bit dim-witted here (no surprise to some) but isn't the grass outside the pitch artificial? It certainly is on the IP stand side.

Its still real grass on the Stansfield side

 

[iscalad]

Seems the only artificial grass is on the IP side..

 

[GhostofAlanGow]

I think this is because the IP Stand is in shade for much of the year, which obviously restricts grass growth. Now that the dugouts are that side too, it means the footfall with subs warming up etc is greater too.

 

[Grecian2K]

Well Chas & Co certainly haven't let the grass grown under their feet regarding the removal of the surface!

 

[Hants_red]

New video! can't quite see which bit was the re-seeding!

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1525051204325322752