The Pitch

[David Treharne]

You're right, but when we took over City in 2003 that was more or less all the bust Club had then.
The groundsman, Mark, was a lovely bloke but was really up against it. About 90% of his work was done by hand. It was basically just spades, forks, a mower and heavy hand pushed rollers.
To water the pitch he had a clockwork contraption fed by a hosepipe that you had to wind up and then it would propel itself along the pitch following a guide rope and sprinkling as it goes.
It couldn't be left for long though as it would always jam somewhere and leave a stonking great puddle of water.

We also only had one tractor, and so equipment had to be ferried backwards and forwards from SJP and the Cat and Fiddle. There were a great number of heroes at the time, some largely forgotten, who in the 2003-2004 pre season built retaining walls whilst trying to avoid trampling all over the badly neglected pitch. Barry Sansom, Dacre Holloway and many others ensured that we were ready (at least pitch wise) to start the season. The ongoing scenario that's often forgotten is that there was no certainty that the Football Conference would accept us as members.

 

[Stelios]

Have ABBA left the pitch? Surprised there wasn't a match day thread for the event!

Interesting timing the concert being on the night of Eurovision. I would have thought the venn diagram of people attending this and people being Eurovision fans would have been a complete circle

 

[Sexton Blake]

We also only had one tractor, and so equipment had to be ferried backwards and forwards from SJP and the Cat and Fiddle. There were a great number of heroes at the time, some largely forgotten, who in the 2003-2004 pre season built retaining walls whilst trying to avoid trampling all over the badly neglected pitch. Barry Sansom, Dacre Holloway and many others ensured that we were ready (at least pitch wise) to start the season. The ongoing scenario that's often forgotten is that there was no certainty that the Football Conference would accept us as members.

David you are so right and the efforts and achievements of Barry, Dacre and others should never and must never be forgotten.

 

[Swanaldo]

Have ABBA left the pitch? Surprised there wasn't a match day thread for the event!

You do realise it wasnt the real ABBA?

 

[fred binneys head]

You do realise it wasnt the real ABBA?

It was. Bjorn took the first penalty, then Benny took the next two.

 

[Hants_red]

You do realise it wasnt the real ABBA?

I'm no Dancing Queen, you know.

 

[andrew p long]

It was. Bjorn took the first penalty, then Benny took the next two.

Ha ha! Very good.

 

[Antony Moxey]

I'm no Dancing Queen, you know.

You’re right about the dancing bit.

 

[Dannyred]

Have ABBA left the pitch? Surprised there wasn't a match day thread for the event!

I am surprised the club allowed women on the pitch

 

[Antony Moxey]

S’OK, they made sure they were on the stage.