A biased opinion as regards the pitch so here goes: Our pitch has been one of the best in the country for years and up to December it has also been top notch. We then have had 2/3 games played in heavy rain and the fa youth cup game played in heavy rain which cut the surface up quite badly, the surface then froze and then got covered in 110 tonnes of snow which was only cleared 3 days before the Wednesday game by fans with shovels. If Ben was expecting a carpet he was mistaken ! In the Premier League The Valley had: The Dome cover The Whale to soak up surface water Due to our relegation/cuts etc The Valley now has: No under soil heating like most grounds No plastic grass sewn in to hold it together No Covers 3 Games a day in May so 6 weeks preperation until the season starts. All they have down there is frost covers which protect it to -2. Ben should have thought about all that before he spoke !
Agree.
Didn't know Paddy has been unwell. Hope it was nothing serious.
And the bad pitch wouldn't stop Hamer going for a looping header : - )
Most clubs pitches have the facilities/technology to cope with the bad weather The Valley doesn't. Until some money is spent rectifying that we are in the literally in the lap of the gods. I still think the pitch has been pretty good this year. The Barnsleys, Watfords and Ipswichs seemed to knock it about quite well !
As regards to Ben, if he wasn't happy with it he could have had a quiet word, kept it in house not basically slag off the Groundstaff. What happened to the one club, one aim we are all in it together stuff ? Whoever asked about the plastic inserts no The Valley doesn't have any of that, just earth and seed !
As regards to Ben, if he wasn't happy with it he could have had a quiet word, kept it in house not basically slag off the Groundstaff. What happened to the one club, one aim we are all in it together stuff ? Whoever asked about the plastic inserts no The Valley doesn't have any of that, just earth and seed !
Watford have a desso pitch, paid for by Saracens and that's why it holds up well, (as do Wycombe, paid for by Wasps). The Valley doesn't. We also don't have the grow lights or undersoil heating that Millwall have.
The pitch has been poor, but no proper money was spent on it during the Premier League era (undersoil heating, plastic/Desso, lights) and so a bad winter will do for the pitch.
Watford have a desso pitch, paid for by Saracens and that's why it holds up well, (as do Wycombe, paid for by Wasps). The Valley doesn't. We also don't have the grow lights or undersoil heating that Millwall have.
The pitch has been poor, but no proper money was spent on it during the Premier League era (undersoil heating, plastic/Desso, lights) and so a bad winter will do for the pitch.
put it this way, the RFU have just redone the pitch at Twickenham, installed a Desso surface, redone the drainage, brought grow lights. Total bill - £1.2m
A biased opinion as regards the pitch so here goes: Our pitch has been one of the best in the country for years and up to December it has also been top notch. We then have had 2/3 games played in heavy rain and the fa youth cup game played in heavy rain which cut the surface up quite badly, the surface then froze and then got covered in 110 tonnes of snow which was only cleared 3 days before the Wednesday game by fans with shovels. If Ben was expecting a carpet he was mistaken ! In the Premier League The Valley had: The Dome cover The Whale to soak up surface water Due to our relegation/cuts etc The Valley now has: No under soil heating like most grounds No plastic grass sewn in to hold it together No Covers 3 Games a day in May so 6 weeks preperation until the season starts. All they have down there is frost covers which protect it to -2. Ben should have thought about all that before he spoke !
A biased opinion as regards the pitch so here goes: Our pitch has been one of the best in the country for years and up to December it has also been top notch. We then have had 2/3 games played in heavy rain and the fa youth cup game played in heavy rain which cut the surface up quite badly, the surface then froze and then got covered in 110 tonnes of snow which was only cleared 3 days before the Wednesday game by fans with shovels. If Ben was expecting a carpet he was mistaken ! In the Premier League The Valley had: The Dome cover The Whale to soak up surface water Due to our relegation/cuts etc The Valley now has: No under soil heating like most grounds No plastic grass sewn in to hold it together No Covers 3 Games a day in May so 6 weeks preperation until the season starts. All they have down there is frost covers which protect it to -2. Ben should have thought about all that before he spoke !
A biased opinion as regards the pitch so here goes: Our pitch has been one of the best in the country for years and up to December it has also been top notch. We then have had 2/3 games played in heavy rain and the fa youth cup game played in heavy rain which cut the surface up quite badly, the surface then froze and then got covered in 110 tonnes of snow which was only cleared 3 days before the Wednesday game by fans with shovels. If Ben was expecting a carpet he was mistaken ! In the Premier League The Valley had: The Dome cover The Whale to soak up surface water Due to our relegation/cuts etc The Valley now has: No under soil heating like most grounds No plastic grass sewn in to hold it together No Covers 3 Games a day in May so 6 weeks preperation until the season starts. All they have down there is frost covers which protect it to -2. Ben should have thought about all that before he spoke !
Should have kept his trap shut. Reckon he might have to make a few apologies.,
Ben may not be happy with the pitch in recent weeks but if he'd have had a quiet word he might of understood the financial and practical situation as regards the pitch instead of spouting off to the press. Your Deanos , Matt Hollands and Chris Powells would never of done that !
The pitch is a poor state and the worst it has been for the past 20 years, but as a player you get on with it, and you stop complaining to the local media.
Should of been less honest or thought more about his wording but hope this does not turn in to a reason for many to dislike Hamer because he answered a journalists questions honestly.
Bad timing as he is well on course to be the next scapegoat to.
Comments
Didn't know Paddy has been unwell. Hope it was nothing serious.
And the bad pitch wouldn't stop Hamer going for a looping header : - )
I still think the pitch has been pretty good this year. The Barnsleys, Watfords and Ipswichs seemed to knock it about quite well !
Whoever asked about the plastic inserts no The Valley doesn't have any of that, just earth and seed !
The pitch has been poor, but no proper money was spent on it during the Premier League era (undersoil heating, plastic/Desso, lights) and so a bad winter will do for the pitch.
How much would a set of grow lights cost to buy or hire? Serious question. Anyone in that industry?
Glad to hear he's fine.
Like you, I'm sure he takes pride in his work and will be frustrated that the pitch isn't up to the high standard he has set.
Just seems like we always struggle to play football at home due to the amount of little space our players find themselves in.
But he did score I guess!!!
Bad timing as he is well on course to be the next scapegoat to.
I think he has a point on the pitch though... although a fair share of his 'worldy' clangers are away from home...
Not to mention game winning saves!
That's the problem for goalies - always remembered for the bad as opposed to the good