Harrogate to play at Doncaster

[ClaretTony]

Harrogate Town's first season in the Football League will kick off with home games being played at Doncaster. Expected to be for a month until they can get a suitable pitch ready at their own ground.

[mdd2]

Is their capacity OK for the EFL Tony?

[ClaretTony]

Is their capacity OK for the EFL Tony?

Has to be - ground wouldn't have been passed otherwise, but they don't have a suitable pitch so have to play elsewhere until they get one.

[Burnley1989]

When they suitable, am I right in thinking it’s artificial? Could have sworn I’ve played on there in a friendly once

[agreenwood]

It’s 2020. The EFL is in disarray and clubs are fearful for their survival. A bright, well run club comes up, with a 3G pitch that helps them connect with the community and stay financially viable.

EFL- “Can you rip your 3G up and spend £300k on a grass pitch?”

[Murger]

Stupidity. What is the actual point in having to rip up a perfectly good pitch? The EFL are not fit for purpose.

[ClaretTony]

Stupidity. What is the actual point in having to rip up a perfectly good pitch? The EFL are not fit for purpose.

Because all of the clubs in the league voted some years ago that no club would be allowed in if they didn't have a grass pitch. Simple as that. To allow Harrogate to play on their own ground with their current pitch would require a rule change with a substantial vote in favour of the change from the 72 clubs.

[Murger]

Because all of the clubs in the league voted some years ago that no club would be allowed in if they didn't have a grass pitch. Simple as that. To allow Harrogate to play on their own ground with their current pitch would require a rule change with a substantial vote in favour of the change from the 72 clubs.

If, as AG says above it's costing £300k for a league2 club to replace the pitch, that's a lot of money at the best of times, never mind now. It's a stupid rule.

[ClaretTony]

If, as AG says above it's costing £300k for a league2 club to replace the pitch, that's a lot of money at the best of times, never mind now. It's a stupid rule.

Whether you think it is a stupid rule or not, it was voted in by the league's 72 clubs some time ago and it required a decent majority to bring it in and would require the same to remove it. Cost doesn't come into it, and it is a lot of money granted, but Harrogate would have known that all along. I'm not saying it is a good rule or a bad rule but the clubs don't want artificial pitches at that level of football.

[Grumps]

How much better are the artificial pitches nowadays compared to when the vote was taken? Perhaps time for another vote.

[ClaretTony]

How much better are the artificial pitches nowadays compared to when the vote was taken? Perhaps time for another vote.

I don't know how long the rule has been in place and I don't know when they last voted on it, so that I can't answer. There is absolutely no doubt that artificial pitches are much improved but personally I wouldn't want to go back to us playing football at a high level on them.

[Im_not_Robbie_Blake]

I could pop round there with a few boxes of lawn seed if it would help. BIt cheaper than £300,000.

[aggi]

If, as AG says above it's costing £300k for a league2 club to replace the pitch, that's a lot of money at the best of times, never mind now. It's a stupid rule.

The cost isn't just replacing it. An artificial pitch is much more hard-wearing and can be rented out for other people to use it. It's difficult to do the same with a grass pitch.

[TheFamilyCat]

The cost isn't just replacing it. An artificial pitch is much more hard-wearing and can be rented out for other people to use it. It's difficult to do the same with a grass pitch.

That's all true but as CT said earlier, Harrogate would have known all this as they aspired to be a FL club.

I'm surprised they didn't opt to play at York as it's closer but perhaps Kit Kat Crescent no longer meets EFL standards?

[Ashingtonclaret46]

I think that they took another vote on this in 2017/8 and they maintained the status that they would not allow artificial pitches in the EFL in spite of the fact that they were used in the Conference and that the FA so allow FA Cup matches to be played on them as when Arsenal played Sutton.

There still seems to be a lot of discussion throughout the world as to the safety of the environment because of the bots of microplastic released into the atmosphere. I think that the EU was talking of banning a lot of the pitches at sometime last year.

[MiltonKeynesClaret93]

4G pitches.
Fine for the Champions League, but not for League 2...

[durhamclaret]

Stupid rule or not, but that's the deal. Watched an interview with their Chairman and manager (father and son) on my local tv news last night and that are not complaining at all, just saying they have to do it and can't wait to get back from playing at Doncaster for a short while, so no fuss whatsoever from them. They also start the pitch work today.

[Foulthrow]

Are Harrogate definitely going to play in League Two? Wasn't there a story doing the rounds that the winner of the play offs was not guaranteed to go up? I can't remember the reasoning behind it but I'm sure I heard this mentioned on 'The Price of Football' podcast with Kieran Maguire (which is excellent btw).

[miele-man]

Harrogate are now my second team .

[Ashingtonclaret46]

Are Harrogate definitely going to play in League Two? Wasn't there a story doing the rounds that the winner of the play offs was not guaranteed to go up? I can't remember the reasoning behind it but I'm sure I heard this mentioned on 'The Price of Football' podcast with Kieran Maguire (which is excellent btw).

Yes they are and, as Durhamclaret said, they have already started to replace the pitch as was shown on the local news last night.
The podcast you heard could well have been discussing that some clubs may refuse promotion to the EFL because they spend around £500,000 on installing an artifical pitch and they get a lot of revenue coming in because the pitch can be used by others if needed and will not need replacing for 10 years, unlike a grass pitch which is affected by different types of weather. The clubs may consider it more beneficial to play at the level they are at with the facilities they already have rather than be promoted and have to spend money on replacing the pitch and probably reducing their income plus the increased overheads of running a club in the EFL.

[conyoviejo]

Hopefully they will use Leeds as their feeder club in a few years time..

[Bosscat]

Hopefully they will use Leeds as their feeder club in a few years time..

[strayclaret]

not sure this will work
https://www.harrogateadvertiser.co.uk/s ... gs-2932340

[Clarets4me]

Artificial pitches have not been permitted in the EPL and EFL since 1995 ... Harrogate aren't making a fuss, no issue !

[cricketfieldclarets]

Because all of the clubs in the league voted some years ago that no club would be allowed in if they didn't have a grass pitch. Simple as that. To allow Harrogate to play on their own ground with their current pitch would require a rule change with a substantial vote in favour of the change from the 72 clubs.

They dont know theyre born!

[claretonthecoast1882]

They dont know theyre born!

Played on their a few times is was awful, burns like hell when sliding in as I found out

[TheFamilyCat]

Played on their a few times is was awful, burns like hell when sliding in as I found out

Local greengrocers got a good deal when they took it up though.

[ClaretTony]

I played on Deepdale when they had that artificial pitch. Really was as bad as claretonthecoast1882 said. Burning, all the sand, dreadful to play on. Thankfully there aren't pitches like that now.

[Wellsy1882]

Stupidity. What is the actual point in having to rip up a perfectly good pitch? The EFL are not fit for purpose.

Has to be fair. Equal playing surface for all grounds

[doncasterclaret]

Harrogate Town AFC are a 75% subsidiary of the Doncaster based Strata Homes Holdings Ltd group of companies

[BenWickes]

Played on their a few times is was awful, burns like hell when sliding in as I found out

Yep me too. Played on Deepdale a few times in the early 90's. Went through a few pairs of socks, shirts and shorts on there. Not mentioning the burn marks.

[groove]

I think York City have left Bootham Cresent and are sharing a new stadium with York Knights rugby team. That's a possible reason for Harrogate not playing there.