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Working at the Turf today
Posted: Thu May 30, 2024 2:57 pm
by ClaretsPadiham
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Re: Working at the Turf today
Posted: Thu May 30, 2024 3:05 pm
by Jamesy
Looks a bit like the pitch at the Baseball Ground circa 1970.
Re: Working at the Turf today
Posted: Thu May 30, 2024 3:08 pm
by NewClaret
Is that the pitch up or just sand on it?
Re: Working at the Turf today
Posted: Thu May 30, 2024 3:10 pm
by claretonthecoast1882
NewClaret wrote: ↑Thu May 30, 2024 3:08 pm
Is that the pitch up or just sand on it?
Pitch up
Re: Working at the Turf today
Posted: Thu May 30, 2024 3:13 pm
by Steve-Harpers-perm
Went on ground tour at Christmas and they said they were installing a new pitch this summer. Sure they said it would cost around £11 million as it involves ripping out all existing pipe work.
Re: Working at the Turf today
Posted: Thu May 30, 2024 3:17 pm
by bfcjg
Steve-Harpers-perm wrote: ↑Thu May 30, 2024 3:13 pm
Went on ground tour at Christmas and they said they were installing a new pitch this summer. Sure they said it would cost around £11 million as it involves ripping out all existing pipe work.
Kompany's compensation package. I bet the wings are over specified.
Re: Working at the Turf today
Posted: Thu May 30, 2024 3:17 pm
by ClaretTony
It’s 14 years since the Desso pitch was installed and I’m sure Fletcher said at the time that they last about 15 years.
Re: Working at the Turf today
Posted: Thu May 30, 2024 3:18 pm
by NewClaret
bfcjg wrote: ↑Thu May 30, 2024 3:17 pm
Kompany's compensation package. I bet the wings are over specified.

Re: Working at the Turf today
Posted: Thu May 30, 2024 3:18 pm
by NewClaret
ClaretTony wrote: ↑Thu May 30, 2024 3:17 pm
It’s 14 years since the Desso pitch was installed and I’m sure Fletcher said at the time that they last about 15 years.
What’s a desso pitch Tony?
Re: Working at the Turf today
Posted: Thu May 30, 2024 3:20 pm
by NewClaret
Steve-Harpers-perm wrote: ↑Thu May 30, 2024 3:13 pm
Went on ground tour at Christmas and they said they were installing a new pitch this summer. Sure they said it would cost around £11 million as it involves ripping out all existing pipe work.
£11m to Jay a pitch?! Crikey!!!
This is really interesting though because I went on the stadium tour and they said the pitch replacement would likely be deferred given relegation.
For a club supposedly struggling for cash this is a big investment.
Re: Working at the Turf today
Posted: Thu May 30, 2024 3:20 pm
by ClaretTony
NewClaret wrote: ↑Thu May 30, 2024 3:18 pm
What’s a desso pitch Tony?
Below link explains it
https://simple.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Des ... %20surface.
Re: Working at the Turf today
Posted: Thu May 30, 2024 3:29 pm
by NewClaret
Cheers Tony.
I have to say I thought it looked absolutely fantastic last year and I’m not sure it needed replacing just by looking at it.
Re: Working at the Turf today
Posted: Thu May 30, 2024 3:32 pm
by burnmark
Was speaking to one of the groundsmen at the Forest game. Don’t think they are going the whole hog this close season and doing a brand new pitch.
From someone else - they said they are putting down a rubber crumb surface around the perimeter and I’m sure it was mentioned the pitch may be being moved over to centralise the goals with the Jimmy Mc Stand.
Re: Working at the Turf today
Posted: Thu May 30, 2024 3:36 pm
by NewClaret
burnmark wrote: ↑Thu May 30, 2024 3:32 pm
Was speaking to one of the groundsmen at the Forest game. Don’t think they are going the whole hog this close season and doing a brand new pitch.
From someone else - they said they are putting down a rubber crumb surface around the perimeter and I’m sure it was mentioned the pitch may be being moved over to centralise the goals with the Jimmy Mc Stand.
That would make a lot of sense.
If we have any aspirations to either develop the CFS or the BL in future we need to create the room. Plus I think we’d improve the atmosphere by bringing it closer towards the longside. There’s a plenty of room.
Re: Working at the Turf today
Posted: Thu May 30, 2024 3:46 pm
by Goliath
ClaretTony wrote: ↑Thu May 30, 2024 3:17 pm
It’s 14 years since the Desso pitch was installed and I’m sure Fletcher said at the time that they last about 15 years.
Didn't that get paid for by the last day comeback against Spurs that was basically a dead rubber?
Re: Working at the Turf today
Posted: Thu May 30, 2024 3:54 pm
by Silkyskills1
ClaretTony wrote: ↑Thu May 30, 2024 3:17 pm
It’s 14 years since the Desso pitch was installed and I’m sure Fletcher said at the time that they last about 15 years.
If I remember correctly the first home game with it was v Nottm Forest. Won 1-0 with a Chris Iwelumo diving header and BL in charge. The pitch that day hadn't 'settled' and was very spongy and soft. Then again, advancing years might be playing tricks with my mind.

Re: Working at the Turf today
Posted: Thu May 30, 2024 4:07 pm
by Leisure
NewClaret wrote: ↑Thu May 30, 2024 3:36 pm
That would make a lot of sense.
If we have any aspirations to either develop the CFS or the BL in future we need to create the room. Plus I think we’d improve the atmosphere by bringing it closer towards the longside. There’s a plenty of room.
But there's hardly any room now to take throw-ins on the Longside. If the pitch is moved closer they'd also have to do something about the 'hill' that players have to negotiate before reaching the touchline.
Re: Working at the Turf today
Posted: Thu May 30, 2024 4:11 pm
by Goliath
Silkyskills1 wrote: ↑Thu May 30, 2024 3:54 pm
If I remember correctly the first home game with it was v Nottm Forest. Won 1-0 with a Chris Iwelumo diving header and BL in charge. The pitch that day hadn't 'settled' and was very spongy and soft. Then again, advancing years might be playing tricks with my mind.
I thought they'd not installed it in time so the desso part of the pitch wasn't there meaning they nearly had to postpone?
Might have made all of that up in my head
Re: Working at the Turf today
Posted: Thu May 30, 2024 4:14 pm
by ClaretTony
Silkyskills1 wrote: ↑Thu May 30, 2024 3:54 pm
If I remember correctly the first home game with it was v Nottm Forest. Won 1-0 with a Chris Iwelumo diving header and BL in charge. The pitch that day hadn't 'settled' and was very spongy and soft. Then again, advancing years might be playing tricks with my mind.
It wasn’t that it hadn’t settled, more the work hadn’t been completed. The middle from goal to goal was done but the flanks were so bad there were huge lumps of turf coming up. Three players picked up injuries because of it. By the time we played the second game against Leicester it was perfect.
Re: Working at the Turf today
Posted: Thu May 30, 2024 4:15 pm
by helmclaret
Christ imagine if that had happened under the current ownership!!
Fletcher was supposed to be an expert on stadium infrastructure.
Re: Working at the Turf today
Posted: Thu May 30, 2024 5:13 pm
by ClaretTony
helmclaret wrote: ↑Thu May 30, 2024 4:15 pm
Christ imagine if that had happened under the current ownership!!
Fletcher was supposed to be an expert on stadium infrastructure.
We are talking pitch for which he had no responsibility.
Re: Working at the Turf today
Posted: Thu May 30, 2024 5:32 pm
by AGENT_CLARET
Steve-Harpers-perm wrote: ↑Thu May 30, 2024 3:13 pm
Went on ground tour at Christmas and they said they were installing a new pitch this summer. Sure they said it would cost around £11 million as it involves ripping out all existing pipe work.
11 million for grass.........It must be good sh!t
Re: Working at the Turf today
Posted: Thu May 30, 2024 6:03 pm
by CHEWBACCA
About time they sorted the famous slope towards JM out.
Re: Working at the Turf today
Posted: Thu May 30, 2024 7:19 pm
by ArmchairDetective
We saw our pitch in some shocking states prior to the Desso pitch being installed. It always looks immaculate these days, to the point where you forget about the state of the pitch and the impact on the game. Well done to the grounds team.
Makes sense to replace it if we intend to be on the front foot in games. But £11m over 15 seasons (if I've read the thread correct and made four from two and two) seems like a lot of money for somewhere to play football.
Re: Working at the Turf today
Posted: Thu May 30, 2024 7:26 pm
by Guller Bull
My mate who is a farmer in Pilling reckons he could sow that field three twice a year and cut it every week if he was offered £12k a year and he would be laughing his tits off!
He did Blackpools pitch for 2k a year and look where they are now!!!
Re: Working at the Turf today
Posted: Thu May 30, 2024 7:42 pm
by taio
It won't be costing £11m. Divide that by eight and it will be much closer.
Re: Working at the Turf today
Posted: Thu May 30, 2024 9:25 pm
by dougcollins
ClaretTony wrote: ↑Thu May 30, 2024 4:14 pm
It wasn’t that it hadn’t settled, more the work hadn’t been completed. The middle from goal to goal was done but the flanks were so bad there were huge lumps of turf coming up. Three players picked up injuries because of it. By the time we played the second game against Leicester it was perfect.
I seem to recall they started ours, went off to do one at some place called Wembley, then came back to finish ours.
Re: Working at the Turf today
Posted: Thu May 30, 2024 9:31 pm
by steve1264b
I remember spending a million on the Dresso pitch.
I think we now have 3 at Gawthorpe?
Re: Working at the Turf today
Posted: Thu May 30, 2024 9:33 pm
by ClaretTony
dougcollins wrote: ↑Thu May 30, 2024 9:25 pm
I seem to recall they started ours, went off to do one at some place called Wembley, then came back to finish ours.
That’s what I was told had happened but they claimed the desso machine had broken down. We also have at least two desso pitches at Gawthorpe too.
Re: Working at the Turf today
Posted: Thu May 30, 2024 9:34 pm
by Transpennine
dougcollins wrote: ↑Thu May 30, 2024 9:25 pm
I seem to recall they started ours, went off to do one at some place called Wembley, then came back to finish ours.
Was that the year we has a pre-season game at Udders..?
Re: Working at the Turf today
Posted: Thu May 30, 2024 9:41 pm
by gawthorpe_view
steve1264b wrote: ↑Thu May 30, 2024 9:31 pm
I remember spending a million on the Dresso pitch.
I think we now have 3 at Gawthorpe?
I think one of them is exactly the same as the one at the Turf.
So refurbing one may lead to the other being upgraded.
Re: Working at the Turf today
Posted: Thu May 30, 2024 9:45 pm
by Bosscat
Transpennine wrote: ↑Thu May 30, 2024 9:34 pm
Was that the year we has a pre-season game at Udders..?
Against Stoke City yeah cos we only had 1/2 a pitch at The Turf
Re: Working at the Turf today
Posted: Thu May 30, 2024 9:50 pm
by Quickenthetempo
Bosscat wrote: ↑Thu May 30, 2024 9:45 pm
Against Stoke City yeah cos we only had 1/2 a pitch at The Turf
What was the attendance?
Re: Working at the Turf today
Posted: Thu May 30, 2024 9:54 pm
by CnBtruntru
AGENT_CLARET wrote: ↑Thu May 30, 2024 5:32 pm
11 million for grass.........It must be good sh!t
Don't even get that for a fridge load nowadays!
Re: Working at the Turf today
Posted: Thu May 30, 2024 9:57 pm
by Bosscat
Re: Working at the Turf today
Posted: Thu May 30, 2024 10:17 pm
by Clarets4me
It certainly shouldn't cost £11m ...that's utter bull !!
Peter Ridsdale was on Radio Lancashire this week, saying that PNE were planning to install a " Desso " pitch and their first undersoil heating system in the 2025-26 close season and the cost would be around £1.8m - £2.1m ...
Re: Working at the Turf today
Posted: Thu May 30, 2024 10:19 pm
by Vegas Claret
I new money was a bit tight but i didn't think we would sell the pitch
Re: Working at the Turf today
Posted: Thu May 30, 2024 10:45 pm
by Quickenthetempo
Bosscat wrote: ↑Thu May 30, 2024 9:57 pm
How the £%#@ should I know ... it was bloody years ago


1435 just checked this site.
Re: Working at the Turf today
Posted: Thu May 30, 2024 10:48 pm
by Bosscat
Re: Working at the Turf today
Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2024 8:22 pm
by ClaretTony
We are installing a new Desso pitch apparently
Re: Working at the Turf today
Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2024 9:00 pm
by beddie
Even with new pipework it won’t be costing anywhere near £11 million. I’d be amazed if it’s even half that amount.
Re: Working at the Turf today
Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2024 9:11 pm
by ClaretTony
beddie wrote: ↑Mon Jun 03, 2024 9:00 pm
Even with new pipework it won’t be costing anywhere near £11 million. I’d be amazed if it’s even half that amount.
The first desso pitch in 2010 cost £750,000.
Re: Working at the Turf today
Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2024 9:18 pm
by taio
It's costing c£1.4m.
Re: Working at the Turf today
Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2024 10:19 pm
by beddie
taio wrote: ↑Mon Jun 03, 2024 9:18 pm
It's costing c£1.4m.
That’s probably more like it.
Re: Working at the Turf today
Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2024 10:38 pm
by bobinho
NewClaret wrote: ↑Thu May 30, 2024 3:36 pm
That would make a lot of sense.
If we have any aspirations to either develop the CFS or the BL in future we need to create the room. Plus I think we’d improve the atmosphere by bringing it closer towards the longside. There’s a plenty of room.
Wouldn’t make any sense to me. The Jimmy Mac is already well off centre, I’m not sure there’s enough room in front of the longside to actually get the pitch central to the Jimmy Mac as someone suggested. How moving the pitch the one yard or so towards the longside improves atmosphere is gonna need explaining by Brian Cox
Not sure how the BL could be developed unless it’s a total knock down and rebuild, but Harry Potts way would have to be closed for the entirety of the work, and even then, would there be enough room left for a road?
Glad I don’t have to be involved in sorting this out - lose, lose whatever they do I reckon.
Re: Working at the Turf today
Posted: Tue Jun 04, 2024 12:15 am
by NewClaret
bobinho wrote: ↑Mon Jun 03, 2024 10:38 pm
Wouldn’t make any sense to me. The Jimmy Mac is already well off centre, I’m not sure there’s enough room in front of the longside to actually get the pitch central to the Jimmy Mac as someone suggested. How moving the pitch the one yard or so towards the longside improves atmosphere is gonna need explaining by Brian Cox
Not sure how the BL could be developed unless it’s a total knock down and rebuild, but Harry Potts way would have to be closed for the entirety of the work, and even then, would there be enough room left for a road?
Glad I don’t have to be involved in sorting this out - lose, lose whatever they do I reckon.
Take your point about the JM being well off centre, but it could definitely be improved.
I think we have a good 5-6 yards it could be moved closer to the longside with that big strip. The Bob Lord is also a good distance away although accept the technical box is needed that side.
On the atmosphere, I don’t think it’s really any big news that tightly packed stadiums where the fans are right up to the action tend to have better atmospheres?? That’s what we could create at TM.
On the art of the possible I can confirm I’m a saddo and have actually measured up satellite images of the turf. The CFS isn’t that much deeper than the Longside & nor is the full width of the Bob Lord if you account for the club shop/office element which sits behind it. You’d definitely need to squeeze in and pinch some very valuable space but you could wrap around space wise. Then most you’d need is a small area of the cricket club if you wanted fans to enter from the rear of that stand.
But yes, it’s a tough job to work out how they’d coordinate it all. When you look at the satellite image it’d be better rebuilding it completely on the plot at a slightly different angle, but we all know that’ll never happen.
Re: Working at the Turf today
Posted: Tue Jun 04, 2024 10:11 am
by Quickenthetempo
NewClaret wrote: ↑Tue Jun 04, 2024 12:15 am
Take your point about the JM being well off centre, but it could definitely be improved.
I think we have a good 5-6 yards it could be moved closer to the longside with that big strip. The Bob Lord is also a good distance away although accept the technical box is needed that side.
On the atmosphere, I don’t think it’s really any big news that tightly packed stadiums where the fans are right up to the action tend to have better atmospheres?? That’s what we could create at TM.
On the art of the possible I can confirm I’m a saddo and have actually measured up satellite images of the turf. The CFS isn’t that much deeper than the Longside & nor is the full width of the Bob Lord if you account for the club shop/office element which sits behind it. You’d definitely need to squeeze in and pinch some very valuable space but you could wrap around space wise. Then most you’d need is a small area of the cricket club if you wanted fans to enter from the rear of that stand.
But yes, it’s a tough job to work out how they’d coordinate it all. When you look at the satellite image it’d be better rebuilding it completely on the plot at a slightly different angle, but we all know that’ll never happen.
What would moving the pitch 6 yards closer to the Longside do for the view of anyone on the front rows?
Them seats are below pitch level aren't they? Is anybody on here who sits there? Would it make much of a difference?
Re: Working at the Turf today
Posted: Tue Jun 04, 2024 10:17 am
by RMutt
I’ve just had a look at the ground on google satellite. I would encourage anyone with OCD not to do the same.
Re: Working at the Turf today
Posted: Tue Jun 04, 2024 10:38 am
by ŽižkovClaret
ClaretTony wrote: ↑Thu May 30, 2024 5:13 pm
We are talking pitch for which he had no responsibility.
Maybe for the best. If his StadiArena white elephant was anything to go by he'd have tried to turn it into a drive in cinema midweek

Re: Working at the Turf today
Posted: Tue Jun 04, 2024 11:17 am
by ClaretTony
ŽižkovClaret wrote: ↑Tue Jun 04, 2024 10:38 am
Maybe for the best. If his StadiArena white elephant was anything to go by he'd have tried to turn it into a drive in cinema midweek
Which might just have brought some money in of course