SUMMER spending may be being kept to a minimum at the County Ground this close season, but boss Maurice Malpas believes Town may have already shelled out on their most important summer signing - a new pitch.

The last fortnight has seen extensive work going on behind the scenes at Town, with the playing surface being taken up and reseeded - the first serious investment in the pitch since 2003.

And while it currently may resemble something more in keeping with Swindon's speedway team, Malpas is hoping that come the new season's big kick-off in August, he will have a top quality pitch fit for his side to express themselves on.

"It's always nice to see the pitch without a blade of grass on it," he revealed.

"It's a strange time in the season for the groundsman, who's panicking already about people standing on his pitch.

"But it's nice - I like to see the pitch get dug up and re-done because I know soon it will be time to get back into the groove and start playing games on it."

After arriving at the County Ground in January, Malpas admits he was unimpressed by the state of the playing surface throughout the final months of the campaign.

Town have also employed groundsman Marcus Cassidy full-time, after previously working there on a part-time basis.

And Malpas believes the extra care and attention will suit the passing style he is trying to impose on his troops, and make the County Ground a formidable place for opponents to visit.

He said: "It was one of the things I asked for (from the board) - for the pitch to be as good as possible.

"I thought the pitch last season was quite poor at times, and probably my first game against Nottingham Forest ruined it.

"I asked if we can get it up to scratch so it will last the season, and to be fair they've done it. They've spent a few hundred pounds on it.

"We've got a full-time groundsman now. Marcus is here and he'll look after the pitch.

"Hopefully it will suit the way we play and it will become a stadium which people don't want to come and play at."