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Sod's law for happy Maurice
9:30am Thursday 22nd May 2008
Comments (17)
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."
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tractorboy, south bucks says...
12:22pm Thu 22 May 08
steve, brentford says...
1:35pm Thu 22 May 08
tractorboy wrote:In that case run a f*****g rotavator over it before every game.Also i applied for the groundsmans job and never got it no idea why.
Well I reckon that if we have a first class pitch then other teams will love playing on it.
callumbus, swindon says...
2:06pm Thu 22 May 08
steve wrote:Try changing your user name to rotovatorboy. Just a thought
tractorboy wrote: Well I reckon that if we have a first class pitch then other teams will love playing on it.In that case run a f*****g rotavator over it before every game.Also i applied for the groundsmans job and never got it no idea why.
s.lovesey, Swindon says...
3:13pm Thu 22 May 08
callumbus wrote:go on Steve Rotavatorboy !!!!
steve wrote:Try changing your user name to rotovatorboy. Just a thoughttractorboy wrote: Well I reckon that if we have a first class pitch then other teams will love playing on it.In that case run a f*****g rotavator over it before every game.Also i applied for the groundsmans job and never got it no idea why.
tractorboy, south bucks says...
4:14pm Thu 22 May 08
My granddad was groundsman in the 50s.
Dorset Red, Dorset says...
7:38pm Thu 22 May 08
Bob wrote:Yep! You're right. The pitch was relaid last summer... and the summer before that.
I am sure I remember pictures, much the same as this week's, published last year showing the pitch being dug up. Wasn't there some special machine brought in to break up the deep compaction of the soli too? I wonder if the condition of the pitch had more to do with the weather and timing of the matches rather than a lack of investment. The Forest match was played after a week of very heavy rain, and didn't pour during the match as well? I must admit that 07/08 was the worst pitch I have seen at the County Ground in many years. Can't complain if it is improved though. Could be ground sahring possibilities with the local bowls club if it goes too far though!
It does make me wonder what on earth they can be doing to it that they didn't do the last two times.
Dorset Red, Dorset says...
7:39pm Thu 22 May 08
Bob wrote:Yep! You're right. The pitch was relaid last summer... and the summer before that.
I am sure I remember pictures, much the same as this week's, published last year showing the pitch being dug up. Wasn't there some special machine brought in to break up the deep compaction of the soli too? I wonder if the condition of the pitch had more to do with the weather and timing of the matches rather than a lack of investment. The Forest match was played after a week of very heavy rain, and didn't pour during the match as well? I must admit that 07/08 was the worst pitch I have seen at the County Ground in many years. Can't complain if it is improved though. Could be ground sahring possibilities with the local bowls club if it goes too far though!
It does make me wonder what on earth they can be doing to it that they didn't do the last two times.
swindon_lad, Swindon says...
2:33am Fri 23 May 08
Dorset Red wrote:I think they're doing it in such a way that it will sustain being played on longer, therefore making it better.
Bob wrote:Yep! You're right. The pitch was relaid last summer... and the summer before that.
I am sure I remember pictures, much the same as this week's, published last year showing the pitch being dug up. Wasn't there some special machine brought in to break up the deep compaction of the soli too? I wonder if the condition of the pitch had more to do with the weather and timing of the matches rather than a lack of investment. The Forest match was played after a week of very heavy rain, and didn't pour during the match as well? I must admit that 07/08 was the worst pitch I have seen at the County Ground in many years. Can't complain if it is improved though. Could be ground sahring possibilities with the local bowls club if it goes too far though!
It does make me wonder what on earth they can be doing to it that they didn't do the last two times.
callumbus, swindon says...
7:46am Fri 23 May 08
tractorboy wrote:Tractorboy - my reply was actually to Steve and i haven't sussed your identity!! Long term memory not so good but i do remember Maurice Own being the groundsman for a while but probably later than the 50's. In more recent times i remember Geoff (can't think of surname) but he was a Brummie.
I reckon callumbus has sussed my identity, unless of course you were talking to Steve. My granddad was groundsman in the 50s.
Russ STFC, swindon says...
10:22am Fri 23 May 08
swindon_lad wrote:I think your right they are using how can i say a more expensive way unlike the other regime that used a quick fix for each season.
Dorset Red wrote:I think they're doing it in such a way that it will sustain being played on longer, therefore making it better.
Bob wrote:Yep! You're right. The pitch was relaid last summer... and the summer before that.
I am sure I remember pictures, much the same as this week's, published last year showing the pitch being dug up. Wasn't there some special machine brought in to break up the deep compaction of the soli too? I wonder if the condition of the pitch had more to do with the weather and timing of the matches rather than a lack of investment. The Forest match was played after a week of very heavy rain, and didn't pour during the match as well? I must admit that 07/08 was the worst pitch I have seen at the County Ground in many years. Can't complain if it is improved though. Could be ground sahring possibilities with the local bowls club if it goes too far though!
It does make me wonder what on earth they can be doing to it that they didn't do the last two times.
Im not a groundsmen so i dont know exactly what.But i do know other clubs have fared better and have even had rugby played on their pitches.
Hertz, swindon says...
10:50am Fri 23 May 08
steve, brentford says...
1:40pm Fri 23 May 08
callumbus wrote:Callumbus- i did consider the change of name just to get rid of the Brentford bit but some of my pals on here may struggle with those long names:) and i think tractorboys granddads name was Mr TRACTORBOY senior:-)
tractorboy wrote: I reckon callumbus has sussed my identity, unless of course you were talking to Steve. My granddad was groundsman in the 50s.Tractorboy - my reply was actually to Steve and i haven't sussed your identity!! Long term memory not so good but i do remember Maurice Own being the groundsman for a while but probably later than the 50's. In more recent times i remember Geoff (can't think of surname) but he was a Brummie.
callumbus, swindon says...
2:22pm Fri 23 May 08
steve wrote:LOL!! Keep pitching in for that groundsman job.
callumbus wrote:Callumbus- i did consider the change of name just to get rid of the Brentford bit but some of my pals on here may struggle with those long names:) and i think tractorboys granddads name was Mr TRACTORBOY senior:-)tractorboy wrote: I reckon callumbus has sussed my identity, unless of course you were talking to Steve. My granddad was groundsman in the 50s.Tractorboy - my reply was actually to Steve and i haven't sussed your identity!! Long term memory not so good but i do remember Maurice Own being the groundsman for a while but probably later than the 50's. In more recent times i remember Geoff (can't think of surname) but he was a Brummie.
tractorboy, south bucks says...
8:34pm Fri 23 May 08
BTW, Sam Vokes has signed for Wolves.
steve, brentford says...
2:39pm Sat 24 May 08
tractorboy wrote:Hello Al, just been to check on my STFC banner
LOL Steve, not really , however I am Mr Rotavator. BTW, Sam Vokes has signed for Wolves.
that i put up this morning to greet the Shity fans to London and some thieving f****r has nicked it, never mind next door neighbours just gone out and i`ve noticed a bed sheet on there line so if as i hope they lose i`ll shoot over the road with my comiserations written on that ha ha,Cmon HULL CITY make my day.
tractorboy, south bucks says...
9:08pm Mon 26 May 08
Darn shame they lost , I was really upset for them. HA HA HAHA HA HAHA HA HA HA HA HE HE HE HE HEHE HA :-)
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Bob, Glos says...
12:09pm Thu 22 May 08