Following the conclusion of the 2024/25 campaign, work began on the pitches, both at the Weston Homes Stadium and the Training Ground.
As we move into June, everybody is looking for warmer weather – none more so than Groundsman Mark Panter, but with around eight weeks until the start of the 2025/26 campaign, the playing surface at the Weston Homes Stadium has already undertaken a general renovation.
The club can confirm that there will be no home pre-season friendlies ahead of the new season to ensure the pitch renovations can be completed. Details of some of the away games will be announced in due course.
Work has also been ongoing at the Training Ground with all three pitches having varying levels of work completed ahead of the players return to pre-season training at the end of June, with Pitch Two’s renovation taking place before last season concluded so that it would be ready for pre-season.
“When the season was completed, we could begin work on the pitches at the Training Ground, but for the Weston Homes Stadium, there were a few weeks where pitch hires took place on the playing surface.
“Once that was concluded, contractors Hewitt Sports Turf joined us and the first objective was to basically clean the carpet up to get as much vegetation out of the top of the pitch as possible.
“The next stage was to undertake some general repairs, that means lifting the pop-ups within the pitch itself. After that, the pitch is dressed with between 70-80 tonnes of sand, we then Verti-drain it to about three or four inches. We then brush all the sand into the holes and then overseed and feed the pitch as part of the general renovation.
“This year it has been a fairly basic renovation because the carpet is quite clean anyway, we knew we were in a good position in terms of where we wanted to go with the pitch. As we speak now, it is about keeping the top of the surface moist and hopefully within a few weeks we will be getting the mowers out and beginning to cut the grass,” Panter said.
As rain began to fall as the interview was conducted, conversation turned to the ideal weather conditions for a renovation of this nature. Like most people in the summer, Panter is hopeful of warmer conditions.
“To be honest, rain is not a problem but what we are really looking for is warmth. That will help and speed things up, but we are happy with the position we are in at this moment in time,” Panter continued.
Of course, it is not just the main playing surface at the Weston Homes Stadium that Greenbay Grounds Maintenance Ltd, the company in charge, are renovating during the summer months.
Down at the training ground, work has been ongoing since the final league fixture at Rotherham United on Saturday 3rd May, with three pitches having varying levels of work undertaken on them.
“At the training ground, the first team training pitch is on a similar path to what we have undertaken at the stadium. The carpet on Pitch One is a little more tired than the stadium, so we raised, levelled and repaired those areas where we completed the initial clean-up.
“Pitch Two we have done a lot of work on. This was a brand-new fibre-sand pitch that was installed last year. We have had a season with it, we knew there were a few additional issues with drainage, so although in a second season you wouldn’t normally Korro a new pitch, this year we decided to do just that, took the whole top off and added additional gravel bands (surface drainage) across the whole pitch and then sand-spread, verti-drained and brushed it all in, overseed, feed and we are delighted with the outcome so far.
“That was done about five to six weeks ago and that will be around two weeks away from being ready which will be in time for when the players return for pre-season training. The Academy pitch was a basic renovation, that was a general scarify, top dress, verti-drain and overseed and that is on track too.”