Ibrox Pitch progress?

[CoopBlue]

A pitch that is 6 years overdue for renewing?

A pitch that is built upon the old pitch?

A pitch that the moisture content can vary by about 30% within metres of each other?

A pitch that is struggling to root?

Both pitches are maintained to near enough the same program...... and believe it or not to the same budget!

Do you want to come visit Fir Park and Ibrox and I can walk you through some simple Agronomy and why looks can be deceiving?

Will we chat to players throughout the league and see what surface they prefer?

Count me in !!!

 

[Great white tadpole]

If I remember correctly the pitch didn't deteriorate until into the new year last season.

And did you see Fir Park recently? Pretty sure they've had the same rain as us recently. Their pitch is immaculate.

 

[YeahButNoBut]

it's a free day out, you might even get to meet the new manager before the rest of FF?

I'll throw in some bacon rolls?

Oh, I'd love that

 

[Martyboy70]

Count me in if Hap isn't up for it!

 

[SoGo]

Count me in if Hap isn't up for it!

@HumpZ - You have opened a can of worms here, literally hundreds of us would jump at the chance of a site visit, You better start frying the bacon already.

 

[Leo_Ger]

If I remember correctly the pitch didn't deteriorate until into the new year last season.

It was already in a state when we were playing Standard Liege early December last season.

 

[DJ Blue]

The pitch isn't where we want it but it's not for a lack of trying.

We have issues with power to the stadium which in result means we can't use the lights as often or anywhere near the level that it currently needs.

You may have noticed the accounts.... That sort of loss impacts every department and it's hitting us hard.

I can't go into detail but we're not getting what we need to maintain this type of surface.

Anyone who compares us to the EPL pitches..... maybe have a think about it. The groundsman department run on a scottish budget just like the team.

Also the game a few weeks back with all the heavy rain, that game would have been off with the old pitch..

Can we not just steal the power from the nearby Church like our water supply.

 

[Delboy Trotter]

You asked this already & @HumpZ answered you.

I know.

It still baffles me why higher management insist on using an area of the actual pitch though

 

[Prestwick_ Bear]

Count me in !!!

Aye launched in that wee trap door pitch side at the Copland ya greeting faced lady's front bottom,

 

[Martyboy70]

@HumpZ - You have opened a can of worms here, literally hundreds of us would jump at the chance of a site visit, You better start frying the bacon already.

Wee row of these on the halfway line, cooked by the lights, and we'll help wersel.

 

[fmp]

How anyone can sit here and comment on the playing surface when none of you most likely have actually been on it nevermind kicked a ball on it.

The pitch is far superior to last year overall. The pitch had a whiteness to it during the last game caused by the sand used to top dress the surface during the week. Hibs had this same issue last year and the comments were the same. It made it look shit for a few weeks but it's literally the sand colouring from afar.

The goal mouths are not great, we usually have them heavily repaired and with lighs on them for 24 hours at a time. At the moment, we have maybe 8 hours light on them and reduced recovery works.

The night it rained extremely heavy and the game was on.... we got to the stage that we were close to watering the park due to how dry it was getting below the surface due to how well it drains!

As for Fir Park, I can assure you that Fir park underneath (where it matters) is on a knife edge, the head groundsman is close to walking if they don't invest heavily come the summer.

Try stopping with the ball at Fir park compared to Ibrox and see what surface moves underfoot, I can assure you, it isn't ours.

Looks are decieiving, that I can assure you.

Do we want the park to be EPL standard in looks and agronomy every week.... obviously we do but just like we would love Ronaldo and Messi in the teeam. It comes at a cost and that cost is way beyond anything we can afford.

Also remember, we have 7 pitches and 2 of them need maintaned to the same standard as Ibrox over at the RTC. How do you suggest we fund all this?

Most people have zero idea of how hard it is to do anything to a high level. Technical knowledge, technical experience, business experience, planning, budget constraints, etc, etc.

 

[RTD-BEAR]

A club with a fraction of our resources seem to have a better pitch than ours.
It was our most recent domestic away game so its fresh in my memory.

Did you see it?

That's to do with stadium size airflow sunlight etc

Drainage water levels etc so come into it much easier to maintain

However I'm sure Motherwell still have wooden seats in parts of their main stand if I remember correctly

 

[Belfastblue85]

The pitch isn't where we want it but it's not for a lack of trying.

We have issues with power to the stadium which in result means we can't use the lights as often or anywhere near the level that it currently needs.

You may have noticed the accounts.... That sort of loss impacts every department and it's hitting us hard.

I can't go into detail but we're not getting what we need to maintain this type of surface.

Anyone who compares us to the EPL pitches..... maybe have a think about it. The groundsman department run on a scottish budget just like the team.

Also the game a few weeks back with all the heavy rain, that game would have been off with the old pitch..

Don't understand the power supply issue. If they have a problem getting enough juice to the socket.. why not run it off a generator!

 

[fmp]

Don't understand the power supply issue. If they have a problem getting enough juice to the socket.. why not run it off a generator!

How much would that cost? How much A-h is required? How much would increasing the A-h cost? Do you know the answer to any of these questions?

No. You dont.

 

[Belfastblue85]

How much would that cost? How much A-h is required? How much would increasing the A-h cost? Do you know the answer to any of these questions?

No. You dont

Well I do know what a generator costs to run as I've run the family engineering business off a 6 litre perkins for the last 15 year and I'm quite sure it would use more fuel to run all our machinery than it would to power those lights

 

[pollokparkloyal]

How long do we expect to get out of the new pitch?

Did a stadium tour of Stanford Bridge yesterday and they have just had a new pitch laid this season. The tour guide was saying they expect to get ten years out of it. Was quite interesting hearing the concept/science behind their new pitch. It’s higher in the middle to let the water drain away more naturally to the side of the pitch and the 6 yards boxes are tented off and have a constant supply of various gases sprayed on to them with lights shining upon them also.

Chelsea obviously have a far superior budget to Rangers and goes to highlight how much a tougher a job it is for ground staff in the SPL compared EPL.

 

[imager]

Well I do know what a generator costs to run as I've run the family engineering business off a 6 litre perkins for the last 15 year and I'm quite sure it would use more fuel to run all our machinery than it would to power those lights

and it would also destroy the Clubs carbon footprint, another consideration to take into account.

 

[Riquelme]

The pitch isn't where we want it but it's not for a lack of trying.

We have issues with power to the stadium which in result means we can't use the lights as often or anywhere near the level that it currently needs.

You may have noticed the accounts.... That sort of loss impacts every department and it's hitting us hard.

I can't go into detail but we're not getting what we need to maintain this type of surface.

Anyone who compares us to the EPL pitches..... maybe have a think about it. The groundsman department run on a scottish budget just like the team.

Also the game a few weeks back with all the heavy rain, that game would have been off with the old pitch..

Paying that much for a new pitch, knowing we do not have the infrastructure to maintain it seems absolutely ludicrous to me. Unlikely to get value for money due to this.

Just another example of shoddy decision making off the park.

Nothing to do with you guys of course.

 

[Belfastblue85]

and it would also destroy the Clubs carbon footprint, another consideration to take into account.

Lol a drop in the ocean. But there you go. A problem for every solution

 

[falkirkbear]

How long do we expect to get out of the new pitch?

Did a stadium tour of Stanford Bridge yesterday and they have just had a new pitch laid this season. The tour guide was saying they expect to get ten years out of it. Was quite interesting hearing the concept/science behind their new pitch. It’s higher in the middle to let the water drain away more naturally to the side of the pitch and the 6 yards boxes are tented off and have a constant supply of various gases sprayed on to them with lights shining upon them also.

Chelsea obviously have a far superior budget to Rangers and goes to highlight how much a tougher a job it is for ground staff in the SPL compared EPL.

Our pitch has had a camber like this for years for the same reason, as a kid standing down the front of the east enclosure you could only see players at the govan stand side from the waist up.

 

[CoopBlue]

Paying that much for a new pitch, knowing we do not have the infrastructure to maintain it seems absolutely ludicrous to me. Unlikely to get value for money due to this.

Just another example of shoddy decision making off the park.

Nothing to do with you guys of course.

Correct.

I do wonder about our board at times.

 

[imager]

Lol a drop in the ocean. But there you go. A problem for every solution

thats not the point, every major company has to commit to cutting pollution, running unnecessary diesel generators is completely contradictory to this.

 

[Derta]

thats not the point, every major company has to commit to cutting pollution, running unnecessary diesel generators is completely contradictory to this.

Not arguing your point Imager it's completely correct.
However I have to say I probably meet around 50 people a day and you are the first that I have ever heard that takes this stuff seriously.

 

[Javi]

R

The pitch isn't where we want it but it's not for a lack of trying.

We have issues with power to the stadium which in result means we can't use the lights as often or anywhere near the level that it currently needs.

You may have noticed the accounts.... That sort of loss impacts every department and it's hitting us hard.

I can't go into detail but we're not getting what we need to maintain this type of surface.

Anyone who compares us to the EPL pitches..... maybe have a think about it. The groundsman department run on a scottish budget just like the team.

Also the game a few weeks back with all the heavy rain, that game would have been off with the old pitch..

out of interest, are we using old technology and is there new tech out there you would like to use but can’t fund… Like LED which would help with the power issue? Appreciate the comment on our accounts… and this is really a board matter, but if we are using old technology, could the capital investment not be drawn down over a number of years being offset by the reduction in running costs? Assume the current energy prices wont be helping either

 

[Kathmandu]

How anyone can sit here and comment on the playing surface when none of you most likely have actually been on it nevermind kicked a ball on it.

The pitch is far superior to last year overall. The pitch had a whiteness to it during the last game caused by the sand used to top dress the surface during the week. Hibs had this same issue last year and the comments were the same. It made it look shit for a few weeks but it's literally the sand colouring from afar.

The goal mouths are not great, we usually have them heavily repaired and with lighs on them for 24 hours at a time. At the moment, we have maybe 8 hours light on them and reduced recovery works.

The night it rained extremely heavy and the game was on.... we got to the stage that we were close to watering the park due to how dry it was getting below the surface due to how well it drains!

As for Fir Park, I can assure you that Fir park underneath (where it matters) is on a knife edge, the head groundsman is close to walking if they don't invest heavily come the summer.

Try stopping with the ball at Fir park compared to Ibrox and see what surface moves underfoot, I can assure you, it isn't ours.

Looks are decieiving, that I can assure you.

Do we want the park to be EPL standard in looks and agronomy every week.... obviously we do but just like we would love Ronaldo and Messi in the teeam. It comes at a cost and that cost is way beyond anything we can afford.

Also remember, we have 7 pitches and 2 of them need maintaned to the same standard as Ibrox over at the RTC. How do you suggest we fund all this?

What’s the white cover thing over the pitch that the lights are sitting on?

 

[Kathmandu]

R

out of interest, are we using old technology and is there new tech out there you would like to use but can’t fund… Like LED which would help with the power issue? Appreciate the comment on our accounts… and this is really a board matter, but if we are using old technology, could the capital investment not be drawn down over a number of years being offset by the reduction in running costs? Assume the current energy prices wont be helping either

That’s all very well but at some point you can’t keep paying stuff over that number of years because you can’t meet the monthly repayments and at this moment in time our monthly incomings

 

[Ranger1003]

A pitch that is 6 years overdue for renewing?

A pitch that is built upon the old pitch?

A pitch that the moisture content can vary by about 30% within metres of each other?

A pitch that is struggling to root?

Both pitches are maintained to near enough the same program...... and believe it or not to the same budget!

Do you want to come visit Fir Park and Ibrox and I can walk you through some simple Agronomy and why looks can be deceiving?

Will we chat to players throughout the league and see what surface they prefer?

Aye i would love a wee walk over Ibrox. Was lucky enough to play on it 2 year lol

 

[LizzyDrippin]

The pitch isn't where we want it but it's not for a lack of trying.

We have issues with power to the stadium which in result means we can't use the lights as often or anywhere near the level that it currently needs.

You may have noticed the accounts.... That sort of loss impacts every department and it's hitting us hard.

I can't go into detail but we're not getting what we need to maintain this type of surface.

Anyone who compares us to the EPL pitches..... maybe have a think about it. The groundsman department run on a scottish budget just like the team.

Also the game a few weeks back with all the heavy rain, that game would have been off with the old pitch..

Time to lay a power cable alongside the church water pipe

 

[Alpinebear]

Pitch looked good on TV last night.....although I could feel the uneasiness from the ground staff after Morelos's knee slide celebration!

 

[Hap Hapablap]

Pitch looked good on TV last night.....although I could feel the uneasiness from the ground staff after Morelos's knee slide celebration!

Yes, credit where it is due after a bit of criticism in the past month.

 

[Wade Wilson]

Actually think the pitch is looking pretty good. Not perfect obviously, goalmouth isn't great but in far better shape that what it normally is at this stage of the season.

Always looks better after a win as well

 

[Jjbscotty]

Actually think the pitch is looking pretty good. Not perfect obviously, goalmouth isn't great but in far better shape that what it normally is at this stage of the season.

Always looks better after a win as well

It’s usually shite around February-March time.

 

[Wade Wilson]

It’s usually shite around February-March time.

I always associate the deterioration beginning around December with all the games but you could be right.

Like I said, a win has made everything half full

 

[Brian Laudrup]

Wee bit worn in front of the goals but that aside it was in great condition

 

[CoopBlue]

I always associate the deterioration beginning around December with all the games but you could be right.

Like I said, a win has made everything half full

For the last few seasons the pitch has gone to shit from December to March.

With the new pitch we have it shouldn't be shit at any time. The idea is that it is good all year round. So it's disappointing to see the goalmouths looking pretty poor and other bits not looking perfect.

I'm comparing to other clubs in England and Europe who have the same set up as us with regard to the pitch. Theirs seem in better condition.

 

[fmp]

For the last few seasons the pitch has gone to shit from December to March.

With the new pitch we have it shouldn't be shit at any time. The idea is that it is good all year round. So it's disappointing to see the goalmouths looking pretty poor and other bits not looking perfect.

I'm comparing to other clubs in England and Europe who have the same set up as us with regard to the pitch. Theirs seem in better condition.

They might have the same type of hybrid pitch but they will have a much, much larger budget to maintain their pitches.

 

[Main Stand]

It’s usually shite around February-March time.

Has started getting pish in October/November the past couple of years - specifically remember it being poor against Liege.

Thankfully looks to be holding up better.

 

[CoopBlue]

They might have the same type of hybrid pitch but they will have a much, much larger budget to maintain their pitches.

Yes. It clearly comes down to maintenance, because other pitches the same as our are literally perfect for every game in the season. You will not see goalmouths like ours in October/ November. Our budget is obviously sadly not much.

 

[Valley Bluenose]

Yes. It clearly comes down to maintenance, because other pitches the same as our are literally perfect for every game in the season. You will not see goalmouths like ours in October/ November. Our budget is obviously sadly not much.

Pretty sure it’s been pointed out earlier in the thread that some EPL clubs spend millions per year on maintenance. We simply cannot afford that right now.

The pitch was laid and then played on - twice - before it had properly bedded in. We don’t have enough of the lights we need to aid growth. We don’t have the optimum kind of lights either, because remote control ones would make things much easier. And to top all that off, there’s not enough power supply to the stadium to allow us to have the number of lights we need anyway.

All ‘fixable’ - but at a cost we cannot currently afford.

 

[Crouchy]

Given the lack of money being spent on maintenance, it further compounds the complete farce of playing those back to back games in pre season.

What a shit show.

Buy a Ferrari then run it on remoulds.

 

[CoopBlue]

Pretty sure it’s been pointed out earlier in the thread that some EPL clubs spend millions per year on maintenance. We simply cannot afford that right now.

The pitch was laid and then played on - twice - before it had properly bedded in. We don’t have enough of the lights we need to aid growth. We don’t have the optimum kind of lights either, because remote control ones would make things much easier. And to top all that off, there’s not enough power supply to the stadium to allow us to have the number of lights we need anyway.

All ‘fixable’ - but at a cost we cannot currently afford.

It's just a shame that we lay a new pitch, spend all that money, yet we know that we haven't got the proper means to maintain it to the standard that it should be.

 

[lg1991]

%^*& me we really do love a moan don't we

If we did nothing and let the pitch deteriorate as it usually just, this place would be up in arms that the club are doing %^*& all about it.

We spend what money we can on pitch tech to try our best to minimise the problem, now we all moan that we are not spending more to have a perfect, EPL level pitch (after posting a £20mil+ loss)

I love this place man, never change
Also cheers to the fella that actually works at Ibrox and knows what he is talking about for keeping us updated and for all the work you do

 

[fmp]

It's just a shame that we lay a new pitch, spend all that money, yet we know that we haven't got the proper means to maintain it to the standard that it should be.

It's also a shame we couldn't buy Veerman etc. Such is life without CL money. The pitch is miles better than last year.

 

[Pistonarms]

@HumpZ - You have opened a can of worms here, literally hundreds of us would jump at the chance of a site visit, You better start frying the bacon already.

Think it will need to be a hog roast

 

[PrisonMike]

Just watching the highlights on sportscene, happy to see how great our pitch is looking.
Usually around this time of year it starts taking a beating, hopefully a good sign the new investment is paying off

 

[Johnny.mcb]

Just watching the highlights on sportscene, happy to see how great our pitch is looking.
Usually around this time of year it starts taking a beating, hopefully a good sign the new investment is paying off

Really is great for this time of year agreed

 

[Sir Know it All]

Pitch is sublime

 

[insanicdrunk]

Just watching the highlights on sportscene, happy to see how great our pitch is looking.
Usually around this time of year it starts taking a beating, hopefully a good sign the new investment is paying off

Its the stolen church water that keeps it in this condition!

 

[renfrewger]

The pitch was looking great today

 

[CoopBlue]

Was lookong a bit iffy a few weeks ago. Seems to be ok now. Good news.