| Rochdale v Scunthorpe on Tuesday 17:22 - Oct 31 with 34529 views | YouTubeDale |
Just noticed that York have recalled goalkeeper Rory Watson loaned out to Scunthorpe. He played in their last game beating Aldershot.
Interesting that Scunthorpe play in the FA Cup tomorrow away to Blackpool. We should be rested more perhaps giving us an edge.
Every little helps. [Post edited 31 Oct 17:23]
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| Rochdale v Scunthorpe on Tuesday on 12:40 - Nov 5 with 2804 views | Nerazzurri |
I would be dead against moving now, I don't think we're anywhere near that stage & it would write the season off. Playing somewhere else probably in front of 1,200 fans would just be a disaster, never mind all the other logistical issues with it. We've only 5 scheduled home games until the end of January. Even if they were all called off then there are still 12 available Tuesday's until the end of the season. Obviously there's the possibility of FA Trophy causing a few more & any potential away postponements but we can talk about playing elsewhere in March if it's come to that. |  |
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| Rochdale v Scunthorpe on Tuesday on 12:40 - Nov 5 with 2800 views | D_Alien |
| Rochdale v Scunthorpe on Tuesday on 12:35 - Nov 5 by 49thseason |
We could put it in a container..on the car park maybe on pallets with an electric pallet truck to make it easier?
[Post edited 5 Nov 14:50]
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Where do you suggest it's stored when it's not being deployed? |  |
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| Rochdale v Scunthorpe on Tuesday on 12:41 - Nov 5 with 2790 views | dingdangblue |
| Rochdale v Scunthorpe on Tuesday on 12:29 - Nov 5 by 49thseason |
If we can afford one, a full pitch inflatable cover seems like the only certain way of securing a playable surface. There are costs no matter what we do, if we move to another ground, we lose money at home vis bars hospitality etc. and pay to be away in terms of a rental fees.
A full cover would also protect us from snow and frost...
Were it not for continuous bouts of rain, the pitch would require less work over summer months whereas the current situation seems to need major work every 3 or 4 years. A full cover might, over time, actually pay for itself.
We are between a rock and a very hard place with no easy solution. The current flat covers are apparently not working, and even an inflatable "tent" will need an assured route for the run off, which in the last week amounts to over 40,000 gallons of water given we have had something like 20mm of rain. |
It's ok covering it between games but if it rains on a matchday what then? The covers for a Saturday game would have to be removed Saturday morning. If its raining for any length of time after that the pitch will waterlog quite quickly. Same on a Tuesday/Wednesday. Then there is the cost of purchasing it and keeping it inflated for a length of time. Our groundstaff can't manage flat sheets! This type of complicated system I dread to think. |  |
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| Rochdale v Scunthorpe on Tuesday on 12:44 - Nov 5 with 2768 views | D_Alien |
| Rochdale v Scunthorpe on Tuesday on 12:41 - Nov 5 by dingdangblue |
It's ok covering it between games but if it rains on a matchday what then? The covers for a Saturday game would have to be removed Saturday morning. If its raining for any length of time after that the pitch will waterlog quite quickly. Same on a Tuesday/Wednesday. Then there is the cost of purchasing it and keeping it inflated for a length of time. Our groundstaff can't manage flat sheets! This type of complicated system I dread to think. |
Plus, where will the more extensive covers, which involve solid infrastructure, be stored in the meantime?
All this talk about whether they'll work or not, if it ignores this point, is erm... hot air. We've barely room to store flat covers as it is | |
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| Rochdale v Scunthorpe on Tuesday on 12:45 - Nov 5 with 2758 views | TalkingSutty |
| Rochdale v Scunthorpe on Tuesday on 12:29 - Nov 5 by 49thseason |
If we can afford one, a full pitch inflatable cover seems like the only certain way of securing a playable surface. There are costs no matter what we do, if we move to another ground, we lose money at home vis bars hospitality etc. and pay to be away in terms of a rental fees.
A full cover would also protect us from snow and frost...
Were it not for continuous bouts of rain, the pitch would require less work over summer months whereas the current situation seems to need major work every 3 or 4 years. A full cover might, over time, actually pay for itself.
We are between a rock and a very hard place with no easy solution. The current flat covers are apparently not working, and even an inflatable "tent" will need an assured route for the run off, which in the last week amounts to over 40,000 gallons of water given we have had something like 20mm of rain. |
We need a new pitch, not new covers. At some point any sort of covers need removing to cut the pitch, mark it out, install the goal posts. That takes hours to do prior to the teams then warming up on the pitch before kick off. If it's raining during that process we now know that the pitch wont cope and the water will sit on the surface. Its just further money thrown down the drain, pardon the pun. The club already have money from season tickets and away fans revenue could still be collected. Let whoever is hosting our games keep the bar and food takings and incorporate that into the overall cost of the groundshare. I think Bury already rent their pitch out anyway. There will be cost implications but playing at Gigg Lane gives us the best chance of catching up on our fixtures and avoiding further postponements over the winter. None of us want any of this to happen but if it gives the manager and players a semblence of positivity in respect of fulfilling fixtures and the club can start planning for a new pitch it will be turning a negative into a positive. [Post edited 5 Nov 12:55]
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| Rochdale v Scunthorpe on Tuesday on 12:53 - Nov 5 with 2697 views | 442Dale |
| Rochdale v Scunthorpe on Tuesday on 12:41 - Nov 5 by dingdangblue |
It's ok covering it between games but if it rains on a matchday what then? The covers for a Saturday game would have to be removed Saturday morning. If its raining for any length of time after that the pitch will waterlog quite quickly. Same on a Tuesday/Wednesday. Then there is the cost of purchasing it and keeping it inflated for a length of time. Our groundstaff can't manage flat sheets! This type of complicated system I dread to think. |
That was the question about the feasibility of the idea. The cost against the benefits. Until the club come out and give a comprehensive explanation which covers(!) every detail (can the pitch last a match when it rains? How many hours of heavy rain lead to it being waterlogged? etc etc) then all we can do is speculate on what might help.
They have to do this and I expect them to do this.
On thr cover Walsall used, the company providing it were involved in its use - there are further details on Walsall’s Twitter. All the information around its use needs establishing - storage/usage/resource required it’s guesswork until the club give a thorough explanation of what has been considered and why it is or isn’t an option.
But yes, until they do this, I think moving away for a period of time and getting it sorted properly is the best option. [Post edited 5 Nov 13:00]
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| Rochdale v Scunthorpe on Tuesday on 12:55 - Nov 5 with 2673 views | 442Dale |
| Rochdale v Scunthorpe on Tuesday on 12:35 - Nov 5 by 49thseason |
We could put it in a container..on the car park maybe on pallets with an electric pallet truck to make it easier?
[Post edited 5 Nov 14:50]
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Again, where is there any reference to drainage being an issue apart from on the pitch? | |
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| Rochdale v Scunthorpe on Tuesday on 13:02 - Nov 5 with 2634 views | MAK |
| Rochdale v Scunthorpe on Tuesday on 12:35 - Nov 5 by 49thseason |
We could put it in a container..on the car park maybe on pallets with an electric pallet truck to make it easier?
[Post edited 5 Nov 14:50]
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I've got to agree that this is the initial route to go down. All options to stay at the COA have to be exhausted before thinking of moving out. The cost, complexity, logistical nightmare involved in moving is hard to imagine. The upsetting of hundreds of season ticket holders who can't or won't travel elsewhere. Would they be within their rights to ask for refunds.
This tent type cover, expensive I'm sure, will be a quicker, simpler and cheaper option. The covers we have, were clearly a cheaper solution, but they don't suit a pitch that doesn't drain freely. The elevated cover not only keeps the rain off, but also allows air beneath to constantly dry the surface. Something the current covers do not.
I agree that a little bit of civils work would be needed to upgrade drainage to the sides at the main stand and Wilbutts, but its far easier than packing up and shipping out to another ground. |  | | |
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| Rochdale v Scunthorpe on Tuesday on 13:05 - Nov 5 with 2617 views | 442Dale |
| Rochdale v Scunthorpe on Tuesday on 13:02 - Nov 5 by MAK |
I've got to agree that this is the initial route to go down. All options to stay at the COA have to be exhausted before thinking of moving out. The cost, complexity, logistical nightmare involved in moving is hard to imagine. The upsetting of hundreds of season ticket holders who can't or won't travel elsewhere. Would they be within their rights to ask for refunds.
This tent type cover, expensive I'm sure, will be a quicker, simpler and cheaper option. The covers we have, were clearly a cheaper solution, but they don't suit a pitch that doesn't drain freely. The elevated cover not only keeps the rain off, but also allows air beneath to constantly dry the surface. Something the current covers do not.
I agree that a little bit of civils work would be needed to upgrade drainage to the sides at the main stand and Wilbutts, but its far easier than packing up and shipping out to another ground. |
Undoubtedly it would, but we’d again have to bow to the wisdom of those who provide the covers not presume that at present there are issues outside of the playing area.
Some good points about the logistics of moving too. | |
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| Rochdale v Scunthorpe on Tuesday on 13:11 - Nov 5 with 2588 views | TalkingSutty |
| Rochdale v Scunthorpe on Tuesday on 13:02 - Nov 5 by MAK |
I've got to agree that this is the initial route to go down. All options to stay at the COA have to be exhausted before thinking of moving out. The cost, complexity, logistical nightmare involved in moving is hard to imagine. The upsetting of hundreds of season ticket holders who can't or won't travel elsewhere. Would they be within their rights to ask for refunds.
This tent type cover, expensive I'm sure, will be a quicker, simpler and cheaper option. The covers we have, were clearly a cheaper solution, but they don't suit a pitch that doesn't drain freely. The elevated cover not only keeps the rain off, but also allows air beneath to constantly dry the surface. Something the current covers do not.
I agree that a little bit of civils work would be needed to upgrade drainage to the sides at the main stand and Wilbutts, but its far easier than packing up and shipping out to another ground. |
We wouldn't need to pack up and ship out to another ground though. We could still run the club from Spotland. The hosting club could run matchdays, bars, catering etc for a price and they have their own groundstaff team.. Sponsors and supporters would have to support the club through the process and bite the bullet. It's the least fans and season ticket holders can do after what the Ogden family have done. [Post edited 5 Nov 13:12]
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| Rochdale v Scunthorpe on Tuesday on 13:19 - Nov 5 with 2540 views | 442Dale |
| Rochdale v Scunthorpe on Tuesday on 13:11 - Nov 5 by TalkingSutty |
We wouldn't need to pack up and ship out to another ground though. We could still run the club from Spotland. The hosting club could run matchdays, bars, catering etc for a price and they have their own groundstaff team.. Sponsors and supporters would have to support the club through the process and bite the bullet. It's the least fans and season ticket holders can do after what the Ogden family have done. [Post edited 5 Nov 13:12]
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It may well be the case that we will have to. But I’d also understand that some fans may not be able to travel.
Before then, the least the current regime can do for supporters is provide a clearer picture of the situation and all the options.
Again, would expect them to do this soon now. | |
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| Rochdale v Scunthorpe on Tuesday on 13:28 - Nov 5 with 2494 views | TalkingSutty |
| Rochdale v Scunthorpe on Tuesday on 13:19 - Nov 5 by 442Dale |
It may well be the case that we will have to. But I’d also understand that some fans may not be able to travel.
Before then, the least the current regime can do for supporters is provide a clearer picture of the situation and all the options.
Again, would expect them to do this soon now. |
Agree with that, i suppose they don't want to further increase any speculation until they have some concrete plans in place. The National League might also need consulting. It's a nightmare for the club this and i'm sure every avenue is being explored. I think we'll hear something by the middle of next week if not sooner. | | | |
| Rochdale v Scunthorpe on Tuesday on 13:30 - Nov 5 with 2489 views | Dale_4_Life |
Got to be the full job..
Full excavation... New drains to 2025 standard.. New Pitch layed (not cheap)
you would think if the drains were sorted (Not easy) and brand new with more water capacity we would be ok. Especially if we had a contingency plan with covers.
Spotland is on the top of a Hill.. the correct drainage connected would run away no problem. The biggest two hurdles are time (as we are mid season) and money (as it will not be cheap). | | | |
| Rochdale v Scunthorpe on Tuesday on 14:08 - Nov 5 with 2386 views | D_Alien |
| Rochdale v Scunthorpe on Tuesday on 13:30 - Nov 5 by Dale_4_Life |
Got to be the full job..
Full excavation... New drains to 2025 standard.. New Pitch layed (not cheap)
you would think if the drains were sorted (Not easy) and brand new with more water capacity we would be ok. Especially if we had a contingency plan with covers.
Spotland is on the top of a Hill.. the correct drainage connected would run away no problem. The biggest two hurdles are time (as we are mid season) and money (as it will not be cheap). |
Long term, there's no reason the pitch can't be restored to it's former health, which saw it survive many decades of league football until it started being messed with
Of course, playing conditions differed until fairly recently, you only have to look at footage of games at the top end of the league in the 70s/80s to see that (or witness it in person). It's quite probable that the higher standards that are now deemed necessary have led to the "messing about" in the first place (e.g. the Spurs cup tie "solution", which i suspect caused untold damage) and whilst clubs higher up the pyramid can afford the expensive solutions, we couldn't [Post edited 5 Nov 14:12]
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| Rochdale v Scunthorpe on Tuesday on 14:11 - Nov 5 with 2358 views | dingdangblue |
| Rochdale v Scunthorpe on Tuesday on 13:19 - Nov 5 by 442Dale |
It may well be the case that we will have to. But I’d also understand that some fans may not be able to travel.
Before then, the least the current regime can do for supporters is provide a clearer picture of the situation and all the options.
Again, would expect them to do this soon now. |
I wonder if they have gone ahead with the planned drilling and filling with seaweed today? It didn't work yesterday looking at the puddles. | |
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| Rochdale v Scunthorpe on Tuesday on 14:15 - Nov 5 with 2351 views | 442Dale |
https://rochdaleafc.co.uk/southend-rearranged-december-051125/
Southend rearranged. Now on the 6th December.
Did whoever put this information out ask whether it should include a “we will update supporters soon with details about the pitch and address concerns about upcoming fixtures”? Because if they didn’t they should have.
The immediate reaction on Twitter illustrates why that conversation should have happened and actioned. | |
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| Rochdale v Scunthorpe on Tuesday on 14:20 - Nov 5 with 2312 views | 442Dale |
| Rochdale v Scunthorpe on Tuesday on 14:11 - Nov 5 by dingdangblue |
I wonder if they have gone ahead with the planned drilling and filling with seaweed today? It didn't work yesterday looking at the puddles. |
Indeed, if Monday’s statement detailed what they did and how they’ll be doing similar again, what is the likelihood it will have better results than a game getting called off? | |
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| Rochdale v Scunthorpe on Tuesday on 14:21 - Nov 5 with 2308 views | MAK |
| Rochdale v Scunthorpe on Tuesday on 14:11 - Nov 5 by dingdangblue |
I wonder if they have gone ahead with the planned drilling and filling with seaweed today? It didn't work yesterday looking at the puddles. |
They'd be better off hanging that seaweed up to get an idea when the next rain is due. | | | |
| Rochdale v Scunthorpe on Tuesday on 15:13 - Nov 5 with 2190 views | 49thseason |
| Rochdale v Scunthorpe on Tuesday on 12:55 - Nov 5 by 442Dale |
Again, where is there any reference to drainage being an issue apart from on the pitch? |
The 40,000 gallons of water in a week has to go somewhere. The last re- build mentions a drain across the SLE will lateral drains joining it from under the pitch. (lengthwise) and other , smaller drains, feeding into the laterals.. The first investigation is the SLE drain to see if water is or isn't entering and getting away . Then the laterals need rodding to see if they are blocked which seems the most likely problem...
If the Laterals are free draining and the problem persists, then its the small drains just under the surface that are blocked and at that point there isn't much else to do other than dig it up
Because the pitch is level with the surrounding track, the whole area needs draining, not just the pitch you might notice that Man Utd have a pitch that is 12 - 18 inches above the level of the surrounding area precisely to aid drainage off the pitch, the old Bury Pitch was built up like this too.
Maybe the track because of its different construction drains relatively well.. but maybe towards the pitch! Digging lateral drains under the track running to the SLE if they do not exist would seem sensible in the scheme of things using the plastic " "crates" like these would create a large void alongside the pitch for water to escape into.
https://skyplastics.co.uk/polystorm-soakaway-crate-x-120-22-46-20-tonne-1000mm-x |  | | |
| Rochdale v Scunthorpe on Tuesday on 15:26 - Nov 5 with 2129 views | 442Dale |
| Rochdale v Scunthorpe on Tuesday on 15:13 - Nov 5 by 49thseason |
The 40,000 gallons of water in a week has to go somewhere. The last re- build mentions a drain across the SLE will lateral drains joining it from under the pitch. (lengthwise) and other , smaller drains, feeding into the laterals.. The first investigation is the SLE drain to see if water is or isn't entering and getting away . Then the laterals need rodding to see if they are blocked which seems the most likely problem...
If the Laterals are free draining and the problem persists, then its the small drains just under the surface that are blocked and at that point there isn't much else to do other than dig it up
Because the pitch is level with the surrounding track, the whole area needs draining, not just the pitch you might notice that Man Utd have a pitch that is 12 - 18 inches above the level of the surrounding area precisely to aid drainage off the pitch, the old Bury Pitch was built up like this too.
Maybe the track because of its different construction drains relatively well.. but maybe towards the pitch! Digging lateral drains under the track running to the SLE if they do not exist would seem sensible in the scheme of things using the plastic " "crates" like these would create a large void alongside the pitch for water to escape into.
https://skyplastics.co.uk/polystorm-soakaway-crate-x-120-22-46-20-tonne-1000mm-x |
Maybe the track does drain/maybe the track doesn’t. Thats why it’s all guesswork and why the questions were asked around actual facts on the subject.
The suggestions are fine, but to say one thing will or won’t work is impossible until the club provide greater clarity.
And again, our pitch was raised during the work done during Covid. That slope now seems less pronounced though. Maybe the club could also confirm whether that helped previously? | |
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| Rochdale v Scunthorpe on Tuesday on 15:42 - Nov 5 with 2049 views | dingdangblue |
I've dug this up from last season. Very indepth review of our pitch problems (then) and currently (now).
Interesting the club were told that the covers we are using at the moment would not work!
https://rochdaleafc.co.uk/pitch-update-5/ | |
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| Rochdale v Scunthorpe on Tuesday on 15:50 - Nov 5 with 2019 views | 442Dale |
| Rochdale v Scunthorpe on Tuesday on 15:42 - Nov 5 by dingdangblue |
I've dug this up from last season. Very indepth review of our pitch problems (then) and currently (now).
Interesting the club were told that the covers we are using at the moment would not work!
https://rochdaleafc.co.uk/pitch-update-5/ |
And in the summer we were told more about the issues, including the following:
“… we intend to have a strict regime in place to fully cover the pitch whenever there is material rainfall and to minimise the times before and after a game (and before and after rugby games) when it is uncovered in the wet.”
https://rochdaleafc.co.uk/summerupdatecameronogden110625/ | |
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| Rochdale v Scunthorpe on Tuesday on 16:06 - Nov 5 with 1956 views | 49thseason |
| Rochdale v Scunthorpe on Tuesday on 14:08 - Nov 5 by D_Alien |
Long term, there's no reason the pitch can't be restored to it's former health, which saw it survive many decades of league football until it started being messed with
Of course, playing conditions differed until fairly recently, you only have to look at footage of games at the top end of the league in the 70s/80s to see that (or witness it in person). It's quite probable that the higher standards that are now deemed necessary have led to the "messing about" in the first place (e.g. the Spurs cup tie "solution", which i suspect caused untold damage) and whilst clubs higher up the pyramid can afford the expensive solutions, we couldn't [Post edited 5 Nov 14:12]
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The drains under the pitch have been a problem for decades my Dad used to tell the story of a local farmer putting field drains under the pitch which apparently worked OK until it snowed and the club got a snow plough on the front of a double decker bus clear snow off the pitch and in doing so smashed the drains... the groundsman mentions "hundreds" of drains under the pitch in one of the descriptions referred to earlier... none of the rebuilds has lasted much more than a couple of seasons.
But, modern football demands a much higher quality of surface, so we are obliged to do expensive repairs on an increasingly regular basis. Our problem, almost uniquely I would think, is to provide a suitable surface in the face of an incredibly wet climate which has days and days of rain and more rain from October to March, never allowing the pitch to dry out for months on end.... statistically it rains more than 1mm on around 160 days a year with over 100mm in just October this year in Rochdale
Sadly the fixes are required virtually annually, because It seems the very soils that permit grass growth also clog drains. At least a tent of some sort would allow an amount of mowing, marking etc underneath, whilst drying out the surface. | | | |
| Rochdale v Scunthorpe on Tuesday on 16:36 - Nov 5 with 1848 views | dingdangblue |
| Rochdale v Scunthorpe on Tuesday on 16:06 - Nov 5 by 49thseason |
The drains under the pitch have been a problem for decades my Dad used to tell the story of a local farmer putting field drains under the pitch which apparently worked OK until it snowed and the club got a snow plough on the front of a double decker bus clear snow off the pitch and in doing so smashed the drains... the groundsman mentions "hundreds" of drains under the pitch in one of the descriptions referred to earlier... none of the rebuilds has lasted much more than a couple of seasons.
But, modern football demands a much higher quality of surface, so we are obliged to do expensive repairs on an increasingly regular basis. Our problem, almost uniquely I would think, is to provide a suitable surface in the face of an incredibly wet climate which has days and days of rain and more rain from October to March, never allowing the pitch to dry out for months on end.... statistically it rains more than 1mm on around 160 days a year with over 100mm in just October this year in Rochdale
Sadly the fixes are required virtually annually, because It seems the very soils that permit grass growth also clog drains. At least a tent of some sort would allow an amount of mowing, marking etc underneath, whilst drying out the surface. |
There is no reason why the extensive drainage rebuild in June 2020 shouldn't be still working now.
Something has drastically gone wrong for the sub surface to now hold water. Either a fault in the drains themselves or poor maintenance - either way the covers which we were told wouldn't work aren't working - I'd personally knock them on the head as they are probably doing more damage to the grass than good - they certainly aren't stopping games being called off. | |
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| Rochdale v Scunthorpe on Tuesday on 18:14 - Nov 5 with 1639 views | MAK |
| Rochdale v Scunthorpe on Tuesday on 16:06 - Nov 5 by 49thseason |
The drains under the pitch have been a problem for decades my Dad used to tell the story of a local farmer putting field drains under the pitch which apparently worked OK until it snowed and the club got a snow plough on the front of a double decker bus clear snow off the pitch and in doing so smashed the drains... the groundsman mentions "hundreds" of drains under the pitch in one of the descriptions referred to earlier... none of the rebuilds has lasted much more than a couple of seasons.
But, modern football demands a much higher quality of surface, so we are obliged to do expensive repairs on an increasingly regular basis. Our problem, almost uniquely I would think, is to provide a suitable surface in the face of an incredibly wet climate which has days and days of rain and more rain from October to March, never allowing the pitch to dry out for months on end.... statistically it rains more than 1mm on around 160 days a year with over 100mm in just October this year in Rochdale
Sadly the fixes are required virtually annually, because It seems the very soils that permit grass growth also clog drains. At least a tent of some sort would allow an amount of mowing, marking etc underneath, whilst drying out the surface. |
Another advantage a tent type setup gives, and this helps get the pitch to a state we can only currently dream of, is that if deployed for a while it would allow the full depth of the pitch to drain out excess water as much as possible. That would give the pitch plenty of capacity to soak up any rainfall that fell following the cover removal. | | | |
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