THE CHANGING VIEW FROM THE BALCONY St Day AFC’s Vogue Park (Cornwall) site was constructed from landfill and it is rumoured to have been levelled using brick dust! Perhaps that contributed to its terrible waterlogging problems…
By Simon Johnson Regional pitch advisor
IOG PITCH GRADING ASSESSMENT TABLE
St Day AFC
S
ince joining The Football Association’s Pitch Improvement Programme (PIP) to rectify the waterlogging problems caused by drainage issues, St Day AFC has transformed its playing surfaces – it’s gone from suffering more than 20 cancellations per season, to playing 143 games in the 2018/19 season. I visited the club in February 2018 as part of the PIP programme and, after extensive tests on the playing surfaces and substrate, concluded that the structure of the ground had become very compacted, possibly due to the original landfill make-up. A schedule of maintenance activities was advised, which included: Vertidraining pitches at the end of the season, during renovations and again during the autumn Overseeding using a perennial dwarf ryegrass mix to increase the desired grass species Topdressing using a recognised sports sand to improve the rainfall percolation rates through the soil profile Applications of fertiliser through the year to improve the health and density of the grass sward.
Assessment Criteria
14 THE GROUNDSMAN July 2019
Unit
1 2
Length of grass mm Total ground cover %
5 6 7 8
Pests & diseases Thatch Root depth Growing medium
3 4
9 10 11 12 13
Desirable grasses Weeds
% %
% mm mm mm
Visit 2
40 90
Goal Centre PQS Grade mouths circle Community 3 35 35 High 95 95
Wing
5 50 200
Elite High Inadequate Elite
0 2 170 200
Median
20 2
Inadequate High
14 Pitch debris Standard Performance quality standard 1st visit: Performance quality standard 2nd visit: Pitch advisor: Date of 2nd Assessment
Realising the benefits of the programme, the club has now substantially increased its pitch-maintenance budget and employs a contractor for end-of-season renovations. In-season tasks continue to be completed by club chairman Dave Searle and vice chairman Mark Leah, both volunteers, who work constantly at the ground to improve the pitches. Commenting on the improvements,
A new maintenance programme means no more waterlogging
Indicative Grading Results
Visit 1
Pitch surface levels mm 25 Community 1 Compaction Below Standard Goal posts Compliant Line marking Standard Surface debris Standard
GREEN GAINS
These were strictly adhered to over the following months, and when I revisited the site in May 2019 there were dramatic improvements in several areas. The desired grass species in the pitch had increased from 20 per cent to 70 per cent and the root depths have gone from an average of 50mm to 170mm.
Pitch Location
70 1
80 1
25
25
0 2 180 200
0 2 150 200
Community 3 High Simon Johnson 31 May 2019
Median
PQS Grade
50 1
70 1
Community 3 High
25
25
Community 1 Standard Compliant Standard Standard
35 96
35 95
0 2 170 200
High Elite
Elite High Elite Elite
Standard
Dave says: “We completed last season with minimal disruption from inclement weather, and as a club we are deeply indebted to the invaluable advice given to us by PIP and the GaNTIP pitch advisor.” Daniel Greenough, senior football development officer at Cornwall FA, adds: “PIP is having a massive impact on football pitches across Cornwall. The support from the regional pitch advisor has been outstanding in providing professional but simple advice that has resulted in improved pitches. St Day AFC is a great example of the benefits of following the correct procedures and instigating a ‘little and often’ approach to pitch care.” Visit www.iog.org for details of the IOG-led Grounds and Natural Turf Improvement Programme
i