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I was talking to a work colleague today who is an Oldham fan and a lawn obsessive on a par with the great Hank Hill.
''Saw that your game was off - knew it would be,'' he said.
I asked how he had attained this impressive level of prophesy. It seems - and, believe me, he knows his stuff, OCD-stylee - that the pitch has been relaid too early in the year.
While temperatures are so low, grass simply doesn't grow unless it is heated artificially, which means the constant application of light and heat from banks of mechanised trolleys.
My Oldham sage proffered the notion that Dale's ground staff had 'probably been watering it all day' because a thorough soaking can at least encourage some down-growth.
In the end, he believes the club was left with the worst of both scenarios - the roots hadn't taken but the pitch was soaked through.
''It would have been like playing on a soggy carpet slipping all over t'shop on a polished wooden floor,'' was his last word on the subject.
And what of the chances of us playing on Saturday, I asked. He just smirked.
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The Pitch, an expert's view on 15:02 - Mar 2 with 7194 views
The Pitch, an expert's view on 15:02 - Mar 2 by TipperaryDale
They do have have artificial light and heating though.
I'm not certain of this, but I doubt very much that they have the banks of them as they do at most Premier League clubs. And that is what is required, apparently, to get the pitch properly bedded in.
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The Pitch, an expert's view on 16:32 - Mar 2 with 6967 views
The Pitch, an expert's view on 16:02 - Mar 2 by borntogo
I'm not certain of this, but I doubt very much that they have the banks of them as they do at most Premier League clubs. And that is what is required, apparently, to get the pitch properly bedded in.
If they had been watering it all day no wonder it was waterlogged!
Its a BRILLIANT goal to cap a BRILLIANT start by Rochdale - Don Goodman 26/08/10
Looking at this pic, it appears there were 2 banks of lamps in roughly the goal areas and whilst the light got to the grass, not sure how much heat would in the middle of Feb with all that cold, black sky for it to rise into? If they are heat lamps as well, maybe some? As for mechanisation, I suspect it's a groundsman either end shoving the lamps around.
Be interesting to see what Lawn Man (or should that be Rain Man just now?) makes of this set up? I'm guessing he won't change his prediction about the Blades game.
PS He might have smirked, but he's still a Latics fan! He who laughs last ..........
It does seem odd to pick one of the three worst months to relay the pitch.
Does anybody know whether the drainage was improved / replaced / repaired whilst this all went on? Because if not, laying new turf on bad ground would be just like applying lipstick to a pig.
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The Pitch, an expert's view on 20:59 - Mar 2 with 6518 views
The Pitch, an expert's view on 17:04 - Mar 2 by DaleiLama
Looking at this pic, it appears there were 2 banks of lamps in roughly the goal areas and whilst the light got to the grass, not sure how much heat would in the middle of Feb with all that cold, black sky for it to rise into? If they are heat lamps as well, maybe some? As for mechanisation, I suspect it's a groundsman either end shoving the lamps around.
Be interesting to see what Lawn Man (or should that be Rain Man just now?) makes of this set up? I'm guessing he won't change his prediction about the Blades game.
PS He might have smirked, but he's still a Latics fan! He who laughs last ..........
Dammed if you do, dammed if you don't this one.
Must be difficult for the ground staff.
Cover the pitch to keep the rain off and it won't dry out. Needs sunshine and wind. Leave the covers off and it rains hard, it get waterlogged again.
Obviously we are unsure how much water is on the pitch and what effect the snow had last night. Snow can create a hell of a lot of water when it thaws.
Being told that we had some rain today but not much. Some rain and sleet forecast Friday and Saturday.
Fingers crossed we will be ok for Saturday but don't hold your breath.
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The Pitch, an expert's view on 21:18 - Mar 2 with 6476 views
The Pitch, an expert's view on 20:42 - Mar 2 by finberty
It does seem odd to pick one of the three worst months to relay the pitch.
Does anybody know whether the drainage was improved / replaced / repaired whilst this all went on? Because if not, laying new turf on bad ground would be just like applying lipstick to a pig.
The drainage was supposedly improved/replaced/repaired last summer.
Its a BRILLIANT goal to cap a BRILLIANT start by Rochdale - Don Goodman 26/08/10
The Pitch, an expert's view on 21:18 - Mar 2 by dingdangblue
The drainage was supposedly improved/replaced/repaired last summer.
Didn't they say somewhere that that was a lot of the problem - they improved the drainage too much in places, causing the soil to drain too rapidly which weakened/kill the roots.
Grass needs a lot of water to thrive, but the water needs to be in the right layer of the soil.
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The Pitch, an expert's view on 13:17 - Mar 3 with 5797 views
I walk past and through the club car park 4 time a day when walking my dog since the new pitch has been installed I've not once seen the irrigation system on I've also popped in and spoke to the ground staff on several occasions and when I asked why the game was called off on Tuesday I was informed by the lads that the amount of rain and other types of perception that has fallen on the pitch and with it being soil based turf which holds water a lot longer meaning it takes more time to drain was one of the biggest reason so hopefully the rain will ease today and give the lads a reasonable chance of getting the game on for Saturday
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The Pitch, an expert's view on 13:52 - Mar 3 with 5700 views
The Pitch, an expert's view on 13:17 - Mar 3 by Bluedart
I walk past and through the club car park 4 time a day when walking my dog since the new pitch has been installed I've not once seen the irrigation system on I've also popped in and spoke to the ground staff on several occasions and when I asked why the game was called off on Tuesday I was informed by the lads that the amount of rain and other types of perception that has fallen on the pitch and with it being soil based turf which holds water a lot longer meaning it takes more time to drain was one of the biggest reason so hopefully the rain will ease today and give the lads a reasonable chance of getting the game on for Saturday
Having just driven along Bury Road at the bottom end and seen all the standing water in the fields which is now running across the footpath and into the road I don't hold out much hope for tomorrow I`m afraid
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The Pitch, an expert's view on 16:14 - Mar 3 with 5409 views
The Pitch, an expert's view on 13:17 - Mar 3 by Bluedart
I walk past and through the club car park 4 time a day when walking my dog since the new pitch has been installed I've not once seen the irrigation system on I've also popped in and spoke to the ground staff on several occasions and when I asked why the game was called off on Tuesday I was informed by the lads that the amount of rain and other types of perception that has fallen on the pitch and with it being soil based turf which holds water a lot longer meaning it takes more time to drain was one of the biggest reason so hopefully the rain will ease today and give the lads a reasonable chance of getting the game on for Saturday
Predictive text typos are great and other types of fallen perception is a cracker 😊
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