The stadium was subjected to a series of minor earth tremors in 2003 due to
subsidence of old industrial mine workings. Some measured up to 4 on the Richter scale!
unusual phenomenon, the stadium is, nevertheless, totally safe and their occurance was viewed with some bemusement by the fans and everyone else at the club. End of season renovation work will commence on either the 5th or 25th June depending on the final number of events that are scheduled. Preliminary work will include a Koro and Verti-Drain to remove the existing sward and decompact the soil prior to the pitch being covered in preparation for these events. These include a Ricky Hatton fight and concerts by the Foo Fighters and Bon Jovi. Renovations will be completed using a combination of in- house skills and contracted out heavy duty work by John Mallinson (Ormskirk) Ltd.
The renovation process begins with fraise mowing in two passes using the ubiquitous Koro Field Top-Maker
followed by removal and disposal of the resulting debris. Next comes the vertidraining using 25mm tines to 150mm depth at 100mm centres. After this initial phase is completed the in- house work begins in earnest. First of all the pitch is intensively raked with a Wiedenmann Verti Cut Harrow and vacuum brushed to remove any debris. This is followed by solid tine spiking using 16mm spikes to 100mm depth and 100mm centres. A medium sand mixed with Rigby Taylor Profile Soil Amendment is then applied at a ratio of 2:1 across the width of the 6 yard box before drag-matting and brushing. Attention is then turned to the goalmouth areas and touchlines, beginning with solid spiking as above and hand raking to raise the Desso Grassmaster fibres. The sand/profile mix is again applied prior to using a lute and drag-mat to incorporate the material
into the 10mm deep holes. Lastly, the area is lightly hand raked to raise the grass fibres again. The next operation is seeding, and the whole area is thoroughly raked before sowing a Barenbrug Bar 7/custom seed mix at 35g m2
plus a Scotts 8:12:8 pre-
seed fertiliser and a 19:5:18 slow release formulation. Once the seed is established the pitch is vertidrained using 12mm tines to 150mm depth and 10mm centres. The renovation work complete, grass germinated and establishing nicely, light mowing can commence to encourage tillering. Fertiliser is now applied every three weeks using conventional 12:0:12 and 0:0:37 slow release formulations to provide the required nutrients. At the end of September a further application of conventional 7:0:14 autumn and winter fertiliser, and a 15:0:26 phased release analysis, will be
Pitch damage after pop concert
Pitch construction at the stadium in 2003 17
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