The impressive Platt Lane academy buildings
Platt Lane Academy Pitches
The academy ground consists of one Desso Grassmaster pitch, one Fibrerootzone ameliorated pitch, two indoor 3G domes, one full size 3G pitch, plus lawn and garden areas.
The academy was set up in 1998 to provide a strong and effective youth programme for the recruitment and development of young footballers.
Since then, twenty-seven players have emerged to play first-team football for Manchester City, an exceptional achievement in the modern era. In line with the Football Association’s Charter of Quality, the academy prepares players of the future and enables them to progress both on and off the field.
Structured coaching, together with an educational and welfare programme throughout their time at the club, ensures that there is continuity for the players from the ages of 9-18. Platt Lane is a very busy site with the two grass, soil based pitches hosting the majority of matches. Roy was keen to invest in upgrading them from soil- based to Fibrerootzone and a reinforced Desso pitches to help cope with the heavy use. Both pitches would also have a fully automated watering system installed. Work began at Platt Lane on the 9th May with Mallinsons reconstructing both grass pitches, installing one Desso pitch and sand ameliorating and incorporating fibresand elements into the other. Desso Pitch - pitch was koroed
with all vegetation and 200mm of existing soil removed from site. Sub-base and rootzones were installed using laser- grading machinery to ensure materials were laid at precise depths, beginning with a gravel drainage layer, lower rootzone (150mm) and upper rootzone (100mm). A Terracottem soil conditioner was incorporated to a depth of 200mm before finally sowing with Bar 7 and fertilising. Once the seed had germinated Ged, Alan and Lee began regular mowing and watering to ensure good grass cover before the Desso fibres were sown in. It takes about seventeen hours to complete one single, one metre wide run the length of the pitch run. Two machines were used in tandem, which took close to four weeks to complete a full size pitch. The fibres are sown to a depth of 200mm. In total they represent 3- 4% of the total grass cover. Roy is confident the Desso pitch will facilitate over sixty games a year. And, even if the pitch loses grass cover, it will continue to be stable, perform well and look good. The other pitch was koroed off, cultivated, laser graded and ameliorated with 25mm of concentrated fibre material, working the material into the top 100mm of upper rootzone and finally oversown with Bar 7. Roy has also invested in two new Allett Buffalo mowers for maintaining the pitches. Once these pitches are up and running they will again follow the same maintenance regimes, cutting on a daily basis with feeding tailored to meet the needs of the grass plant.
Inside the Desso sewing machine!
Ged Coyne with Dennis
L-r: Lee Metcalfe, Ged Coyne, Roy Rigby and Alan Foden
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