double whammy,” Colin reveals. “This season, we’ve had none of those problems and the Fibresand makes drainage that bit quicker as well.”
Whilst solving the drainage issues has greatly helped Colin in producing a surface worthy of his talents, it has since heralded another headache - one with a less straightforward solution - foxes. The drainage pipes, laid at 5m centres, have proved too tempting for the local foxes, who revel in digging down into the sand-filled channels and, as such, wreak havoc on the pitch on an almost daily basis.
“I’ve always
found that no one brand ever does it all, so I like to always be on the lookout for
products that suit our changing environment”
What’s in the shed?
Dennis G860 - daily cutting, used with interchangable cassettes
Honda HRH 536 rotary mower - cleaning up after games - “can’t be used every day as it takes too long by hand, yet produces fantastic results”
Kubota tractor - second-hand farm model, used daily Vertidrain with 8 inch tines - used as often as possible
SISIS Javelin - used every 6-8 weeks depending on weather and games schedule
66
“I can’t remember a day when I haven't turned up to work to find deep holes in the ground,” explains Colin. “They’re a real nuisance, but we’re limited with what we can do, as we’re in a residential area and, even if you do move them along, another family will soon take their place.” I’d seen a similar problem at fellow Londoners Crystal Palace, which used an electric fence to ward off the troublesome animals. For Colin though, other than using a cage to try and catch them, he’s resigned to just deal with their work and accept that they are part and parcel of an inner-city club. The move from purely natural to Fibresand not only signalled the beginning of Colin’s experience of the hybrid surface but also marked the start of the club’s partnership with Premier Pitches - a firm that supply some 50% of all Premier League surfaces - and who carry out the annual pitch renovation work at Brisbane Lane, now looming large.
“The work will begin three weeks after the end of the season, once the corporate commitments have been met,” says Colin. While many might grumble about the pitch being used after the season, and that it eats into the time they need to renovate it, he is more accepting and understands the financial needs of clubs like Orient.
“Since Barry Hearn took over, the financial footing has been very solid and he’s always looking for ways to increase revenue - the inclusion of a polyclinic medical centre in the third tier of the main West stand is a good example - so it has to be applauded. On the other hand, he understands that the football comes first, so we have ample time to prepare for the start of the new season.”
The renovation kicks off with full koroing off to clean up the surface and rid it of any debris built up over the season. Colin recycles the top layer, this year it will be used at Orient’s new training ground in Chigwell. Some
60 tonnes of the sand/soil Fibresand mixture, supplied by Mansfield Sands, is then laid, followed by a secondary cultivation, consolidation and production of the seed bed. Finally, the new pitch is oversown with a Limagrain MM60 mix at 40g/5m2
using a Blec Turf Maker and dimple seeder, after which Premier Pitches hand back responsibility to Colin in time for the new season.
“For me, consistency is
important, so if I know a product works, or a company always delivers the goods, I’ll stick with them. I know I can leave Premier Pitches to do their job without looking over their shoulder, leaving me to do mine.” The move to the new surface also brought with it new challenges for Colin, who had to make adjustments to his normal programme to accommodate the faster draining pitch construction. “Fibresand pitches leech fertiliser faster than purely grass, so more nutrient supplements are needed, especially as we suffer from low light levels anyway,” Colin explains.
“We’re using more liquid feeds now, alongside Rigby Taylor’s Mascot Delta Range and Scotts granular fertilisers. I’ve always found that no one brand ever does it all, so I like to always be on the lookout for products that suit our changing environment.”
“The only product I consistently use is a granular feed in the early season, which always goes down well, promotes strong root growth and delivers the colour and healthy look I want for the new season.”
Controversy over the Olympic Stadium and doubts over the long- term future of the club may, on the face of it, look like a troubled road ahead. Yet, the reality is, in fact, quite the contrary, as the club continues to push for promotion to the Championship and is set to unveil some additions and plans to extend their home ground further. The beginning of the 2011-12 season will see the club move to their newly acquired training ground at Chigwell School, which will give them more pitch space and allow Colin to lay good foundations for a training ground that will match the home pitch in quality, and allow him to strengthen his ties with Darren’s Spurs team who are now based only a kick away.
For the club, plans laid to replace the oldest stand with a new double-tier development, increasing capacity and, hopefully, building on the fan
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