Winter Sports - Rugby Union
back up to the same as the rest of the pitch. “Touch wood, it has worked this season. But we won’t be having any more concerts!” The stand redevelopment, however,
couldn’t be further from the concert debacle, by the sounds of it. The Tigers have been working closely with architects AFL and contractors Buckingham on the development. The stand will not only add 3,000 more seats, but will also house a premium season ticket lounge known as The Clubhouse, as well as offices and a public concourse. I ask Steve whether they have had a lot to do with the building of the new stand: “We do, to be fair. We speak to them a lot. The builders are quite a good and helpful bunch.” Steve and the team have had no access in and out of the grounds with the machinery since the demolition started at the end of last season, so working with the builders has been a big part of getting anything done, “They will pick up a piece of equipment from outside the grounds and bring it in on a crane. They have been really helpful,” he tells me. However, the time it takes to do things is a bit of a pain: “It can be frustrating if you just want to get on, because you have to spend the next hour waiting for it to be brought in. Then you’ve got to work out when you can get it out of the ground because, on a match day, all the kit has got to go.” Steve has a lot of praise to give to the
builders with regards to how they clear up before a match. “It’s incredible how they do it on a match day. They get it totally cleared and actually leave it looking really smart for the match. They probably have double the amount of men there before the match day, just to clean it all up.” The work also started from the inside so
as to keep disruption around the stand to a minimum. The new build is right next to the main road, and I could see as I drove past how little mess the building work had caused.
The only concern for the pitch from the
building work is the annihilation of the dead ball zone because they have had to put a roadway in to build it, which Steve seemed much too calm about. “It can’t be helped! And they have, to be honest, caused as little damage as they can.” I ask him what he will do to the ruined turf when they leave. “I don’t know yet, I will just have to see when the time comes. I don’t want to think about it.” As we part, I joke that he is way too easy
going for a groundsman working around a building site. “I used to moan, but I’ve stopped. As you get a little bit older, there’s no point. It doesn’t solve anything, it doesn’t change anything,” he says. So has he mellowed in his twenty- five years? “To be fair, I think I have!”
Welford Road snippets MET-Rx Stand
Welford Road’s MET-Rx Stand is located on the north side of the stadium and is home to 10,000 supporters, including the 1,000-seat Premiership hospitality suite, comprising 1880 Club, Legends and Honours and The Final Whistle bar.
Steve told me that this stand is the second largest single-tiered stand in the country (the first is at Anfield).
The Holland & Barrett Stand
The Holland & Barrett Stand is located on the south side of the Welford Road and is home to the The Mark and ABC Bar.
The Goldsmiths Stand
The Goldsmiths Stand is located on the eastern side of Welford Road and is home to the Try Line Club, Executive Suites, XV Club and Droglites Bar.
The Pitch
The pitch has been lengthened by 6m since last season, so that each dead ball zone is 5m. It has also been widened by 2m. With the same being done to the Desso training ground pitch. This was the coach’s ask.
Ecosol Turfcare Sports pitch renovation and construction specialists
We are professional turfcare consultants and contractors providing solutions to pitchcare problems, including drainage schemes, pitch rebuilds, end-of-season renovation and in-season maintenance. Ecosol Turfcare can help you get the best out of your pitch.
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info@ecosolve.co.uk Website:
www.ecosolve.co.uk Ecosolve Ltd, Armyn Cross, Malmesbury, Wilts SN16 9RJ
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