It was clear that the existing pitch would not recover in time for the testimonial game
maintenance programmes that Dave set up.”
Ricky Rawlins and Dan Osborne still spend two days a week at Bournemouth’s Fitness First stadium and, as if to prove what a talented young team they are, the Dean Park pitch finished fourth in division one. But, as is the way with modern stadia, financial requirements dictate that the close season is used to boost the coffers. Following a number of regional games, a Bon Jovi concert was scheduled for mid June at St. Mary’s. This was to be followed by a testimonial match for the club captain, Claus Lundekvam, just five weeks later.
It was clear that the existing pitch would not recover in time for the testimonial game and, with the opportunity to also improve drainage, Andy took the decision to have a new pitch installed. “We had 29,000 people here for the Bon Jovi concert,” said Andy “and lots of other games up to the end of May, so we knew that the pitch would take a hammering.” With just a five-week gap between events there was insufficient time for seeding, so the new surface had to be turfed, and Andy and Graeme went turf hunting. “During my time at AFC Bournemouth I had been impressed with Lindum’s Lokturf pitch and had used it with quite a degree of success.” Having inspected the fibre reinforced sward at their turf farm near York, Andy and Graeme placed their order for 7,800 square metres. Kestrel Contractors, the Hampshire based sports pitch contractors, were hired to renovate St. Mary’s, having previously returfed and rebuilt the training grounds at the club. “We’d also returfed Bournemouth’s pitch using Lokturf,” explained Kestrel’s Sales Director Billy Martin “and I think that was when Andy realised that the fibres reinforcing the sward stabilised the turf and resulted in noticeably less divots.” Kestrel stripped the surface and
incorporated 350 tonnes of sand into the existing rootzone. “Due to the rootzone profile being only 225mm there was not sufficient head to make the pitch drain freely” Billy continued. “The club were concerned that the profile wasn’t deep enough.” However, the ameliorated sand deepened the profile by 30mm which, coupled with the Lokturf at 40mm thick, added 70mm extra depth to the soil profile. To further enhance the drainage, whilst laser grading, the opportunity to put a slight camber on the pitch was also taken. By the second day of the contract the turf was being laid. Over two hundred and fifty miles north, Lindum Turf staff had been harvesting since 3.00am. “One thing we insist during the summer months, especially when we are dealing with the 1.1 metre wide big rolls, is that the turf is harvested and laid the same day,” said Lindum’s Managing Director, Stephen Fell. “Consequently, for Southampton, we were harvesting from 3.00am until 7.00am.” Lorries arrived at hourly intervals and, once loaded, began the seven to eight hour journey south. This meant that the last lorry load to leave Yorkshire each day arrived at St. Mary’s at approximately 4.00pm, giving Kestrel ample daylight to lay the turf. They used their BRL 120 Big Roll Layer that can lay turf up to 1.2 metres wide in 15 metre lengths. It has a unique placement guiding arm, which ensures 99% accuracy. By 21st June the last roll of Lokturf had been laid, leaving just under four weeks for it to establish before the testimonial game. “It had all rooted down really well and you would never have known we’d had a new surface,” said Andy. “I spent the testimonial game watching the bounce and roll of the ball across the surface.”
Lindum Lokturf - Tel: 01904 448675. Website:
www.turf.co.uk
Kestrel Contractors - Tel 01256 880 488. Website:
www.kestrelcontractors.co.uk
Turf is laid the same day it is harvested
350 tonnes of sand are incorporated into the existing roorzone
Turf is laid using a BRL 120 Big Roll Layer
69
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120