RoystonFoote'snephew Posted September 9, 2021 Report Share Posted September 9, 2021 Those of us who were around in the 70s, or those watching Big Match re-runs, will remember/note the mud heaps that were disguised as football pitches. The Baseball Ground, Derby was probably the worst but honourable mentions go to County Ground, Swindon, Old Trafford, Anfield, The Boleyn Ground and Stamford Bridge to name but a few. Portman Road, Ipswich and our own Ashton Gate were rare examples of 70s good consistent playable surfaces. Today's pitches, with their grass and woven plastic mix are a far cry from those days but I'm sure pitch quality across the leagues improved long before their introduction. But can anyone recall when? Was it before our head groundsman advised Manchester United on Old Trafford after their ground expansion or was it all down to improved science? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneTeamInBristol Posted September 9, 2021 Report Share Posted September 9, 2021 Global warming, less rain = less muddy pitches Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maltshoveller Posted September 9, 2021 Report Share Posted September 9, 2021 3 minutes ago, RoystonFoote'snephew said: Those of us who were around in the 70s, or those watching Big Match re-runs, will remember/note the mud heaps that were disguised as football pitches. The Baseball Ground, Derby was probably the worst but honourable mentions go to County Ground, Swindon, Old Trafford, Anfield, The Boleyn Ground and Stamford Bridge to name but a few. Portman Road, Ipswich and our own Ashton Gate were rare examples of 70s good consistent playable surfaces. Today's pitches, with their grass and woven plastic mix are a far cry from those days but I'm sure pitch quality across the leagues improved long before their introduction. But can anyone recall when? Was it before our head groundsman advised Manchester United on Old Trafford after their ground expansion or was it all down to improved science? Yeah would love to see how good the likes of Messi and CR7 would look running at defenders on those pitches Also the defenders would be able to kick them into row z without getting booked let alone sent off Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bristol Rob Posted September 9, 2021 Report Share Posted September 9, 2021 Probably the advent of the 'championship ready sprinkler system'. Adopted by most clubs during the 90s, and some clubs 25 years later. In all honesty however, I would imagine undersoil heating has a lot to do with it, letting the grass grow all year round. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cidered abroad Posted September 9, 2021 Report Share Posted September 9, 2021 1 hour ago, RoystonFoote'snephew said: Those of us who were around in the 70s, or those watching Big Match re-runs, will remember/note the mud heaps that were disguised as football pitches. The Baseball Ground, Derby was probably the worst but honourable mentions go to County Ground, Swindon, Old Trafford, Anfield, The Boleyn Ground and Stamford Bridge to name but a few. Portman Road, Ipswich and our own Ashton Gate were rare examples of 70s good consistent playable surfaces. Today's pitches, with their grass and woven plastic mix are a far cry from those days but I'm sure pitch quality across the leagues improved long before their introduction. But can anyone recall when? Was it before our head groundsman advised Manchester United on Old Trafford after their ground expansion or was it all down to improved science? You should have seen Ashton Gate at the start of 1959-60 season. Lovely green expanse. However by end September there was hardly a blade left even by the corner flags. By end of season, half of Weston beach was there, brought in through the winter, to suck up all the water and slimy mud. The groundsman in summer of 1959 put a few sheep on it to keep the grass short and save on mowing cost. He didn't know that sheep just do not cut through grass with their teeth. They pull at it and dislodge the grass roots. Coincidentally we were relegated that season so we blamed Manager Peter Doherty for helping to create a split dressing room and a nitwit of a groundsman! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoystonFoote'snephew Posted September 9, 2021 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2021 6 minutes ago, cidered abroad said: You should have seen Ashton Gate at the start of 1959-60 season. Lovely green expanse. However by end September there was hardly a blade left even by the corner flags. By end of season, half of Weston beach was there, brought in through the winter, to suck up all the water and slimy mud. The groundsman in summer of 1959 put a few sheep on it to keep the grass short and save on mowing cost. He didn't know that sheep just do not cut through grass with their teeth. They pull at it and dislodge the grass roots. Coincidentally we were relegated that season so we blamed Manager Peter Doherty for helping to create a split dressing room and a nitwit of a groundsman! Interesting. A couple of seasons too early for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jj77 Posted September 9, 2021 Report Share Posted September 9, 2021 1 hour ago, Maltshoveller said: Yeah would love to see how good the likes of Messi and CR7 would look running at defenders on those pitches Also the defenders would be able to kick them into row z without getting booked let alone sent off I'd imagine he'd look like this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BanburyRed Posted September 9, 2021 Report Share Posted September 9, 2021 Was thinking this whilst watching a Big Match Revisited yesterday, West Ham vs QPR in FA Cup, 1975, at Upton Park. For a team renowned as the 'Academy of Football', the pitch, if you could call it that, was a muddy quagmire to both penalty areas with strips about 5yds wide on either flank, and that was the only grass on view, other than on the penalty areas. Horrendous. Game in which Stan Bowles was subbed and made gesture to either crowd or bench. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elhombrecito Posted September 9, 2021 Report Share Posted September 9, 2021 https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/jun/15/silicon-valley-of-turf-uk-perfect-football-pitch?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
East Londoner Posted September 9, 2021 Report Share Posted September 9, 2021 32 minutes ago, elhombrecito said: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/jun/15/silicon-valley-of-turf-uk-perfect-football-pitch?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other I remember Ipswich always had those strange pitch designs like triangles The authorities do need to look again at allowing plastic pitches in the lower leagues as they’re no longer the monstrosities they were in the 80’s when QPR, Luton, Preston and Oldham had them, Sutton had to dig theirs up on getting promoted and it had been used as a community asset. Although obviously it wouldn’t work too well with championship ready sprinklers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanterne Rouge Posted September 9, 2021 Report Share Posted September 9, 2021 I remember one game at AG back in the 80s where we put a load of straw on the pitch for some unknown reason. It wasn`t a good game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.