- Oops, Colchester failed to install heating
Colchester United have hit a problem in their preparations ahead of next Saturday’s ‘grudge’ game with Norwich City. The pitch is covered with snow preventing the ground staff from using their old fashioned methods to stop the pitch from freezing.
Backwards methods are required because Colchester have no undersoil heating. The Essex club have asked their fans for help clear the pitch at the Weston Homes Community stadium, a new ground they opened just last season–yet they failed to install under pitch heating. Isn’t such a thing on the new stadium check list these days? What do we need in our new stadium? Seats. Check. Grass. Check. Under soil heating? Nah… Fug it.
Colchester have asked fans to show up this week to help clear snow from the pitch and to bring their own shovels! Colchester United’s website tells supporters to… ‘Report to reception and ask for Head Groundsman, David Blacknall - and where possible bring equipment such as shovels and wheelbarrows.’
Wow. But while Colchester’s new stadium lacks the modern facilities, they are not alone with their common sense fail. Walsall built the Banks stadium in 1990 and they also didn’t install under soil heating, a move that is going to make the back end of their season a fixture nightmare.
Walsall postponed tomorrow’s home game with Norwich due to a frozen pitch after a local referee inspected the field this morning. That’s FIVE back to back games postponed for the midlands team due to the weather and 3 at the Banks stadium. The Saddlers have not kicked a ball since the 19th of December.
While I understand that older grounds in League One and the Colaship don’t have under soil heating, there really is, absolutely NO excuse when you are building a new one. These stadiums cost millions of pounds yet under soil heating costs around 300k.
They could hire this guy, I think his schedule opened up for the rest of the week following yesterday.
@Georger, does he own that machine? Colchester can’t rent equipment, helpers have to bring their own.
If it were a club I support (especially a smaller club), I’d be there. But I sorta like shoveling.
@Steve, so would I…
The Green Bay Packers do this as well, pay you $8 an hour for your troubles.
Ned, I don’t know if you saw the post over at Avoiding the Drop (sorry for the lack of link) about under-soil heating, but it seems that for a club like Colchester, 300K might be a lot on a yearly basis.
300k is basically 1 good League One player. For what they might save in less postponements, it has to be seen as a glaring example of their Chairman’s myopia. Colchester is trying to fabricate some sort of rivalry between themselves and Norwich, and I’m not afraid to say that we have bigger fish to fry.
@Steve. Not buying it. Their chairman is a millionaire and if he can afford to say that he’d “rather have empty seats than Norwich fans in them”, he can afford the under soil heating.
The stadium cost 14 million to build yet you cant spend between 150-300k to install heating? The cost of having to switch this tie to a week day if postponed would cost that alone. Many refunds and fans not able to come on a week night.
@Steve
Also mate, the Avoiding the drop piece is talking about some serious undersoil system. Most undersoil heating in Uk consists of pipes with hot water running through them. They are radiators basically.
Lay off already. No one likes a bully. They’ll cheer when you get your comeuppance, whenever that is.
Because I call out Col U for failing to install heating? Its daft. No reason for not having it. Especially given the circmstances. This is 2010 not 1955.
Or better yet, this guy.
@Ned, I generally agree with you (and also didn’t know the chairman has some cash…that makes a difference).