Dag & Red (Swamp) The Match Thread Looking for Ernie Marsh

[hoofer2]

Just googled the flood map. By the looks of it, the rentable pitches are in the flood risk area, but the main stadium, the pitch and the North Stand are not.

https://metis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/weba ... 91cfaca17a

For the main pitch to drain the water has to fall to a lower level.
There is a huge water storage facility that was under the rear of the old North stand. Has the development over the top of it affected this?
Has the larger structure blocked some of the drainage that previously occurred into the lower pitches?

Comparing how heavy rainfall now causes standing water when previously it would disappear in minutes of the rain stopping suggests this maybe the case. I recall a game, I think was against Southport where a heavy thunderstorm forced the players inside, yet were back playing within minutes of the storm passing.

I just question whether just a shortage of groundstaff is enough to explain the change we can all see.

i

I would think the probability is that the drainage system installed under the Wealdstone tenure has failed, either due to poor construction or age. The state of the pitch has nothing to do with rainfall, additional games or the flood plain. The sand has probably fallen through into the porous ducts that channel the water into the vast tanks, stopping the flow of water through the grass. An underground CCTV survey of the ducts would easily identify where the problems lie and provide an accurate location of where to dig and sort the problems out.

This is what I think too...with difference being builders slurry from rapid construction of North Stand is the culprit

[alexbach]

Most of the Welsh premier are 3g these days, Barry, Newtown,met students, Carmarthen etc,so probably not a huge expense

by "most " make that practically all in cymru premier including aberystwyth, broughton, penybont

[beew]

I would think the probability is that the drainage system installed under the Wealdstone tenure has failed, either due to poor construction or age. The state of the pitch has nothing to do with rainfall, additional games or the flood plain. The sand has probably fallen through into the porous ducts that channel the water into the vast tanks, stopping the flow of water through the grass. An underground CCTV survey of the ducts would easily identify where the problems lie and provide an accurate location of where to dig and sort the problems out.

Thanks for this- v informative. A couple of other people have mentioned that it they reckon the drainage has deteriorated- and what you you write sounds very plausible (I have no relevant background here but you come across as very knowledgable!).

Given what you write here- what is prognosis for the summer- is it major work to do the repairs to the ducts? Does everything need digging up? Is it going to cost a lot money and/or render the pitch unusable for pre-season?

The prognosis would depend on how much of the drainage duct has collapsed. There seems to be a problem down the middle of the pitch and another towards the East stand. The CCTV survey would determine the scale of the immediate problem and give an insight into other areas where the ducts are deteriorating. Hopefully it's just isolated places where the ducts are blocked, stopping the water from draining. If this is the case it's a matter of digging down and repairing the ducts and reinstating the subbase and grass. If it's found that the whole drainage system is failing the whole pitch would need to be dug up and new ducts installed, which would be a major project taking several weeks. This would also involve the additional cost of laying turf, as there wouldn't be time for seed to grow in the summer break.

[beew]

Just googled the flood map. By the looks of it, the rentable pitches are in the flood risk area, but the main stadium, the pitch and the North Stand are not.

https://metis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/weba ... 91cfaca17a

For the main pitch to drain the water has to fall to a lower level.
There is a huge water storage facility that was under the rear of the old North stand. Has the development over the top of it affected this?
Has the larger structure blocked some of the drainage that previously occurred into the lower pitches?

Comparing how heavy rainfall now causes standing water when previously it would disappear in minutes of the rain stopping suggests this maybe the case. I recall a game, I think was against Southport where a heavy thunderstorm forced the players inside, yet were back playing within minutes of the storm passing.

I just question whether just a shortage of groundstaff is enough to explain the change we can all see.

i

I would think the probability is that the drainage system installed under the Wealdstone tenure has failed, either due to poor construction or age. The state of the pitch has nothing to do with rainfall, additional games or the flood plain. The sand has probably fallen through into the porous ducts that channel the water into the vast tanks, stopping the flow of water through the grass. An underground CCTV survey of the ducts would easily identify where the problems lie and provide an accurate location of where to dig and sort the problems out.

This is what I think too...with difference being builders slurry from rapid construction of North Stand is the culprit

It was my understanding that the structural foundations for the North stand were constructed years before the stand was built, hence it's rapid development. The erection of the new stand was simply a Mechano build on top of these concrete slabs so there shouldn't of been any serious excavation around the drainage ducts, although I do seem to remember there being barriers around a manhole cover in front of the North stand, at its grand opening when we played West Ham preseason. I'm sure the club knows the problem and is preparing an action plan to fix it.

[Patel89]

Hope so!

[Milkfloat]

The ananlysis of the drainage of the pitch and what might be the reason for the current issues is most illuminating but shouldn't we, as loyal supporters, be instead hurling abuse at everything to do with the club?

[Norfolk & Chance]

The ananlysis of the drainage of the pitch and what might be the reason for the current issues is most illuminating but shouldn't we, as loyal supporters, be instead hurling abuse at everything to do with the club?

Yawn.