[buffter]

The Saltcoats pitch today was an absolute disgrace and certainly the worst i have ever seen, be it public , junior or senior in fact IMO it was so bad as too be unplayable . Surely North Ayshire council have a duty to make sure these pitches should be reasonably looked after ? because it seems to me with the state of the pitch and the matchbox dressing rooms the council dont give a flying f**k about the so called smaller clubs ...... what do u think?

[drs]

The worst pitch I've ever seen in person is Brechin City - never seen a junior pitch that is anywhere near as pitiful as that mess.

[Kilwinning Ranger]

buffter, on 14 January 2012 - 21:06, said:

The Saltcoats pitch today was an absolute disgrace and certainly the worst i have ever seen, be it public , junior or senior in fact IMO it was so bad as too be unplayable . Surely North Ayshire council have a duty to make sure these pitches should be reasonably looked after ? because it seems to me with the state of the pitch and the matchbox dressing rooms the council dont give a flying f**k about the so called smaller clubs ...... what do u think?

It was very bad and you could tell our players were not comfortable on it to be fair i dont think it helped Saltocats either but something needs to be done as a player is going to get badly injured on there.

[Kilwinning Ranger]

And i see Saltcoats are due to stay home to Annbank United next weekend

[wintonfan]

okay saltcoats is bad but shabbey park isnt the sam siro, san giro perhaps. I know the kilsyth players were moaning about our pitch but with the weather there is only so much you can do

[Stuboy]

Wouldn't Saltcoats be responsible for their own pitch?

[jupe1407]

Stuboy, on 14 January 2012 - 21:26, said:

Wouldn't Saltcoats be responsible for their own pitch?

Depends what their arrangement is.

I do recall from my days playing amateurs in Dundee, that all our games were on Council pitches, which were pitifully bad, and the facilities were no better. They must have made a fucking fortune off the various leagues around the city.

[NE63 exile]

The old Baseball Ground at Derby used to take some beating in the 70s. Looked like a combination of a swamp and Saltcoats Beach.

[Teofilio]

I said last week it was the worst pitch I'd ever played on. When I told my best mate, who plays for the Buffs, that he thought I was exaggerating but agreed today! I just hope someone doesn't get seriously injured on because I fear it's only a matter of time.

[Kilwinning Ranger]

Teofilio, on 14 January 2012 - 21:38, said:

I said last week it was the worst pitch I'd ever played on. When I told my best mate, who plays for the Buffs, that he thought I was exaggerating but agreed today! I just hope someone doesn't get seriously injured on because I fear it's only a matter of time.

The Voice of reason speaks again

Thanks mate

[buffter]

Teofilio, on 14 January 2012 - 21:38, said:

I said last week it was the worst pitch I'd ever played on. When I told my best mate, who plays for the Buffs, that he thought I was exaggerating but agreed today! I just hope someone doesn't get seriously injured on because I fear it's only a matter of time.

Thats my point , i am not blaming the saltcoats commitee etc i am blaming the council , as far as i know the council are responsible for its upkeep but a player is going to be seriously injured on it and guess who will be sued .....yes NORTH AYRSHIRE who will no doubt do f**k all and a poor boy will end up in hospital and i know abbey park isnt the san siro winton fan or SAM siro you muppet thats not my point

This post has been edited by buffter: 14 January 2012 - 21:53

[HibeeJibee]

Be careful what you wish for, perhaps.

If it's a council-maintained pitch, and it's actually unsafe and likely to cause serious injury... then with current budgetary situations there's far more chance it'd be shut rather than major works done.

[bigtatties]

buffter, on 14 January 2012 - 21:06, said:

The Saltcoats pitch today was an absolute disgrace and certainly the worst i have ever seen, be it public , junior or senior in fact IMO it was so bad as too be unplayable . Surely North Ayshire council have a duty to make sure these pitches should be reasonably looked after ? because it seems to me with the state of the pitch and the matchbox dressing rooms the council dont give a flying f**k about the so called smaller clubs ...... what do u think?

Torr Street. Possilpark..1 Sept 1972 Scottish Amateur Cup - Possil YM V Drumchapel Ams......even Bobby Dinnie was upset.......black ash on a bed of broken glass...........and the crowd was worse...ref had to flee for safety at time up.......

[RoryFice]

What's actually the problem with Saltcoats pitch? it seemed fine the day our game against them was postponed.

[Teofilio]

RoryFice, on 15 January 2012 - 11:39, said:

What's actually the problem with Saltcoats pitch? it seemed fine the day our game against them was postponed.

It was incredibly soft Rory which resulted in it cutting up terribly and becoming very very heavy. As a result it turned to a mud bath within about 5 minutes of the warm up. The ball wouldn't bounce, it wouldn't roll, and there were holes and trenches all over it. I rolled my ankle in the first 15 and I'm sure a few other boys did too.

I'm also concious that I don't want this to sound like Saltcoats bashing! I think they are a decent wee club who have progressed well over the last few years and have a good squad with a genuine hardworking committee. It's just a shame for them more than anything else.

[Kilwinning Ranger]

This pitch will go against Saltocats at the moment as well as they like to get the ball down and play the right way but someone as you say is going to suffer a bad injury on that pitch.

Btw i would have been saying the same even if we had picked up the 3 points

Will be interesting to see what other players have to say about the pitch when they come on here. i think Jon Baille who plays for Troon has posted his opinion very well.

This post has been edited by Kilwinning Ranger: 15 January 2012 - 16:22

[montherovers]

It would be far more interesting if, instead of inviting players to come on and moan about what clearly wasn't a good playing surface, you asked for suggestions how the pitch could be improved, bearing in mind that :-
1/ This has been an exceptionally wet Autumn/Winter
2/ The pitch is located on a heavy clay soil almost at sea level.
3/ Neither the club nor the Council has the tens of thousands needed to carry out the type of drainage work needed to make a significant difference.
If, as the climate experts are predicting, wetter winters are to become the norm for Scotland then the only solution I can see is a switch to summer football.

[buffter]

montherovers, on 15 January 2012 - 14:25, said:

It would be far more interesting if, instead of inviting players to come on and moan about what clearly wasn't a good playing surface, you asked for suggestions how the pitch could be improved, bearing in mind that :-
1/ This has been an exceptionally wet Autumn/Winter
2/ The pitch is located on a heavy clay soil almost at sea level.
3/ Neither the club nor the Council has the tens of thousands needed to carry out the type of drainage work needed to make a significant difference.
If, as the climate experts are predicting, wetter winters are to become the norm for Scotland then the only solution I can see is a switch to summer football.

In reply to Michael Fish the point is the council have the cash i mean how much does it take to roll a pitch or spend a couple of hours with a fork but to be honest a JCB was needed to help fill in the trenches

[shielsy007]

The South Lanarkshire Couwp is better than oor park, 'The Emerites'

[legaffer]

Teofilio, on 15 January 2012 - 11:45, said:

It was incredibly soft Rory which resulted in it cutting up terribly and becoming very very heavy. As a result it turned to a mud bath within about 5 minutes of the warm up. The ball wouldn't bounce, it wouldn't roll, and there were holes and trenches all over it. I rolled my ankle in the first 15 and I'm sure a few other boys did too.

I'm also concious that I don't want this to sound like Saltcoats bashing! I think they are a decent wee club who have progressed well over the last few years and have a good squad with a genuine hardworking committee. It's just a shame for them more than anything else.

Campbell park was a disgrace,there had been no attempt to roll park or to replace any off the huge divots,my concern was that a player could pick up a very bad injury.
I felt sorry for the large Buffs support that paid into the game,To watch a game of football. There is no game plan for a park like that.
Also as you said johnny regards dressing room,at half-time my coaches couldn't come in,as there was just enough room for 11 players and me!! i know i've put a few pounds on, but not to that scale.

This post has been edited by legaffer: 16 January 2012 - 11:06

[Jez]

We have the worst changing rooms now after Dundonald's visit with mud being dubbed all over the walls of the showers, plugs blocked and they even were wiping/banging their boots over the walls of the toilet cubicle! So there's mud all up the side of the walls in the toilets... at least I hope it's mud!!!

Manky people!

[Stogie]

The changing rooms at saltcoats are too small. The committee have put a lot of effort into Campbell park to get it to the state it is in because it was a dump before but I'm pretty sure it's still council owned and therefor they should be looking after the park

[Kilwinning Ranger]

legaffer, on 16 January 2012 - 11:05, said:

Campbell park was a disgrace,there had been no attempt to roll park or to replace any off the huge divots,my concern was that a player could pick up a very bad injury.
I felt sorry for the large Buffs support that paid into the game,To watch a game of football. There is no game plan for a park like that.
Also as you said johnny regards dressing room,at half-time my coaches couldn't come in,as there was just enough room for 11 players and me!! i know i've put a few pounds on, but not to that scale.

I think you have summed up things pretty well there George.

Btw you will have to cut out eating Irene's cakes that is how the pounds are going on lol

I know that from experience

This post has been edited by Kilwinning Ranger: 16 January 2012 - 15:32

[Cardross]

So no change since 1924 then!

http://ssa.nls.uk/film.cfm?fid=0564

[buffter]

Cardross, on 16 January 2012 - 15:27, said:

So no change since 1924 then!

http://ssa.nls.uk/film.cfm?fid=0564

Brilliant !! seems they had better facilities then and the pitch was in better condition ... didnt know Fabiani played wi St Rochs though !