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Bennett insists Weaponess’ 3G surface will maximise potential
Weaponness Valley Road car and coach park, as seen from Olivers Mount. Picture by Andrew Higgins 112067h 20/05/11
Scarborough’s new state of the art sports and leisure village, the construction of which is set to begin in August this year, is to include a football stadium fitted with a Third Generation (3G) synthetic playing surface.
Brian Bennett, the head of Tourism and Culture at Scarborough Borough Council, stated that the Weaponness Valley facility will provide a new home for football in Scarborough, and a synthetic playing surface will be installed in order to maximise its use and potential.
The value of the 3G surface was epitomised as the only local game on at the weekend was Amotherby’s, played on Malton Community Sports Centre’s 3G pitch.
He said: “It will be a community facility, and will be available to more than just one team. We have been in contact with both Scarborough Athletic and Scarborough Town and it would be great to have them both playing football there.”
The only problem with a synthetic playing surface is that the FA does not allow FA Cup matches to be played on them, and there is only so far up the leagues a team can progress before such surfaces are banned in favour of natural pitches.
“We are hoping the FA will change their rule on the matter in the near future, and realise the benefits of 3G pitches,” added Bennett.
On the matter, Scarborough Athletic chairman Dave Holland said: “We need to get back to Scarborough clearly, and the council are our route to do that.
“The projections need to be looking long-term and the pitch has to be sustainable. In the long run of course though, we need to play on a pitch that will allow us to go up through the steps.”
Boro supporter Colin Whelan, 62, said: “At this level, the FA Cup is your chance to make a few bob.
“If you can get to the first round like Totton did a few weeks ago you can stand to make around £60,000.
“A synthetic pitch would be ridiculous.
“The only time I’ve ever seen Scarborough play on a synthetic pitch was when we got hammered at Oldham years ago.”
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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Comments
There are 5 comments to this article
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Crossgates View
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 09:17 AMSAFC have already discussed the pitch and I believe are happy with the situation. The FA Cup is hardly any games in a season compared to your league commitments, so should not be a major issue whilst the club are still in what amounts to division 9 in the full pyramid. However, once they get to a level that does or will not allow a plastic pitch, I hope that SBC will be more than willing to change it to grass at that stage, again, I am sure SAFC will have discussed this with them.
Fudpucker
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 03:29 PMComment removed by moderator
FairDealForFiley
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 02:41 PMSo 'Gordon Bennett' thinks he knows better than the FA. Just about sums up SBC, they are always right, the rest of the world is always wrong. Get rid of the lot. Unfortunately many asked for a totally new set of Cllrs. the last election but somehow a majority were hoodwinked into voting back Sly and his bunch. Lesson learnt - a proposed 3% hike in Council Tax!!
alwyn radar
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 02:34 PMWell what did you expect from the clown hall...? Here we have yet another example of the council dictating terms and future developments on something they haven't got the first clue about. An artificial pitch IS NO GOOD FOR PLAYING FOOTBALL ON...! The sooner Scarborough Athletic FC is self sufficient and not having to rely on inadequate jobsworths at the council the better. That is why Scarborough is a laughing stock... I can't remember the last time SBC came up with a logical solution or suggestion. Look at what they've cocked up: The Marine Drive tender debacle, the McCain Stadium farce, the state of the Futurist Theatre, digging up newly resurfaced roads to tend to the gas pipes, Tesco's new store, the Open Air Theatre and its empty agenda, I-pads for councillors... they can't do anything correctly or logically. It would be quicker to train an ape!!!
Steakpie
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 10:00 AMDon't know if anyone has mention this to SBC but the annual maintainence and up-keep of an artificial pitch is very expensive and if you don't enforce the maintainence the playing surface rapidly deteriorates and very soon would need replacing, not that I think for one minute that SBC would scrimp on the maintainence! Just seems bonkers that the best surface for playing football is grass and SBC already has a grounds maintainence department more than able to carry out the upkeep of a grass pitch!
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