Lets hope it goes a long way to stopping the run of defeats at home for both the County and the Dragons.

Not wanting to upset Pemb's, who let's face it takes offence far too easily, but I think the damage done by the referee's boot has finally been put into context.

Not really. It just happens to be the case that the renovation comes shortly after the match she refereed. If it had been at the start of the season this would not have happened so soon. To put it another way she was part of the problem they are now dealing with. Although I must say that I did not expect this degree of renovation after only one season.

G Guest wrote: May 26th, 2022, 8:54 pm Not really. It just happens to be the case that the renovation comes shortly after the match she refereed. If it had been at the start of the season this would not have happened so soon. To put it another way she was part of the problem they are now dealing with. Although I must say that I did not expect this degree of renovation after only one season.

George,

The problem with Rodney Parade was the drainage. That is cured. The decision to replace the surface seems to be fairly common practice these days. My view is the referee scraping her boot is inconsequential. You have a different view. We'll just have to agree to differ.

Just a thought. Clearly the standard of the pitch at Rodney Parade was not good enough for football before the drainage issue was resolved. However these days we have perfect playing conditions, pretty much season long and pretty much at every stadium. I'm not suggesting playing on quagmires is ever a good thing. That said teams being able to adapt to less than perfect conditions used to be part of the game. If we take too many of the chance elements out of our game I think, if you'll forgive the pun, we risk throwing the baby out with the bath water.

If all teams get their “ processes “ right then we’ll have produced the most boring game on earth. I yearn for the odd quagmire and for a game on snow played with an orange ball. Most games of rugby are fairly predictable, as are teams at the top of the Premiership playing inferior teams. The Sport I fell in love with was far from perfect but it was exciting and entertaining, part of its charm was it’s unpredictability, we’ll all be the losers if that is removed, bring on Lady Luck and some adverse conditions though of course these days we’d never be trusted to walk on an icy path on our way to the ground.

Stan A. Einstein wrote: May 26th, 2022, 6:42 pm Not wanting to upset Pemb's, who let's face it takes offence far too easily, but I think the damage done by the referee's boot has finally been put into context.

It’s outrageous that the club have to do this. Perhaps the offending ref was wearing stiletto’s. The damage is worse than thought.

On a serious note - I didn’t expect the club to have to do pitch work so soon.

pembsexile wrote: May 27th, 2022, 8:05 am

Stan A. Einstein wrote: May 26th, 2022, 6:42 pm Not wanting to upset Pemb's, who let's face it takes offence far too easily, but I think the damage done by the referee's boot has finally been put into context.

It’s outrageous that the club have to do this. Perhaps the offending ref was wearing stiletto’s. The damage is worse than thought.

On a serious note - I didn’t expect the club to have to do pitch work so soon.

Morning Mike reading the article it looks like an annual thing think of it as an annual service

Copy and pasted the full article from the NCFC website.
This is annual maintenance programme nothing to do with a ref scrapping a boot on the ground.

"The summer renovation of the pitch at Rodney Parade is underway following the conclusion of the 2021/2022 season for both Dragons Rugby and Newport County.

The annual renovation - in partnership with South Wales Sports ground - is crucial to ensure the pitch is maintained to the high standards set by our award-winning grounds team.

Over the course of the season an organic layer forms from maintaining, preparing and playing on the surface.

That will now be removed this week, alongside the top layer of grass using a Koro FTM machine.

The team will then rake and brush the remaining fibres to stand them back up before verti-draining the pitch, which helps alleviate waterlogging and deep aerates the ground to remove compaction.

The level will then be rebuilt through top dressing with sand and re-brushed before applying granular fertiliser.

The final stage will be to sew grass seeds back into the pitch using a dimple seeder machine.

The whole process will be complete this week, before grass gradually begins to grow back.

This process will ensure the Rodney Parade playing surface will be in pristine condition for the commencement of the 2022/2023 season.

Jon Raymond, Rodney Parade Facilities Manager, said: “The success we had last season, winning the EFL League Two pitch of the year, was thanks to the hard work of the grounds team here at Rodney Parade.

“Heading into next season, we want to maintain and exceed that standard and this process is vital in ensuring we can successfully achieve that.

“Our thanks to South Wales Sports Grounds. It’s been great to work with them once again; we have a fantastic relationship and their eye for detail is what makes them great at what they do.”

All sounds good. But I notice no County pre-season games are due to be played on the surface.

wattsville_boy wrote: May 27th, 2022, 3:08 pm All sounds good. But I notice no County pre-season games are due to be played on the surface.

Not sure where you got playing on RP from.
List of pre season fixtures from The County wesite

PRE-SEASON SCHEDULE

July 1: Undy AFC (A) – 19:00

July 9: Hungerford Town (H, Dragon Park, Behind Closed Doors) – 14:00

July 12: Fixture Agreed, Opposition to be announced shortly (A) – 19:00

July 15: Weston-Super-Mare (A) – 19:30

July 16: Torquay United (A) – 15:00

July 23: Fixture Agreed, Opposition to be announced shortly (A) – 15:00 (Behind Closed Doors)

Fu Ming wrote: May 27th, 2022, 4:45 pm

wattsville_boy wrote: May 27th, 2022, 3:08 pm All sounds good. But I notice no County pre-season games are due to be played on the surface.

Not sure where you got playing on RP from.
List of pre season fixtures from The County wesite

PRE-SEASON SCHEDULE

July 1: Undy AFC (A) – 19:00

July 9: Hungerford Town (H, Dragon Park, Behind Closed Doors) – 14:00

July 12: Fixture Agreed, Opposition to be announced shortly (A) – 19:00

July 15: Weston-Super-Mare (A) – 19:30

July 16: Torquay United (A) – 15:00

July 23: Fixture Agreed, Opposition to be announced shortly (A) – 15:00 (Behind Closed Doors)

He clearly says that NO pre season games are due to be played at Rodders.

Now we have such a fantastic pitch, I think it makes sense to forgo playing friendlies on it. Times have changed. Bear in mind the appeal of visits from bigger clubs is much reduced now we are in the EFL. I assume playing behind closed doors reduces the costs because there's no need for stewarding among other things.

Exile 1976 wrote: May 28th, 2022, 7:03 am

Fu Ming wrote: May 27th, 2022, 4:45 pm

wattsville_boy wrote: May 27th, 2022, 3:08 pm All sounds good. But I notice no County pre-season games are due to be played on the surface.

Not sure where you got playing on RP from.
List of pre season fixtures from The County wesite

PRE-SEASON SCHEDULE

July 1: Undy AFC (A) – 19:00

July 9: Hungerford Town (H, Dragon Park, Behind Closed Doors) – 14:00

July 12: Fixture Agreed, Opposition to be announced shortly (A) – 19:00

July 15: Weston-Super-Mare (A) – 19:30

July 16: Torquay United (A) – 15:00

July 23: Fixture Agreed, Opposition to be announced shortly (A) – 15:00 (Behind Closed Doors)

He clearly says that NO pre season games are due to be played at Rodders.

Oops, Sorry apologies to Wattsville Boy and all, I misread his statement.

UPTHEPORT wrote: May 27th, 2022, 8:15 am

pembsexile wrote: May 27th, 2022, 8:05 am

Stan A. Einstein wrote: May 26th, 2022, 6:42 pm Not wanting to upset Pemb's, who let's face it takes offence far too easily, but I think the damage done by the referee's boot has finally been put into context.

It’s outrageous that the club have to do this. Perhaps the offending ref was wearing stiletto’s. The damage is worse than thought.

On a serious note - I didn’t expect the club to have to do pitch work so soon.

Morning Mike reading the article it looks like an annual thing think of it as an annual service

Morning Jim. Yeah, sounds like a good idea to me.

I suspect that in a normal year following the annual renovation of our new pitch we would get at least one preseason friendly at RP against higher-grade opposition. However, the start of the coming league season is 2 weeks earlier than normal, and so the time available may not be technically sufficient for pitch stabilisation/grass growth this year to be able to fit one in.