One Call Stadium surface to be raked before the start of next season.
Work has today begun at One Call Stadium in preparing our playing surface for the 2014/15 campaign.
During the next few weeks, the pitch will be thoroughly scarified, before being covered with sand and recycled in preparation for our first home pre-season friendly against Notts County on Saturday 12 July.
As a result of heavy investment in the playing surface by the club last summer, the cost of maintaining the surface this summer will be considerably less than in previous years.
Head groundsman Michael Merriman said: “We’re having the pitch scarified, which is basically dragging out all the meadow grass, organic matter, and rubbish what has dropped in there.
“We’re then having 60 tonnes of pure sand [put] on top, and then a recycling top dresser, which basically churns the top eight to 10 inches up, mixes it about and then levels the surface.”
He continued: “The work won’t be as extensive as last year, because we didn’t feel it needed it this year surface-wise, but underneath we’re having done yet again to help the drainage.”
Subscribers to Stags Player can now watch a full video interview with Michael Merriman. To subscribe to Stags Player, click here.
