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Reply | TVOS Preview - Rochdale v Southend United
at 16:32 21 Sep 2025
The covers, unless they have raised edges to contain the rainwater, will likely overflow beneath adjacent covers once the collected water gets to a certain depth where it has no option but to run off. This'll happen in very specific areas based in the varying levels of the pitch, but will result in pooling that just sits there perched on the already sodden ground. Pools of water that a referee could say makes the pitch unplayable.
Just trying to think of a way of making what's available work, but if there's another similar situation, could the lapped areas be raised a little to contain the water instead of allowing it run under the covers? The moppers could run up and down between the slightly raised areas getting rid of it. Through work I've battled the elements and water in the ground for the last 25 years and know all too well how hard it is to deal with. It gets everywhere. |
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Reply | TVOS Preview - Rochdale v Southend United
at 11:40 21 Sep 2025
I think the type of 'tent' cover you describe is probably the only way to successfully prevent the ingress of water onto the pitch.
Does anyone on here know how exactly the current covers are laid? In my mind, I assume that the covers are rolled out across the width of the pitch and they have a certain degree of overlap. They aren't connected together to form a watertight sheet. If this is the case then they'll almost definitely cause more problems than solutions on a pitch that doesn't drain freely.
The pitch surface isn't flat and level, so once the waterproof cover can take no more water in a particular spot where it collects, it'll run off down the nearest slight incline. If that runs off beneath the overlapped covers, then all you end up with is large pools of water trapped underneath. Probably exactly what happened yesterday. A free draining pitch could possibly deal with it, but we dont have that luxury. The pitch drainage is the problem going forward. Yesterday's weather on top of a very wet week caused the postponement of the game. It's going to take a lot of luck with the weather to get through the next 6 months without 3 or 4 more cancelled matches using the current covers on the current pitch.
The tent type cover would protect the playing surface, but it would also send 1000s of litres of water to the sides of the pitch. The drains to the sides would then have to deal with all that water and I don't think they're currently up to the task.
Looking at the upcoming fixtures, it seems there's over 2 weeks in early October without a home game. Can some temporary works be carried out to the drainage surrounding the pitch to help get us through the rest of autumn and winter? |
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Reply | TVOS Preview - Rochdale v Southend United
at 21:16 20 Sep 2025
Just a few facts to help bring a bit of reality into the discussion. It is now 9pm and the weather is still horrendous. I doubt we'll see another Saturday as bad as this all season. |
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Reply | TVOS Preview - Rochdale v Southend United
at 19:04 20 Sep 2025
The only thing that would have saved today's game is a roof. The weather, and only the weather, is why this game has not gone ahead. The covers did their job. The problem is that since the dry weather broke at the back end of August, it has rained on 22 out of 26 days. The ground is wet for this time of year. On average 100mm of rain falls here in the month of September. Over 100mm of rain has fallen here since last Monday. It's been an exceptionally wet week. I own and run an engineered groundwork business and we lost 2 days this week. In September, that's unheard of. We'll be unlucky to see many weeks as wet throughout the rest of the season. I guess that where the covers overlap the rain runs off one cover, beneath another and the water pools hugely on the sodden grass.Last season we were unlucky with bad weather on match days, and its started again early this season. 24 hours earlier or 24 hours later and the game goes ahead. |
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Reply | Head Steward type fella...
at 17:17 4 Feb 2025
Oh hello, this is fascinating. How have I been dragged into this? I'd love to know. |
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Reply | Oldham game
at 13:35 4 Feb 2025
Bit of a squall passing through right now on the back edge of the rain band. It should be brighter and fairly dry from now until kick off. Not much rain has fallen, so surely there won't be any issues with the game going ahead. |
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Reply | Oldham game
at 14:10 1 Feb 2025
I'd agree that the first inspection of the pitch isn't left until around 6pm. It would also be wise to have the option of an earlier look at it. I don't know how that would work.
Unfortunately, the weather forecast yet again doesn't appear to be doing us any favours on match day. Mostly dry up until Tuesday, but Tuesday looks to be a day with potentially prolonged light rain. Hopefully it doesn't hang around too long, but only small amounts cause huge problems to certain areas of the pitch. We don't get any luck at all as for several days either side of Tuesday, the weather is fine. |
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Reply | Boston Match Thread
at 15:20 29 Jan 2025
I'd suggest that the social media post mentioned was the worst point of a shambolic day. It set the wheels in motion to a disastrous evening.
Anyone who's watched the past couple of games has seen how slow and heavy much of the pitch is. It's a fact of living in the Pennine foothills during winter. Some areas are far worse than others, and any one of us could have kicked a ball round that pitch yesterday morning and known that a couple of spots are that bad, there could be a risk to the fixture.
How then did that hugely confident post get sent out? Whoever signed that bit of comms off, cost travelling supporters thousands. Has it got to the point where the club is taking a punt at getting a match on? Can trust the current set up to get any fixtures to go ahead if typical winter weather continues?
It's also got to 3.20pm the following day and still no sign of an explanation or apology communicated by the club. Really poor. What must Boston United and their fans think of that? |
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Reply | Boston Match Thread
at 22:49 28 Jan 2025
Some big meetings, conversations and decisions to be made by those at the club over the next few days. A good week of mostly dry weather to come, but it will only remove a little moisture from a sodden pitch. If nothing can be done to alleviate the major problems in the worst areas, how late do you leave a decision on the Oldham match? There can't be another repeat of this evening. |
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Reply | Pitch update
at 09:38 25 Jan 2025
The weather gods must have something against RAFC. Last night's rain was completely unexpected, and this morning there's unforcasted snow on the ground here in Norden. It shouldn't impact today's game, but it just adds that element of doubt that shouldn't exist after a few mm of rain. |
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Reply | TVOS Preview - Rochdale v Altrincham
at 01:17 1 Jan 2025
Ah, ok. Perhaps its therefore time to take advantage of you being there and arrange to mmeetup with one of the fine folks on this forum. I'm there and would be happy to part with a few quid to meet realisticdale33 and buy a drink. I'm sure others would too. Is that good for you? |
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Reply | Pitch update
at 00:54 1 Jan 2025
50mm of rain here since it started around 12pm Friday. A very wet day for us. If there's no miracle solution from the covers and verti-drain, then wetsuits will be required to get a game on. |
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Reply | TVOS Preview - Rochdale v Altrincham
at 17:30 31 Dec 2024
I'm sure the Hartlepool pitch will be fine bud. You'll get your game on.
Fair play to the Rochdale ground staff to try and get the game in using the covers. Hopefully the uncovered strip down the centre of the pitch is OK with today's rain. Fair play too to the club for posting the update. As with the Oldham match, the updates were a little late. We'll never know if it is the case, but it shouldn't take comments on an online forum or social media to prompt the club to put this news out. |
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Reply | TVOS Preview - Rochdale v Altrincham
at 12:40 31 Dec 2024
The latest forecast suggests that the main band of rain clears by around 9am tomorrow. That suggests around 20 hours of fairly persistent and at times heavy rain. It'll probably amount to 20 to 25mm of rain, so fairly wet even for these parts.
If the club have bought, hired or borrowed rain covers then they'd have 6 hours to clear the covers and work on the pitch. Rain covers would probably ensure the match goes ahead. No covers and there's a very small chance it'll be on as long as the ground staff can clear enough standing water to pass any pitch inspection.
I find it quite odd and I've no idea why it's so secretive, but given the publicised pitch problems, there will be many fans who don't want to risk buying tickets or travelling without some sort of confidence from the club. Posting the bog standard matchday social media updates just doesn't do that. A bit of honesty goes a long way. |
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Reply | TVOS Preview - Rochdale v Altrincham
at 15:23 29 Dec 2024
The club surely have to make the time to push out some sort of positive communication if they wish to promote the confidence that sells tickets and makes up the minds of the undecided.
SG said in his positive Christmas statement that action would be taken to ensure that this week's games go ahead. Given the issues with pitch drainage, I presume that means rain covers will be down Tuesday morning onwards. If that's the case then letting fans know in advance can only be a good thing as it could be the only solution to ensure the game goes ahead and gets more bums on seats.
Fingers crossed they get this game on because I think by Saturday the pitch could well be frozen. |
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Reply | TVOS Preview - Rochdale v Altrincham
at 11:32 29 Dec 2024
If the club have taken measures to protect the pitch, then they should make that information available. As you say, that will provide confidence to both home and away fans to purchase tickets and decide to spend NewYears Day, a day when folk could choose to do many other things, at the COA.
The problem is that with the current weather forecast and the warnings for both wind and snow just issued by the Met Office, the likelihood is that this match will not be on unless measures have been taken by the time the first rain falls on Tuesday.
If 6mm of rain scuppered the Boston match, then the predicted precipitation really will give the club a New Years Day hangover. Another match with decent ticket sales/bar takings potentially off. |
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Reply | Potential threat from the weather to Saturday's match
at 10:30 23 Nov 2024
Up here in Norden, the rain has got heavier. It'll be pouring down during this inspection. Not good. It is a rough morning out there and it is a named storm for a reason. Even if the pitch was playable, you really would struggle to play a football match in this. |
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Reply | Potential threat from the weather to Saturday's match
at 09:59 23 Nov 2024
I'd love to see the game get the go ahead, but it's a very brave call by a ref to say all is ok.at 10am this morning. The rain is a bit patchy at the moment but that could change considerably over the next 2 or 3 hours. The problem for the ref is that, given the size of the travelling support, there needs to be a definite decision off the first inspection. I don't think there's an option for a second inspection in another hour as could often be the case. |
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