The Pitch

[Loggerheads Sage]

Several factors could be at play this season though.   Short turnaround from Swindon to season start.  Robbie Williams concert.  Unusually dry summer and autumn.  Very cold weather came early this year.   Very very wet last month.  

If the decision is that we just HAVE to sort it out once and for all, at a huge ( for us ) cost,  fans have got to accept that will impact on the squad.  A good FA cup run would have been ideal, or even a piazza cup run to Wembley,  but it wasn't to be.

[Sandyford_Lion]

2 minutes ago, Loggerheads Sage said:

Several factors could be at play this season though.   Short turnaround from Swindon to season start.  Robbie Williams concert.  Unusually dry summer and autumn.  Very cold weather came early this year.   Very very wet last month.  

If the decision is that we just HAVE to sort it out once and for all, at a huge ( for us ) cost,  fans have got to accept that will impact on the squad.  A good FA cup run would have been ideal, or even a piazza cup run to Wembley,  but it wasn't to be.

All correct but lets not forget its not just this season, its every winter we border on playing on a very heavy pitch, boot sinking in the top 2 inches of pitch. Very heavy on the legs, big danger to injuries, not smooth and so difficult to pass and control.

Agree its the same for both teams but football is different not to 20 years ago

Not sure the ball numbers would have been the same but Oxford just had a televised game against Arsenal. Could that have been us ?  £250 000 or more missed out on. Two fa cup games are massive and most important games of the early season to me , every year...

[Walka003]

You still had skillfull players back then. Perhaps they like it too easy now and expect a perfect pitch.. You certainly had to work more and put more effort in. It was a leveller as they say and this resulted in some good results for many teams, not just the Vale.
Nearly all pitches in the 70.s and 80.s were terrible. It was more exciting in the main but i dont believe the quality of skill was anywhere near todays premiership.

No doubt about it. My point is I don't understand all this arseaching about Speedy when it's always been the same.

[ollyandpatch]

Heavy rain all afternoon before the kids play on it later. 

[andy jones]

Final Score ...

Vale Youth 0. The Pitch 1

[darren1810]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/64306294 

[Fosse69]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/64306294 

Bolton's pitch is a Desso Grass Master, as used by Prem clubs and Wembley. It is reinforced with plastic fibres. Cost 500k to 1M, usually on a sand base.