Renovation work begins on Blackpool's Bloomfield Road pitch

Renovation of Blackpool's often criticised Bloomfield Road pitch has got underway this morning.
Picture courtesy of David JonesPicture courtesy of David Jones
Picture courtesy of David Jones
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Head groundsman Harry Bradley posted a video on Twitter of a tractor digging up the pitch.

The early work will see the top surface removed which takes away the vegetation and organic matter.

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The surface has been in a poor condition for much of the season, with manager Terry McPhillips previously admitting the Seasiders have had to change their style of play because of it.

"It’s not really football – it’s fightball the way it bounces about," he said after the 1-0 home defeat to Peterborough United.

"I’m not sure about calling it rub of the green – it’s rub of the brown the way the pitch is!

"I think we’ve proven now that if we’re on a better pitch we do better."

The Bloomfield Road pitch was criticised throughout the seasonThe Bloomfield Road pitch was criticised throughout the season
The Bloomfield Road pitch was criticised throughout the season
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The club were unable to dig up the pitch after the season had ended due to last weekend's Rugby League Summer Bash, which was held at Bloomfield Road over Saturday and Sunday.

Assistant manager Tony Grant said the Seasiders might have made the top six in League One had they had a better pitch to play on.

He said: "I’ve played at every level and I was a footballer, so I know you cannot play football on that pitch.

“When you sit in the stands you don’t realise how bad the pitch is – it’s an away team’s pitch.

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“Most away teams set up behind the ball and they’re hoping we play football, which we’re trying to do but it causes us so much trouble it’s so easy to play against.

The pitch needs a serious look at for next season because there’s a football team in there who want to play football.

“If we can take the away form and put it here, I think it’s a minimum top-six team.

“I’m not easily blaming the pitch because I’ve played on a lot of bad pitches, but that pitch is set up for an away team, especially at the end of the season when it gets a bit crusty and hard.

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“You see the green on TV and from the stand, but the reality as a footballer is that it bobbles.

“You could say we’re just looking for something to blame but the pitch needs to be blamed and rectified, simple as.

“I don’t know what they’ve done with it but it’s 10 times worse than the pitches I played on. I don’t want to make excuses but it just doesn’t sit right."