The new pitch is ready

The laying of the new astroturf facility at TD is now almost finished – we are just waiting for a few dry days to lay the 75+ tonnes of sand on top of the pitch and then it will be ready for use. (Click here for more pictures)

The surface is far superior to the old beach and will play far more like a water-based pitch without the vast maintenance costs and fungal infections that usually result from those. It should also not have the same issues with freezing in the mid winter that we had of old. Aside from the pitch itself, we have invested in new goals and new dugouts.

The drainage, for so long a major problem, has been revamped at a cosy of over £40,000. A new soakaway has been built – the last one seems to have inadvertently had a thumping great telecom tower laid over it – and drains laid alongside the pitch itself. A new deeper pit is also by the entrance to the pitch to prevent water running off the car park onto the pitch.

The area in front of the grandstand has been tarmaced so it will now be available to stand on without sinking into a foot of mud. The path from the clubhouse to the pitch has been widened, laid with tarmac and then overlaid with astroturf.

Inside the club, the bar has been increased in size and a new 42” plasma TV purchased. New gents loos have been built, and major improvements are being carried out over the summer to the changing rooms.

The end result of an investment of more than £200,000 is that the OC Club will again be one of – if not the – most impressive clubs in the area and one that we can all rightly be proud of.