SATURDAY PROSPECTS

[Windsor_Sec]

http://www.3g4us.org/

 

Anyone going?

 

Unfortunately Chris it says for Step 4 clubs and above !

[Krooner]

Guess you will be going then Windsor_Sec as you lot are all BBB.

 

Stan asked if you could give him a lift

 

{Dons Tin Hat}

 

[Big J R]

Guess you will be going then Windsor_Sec as you lot are all BBB.

 

Stan asked if you could give him a lift

 

{Dons Tin Hat}

 

 

 

Very witty, Kroons !!

 

Todays bit in the Surrey/Dorking Advertiser.  It doesn't bode well for the week-end !

 

http://www.dorkingandleatherheadadvertiser.co.uk/Floods-expected-Surrey-Cobham-hit/story-20409092-detail/story.html

[duncs]

 

But Duncs you are really missing the point here.  I'm not completely  against 3G/4G infact I think its great for small kids to improve their balls skills etc., and its not about change its about FINANCE... you have not answered that question.  How are clubs at step 4.5.6 going to be able to finance (buy) a 3G/4G at the costs mentioned above on my previous post ?

 

 

Please answer me that 'cos I would be very interested to know?

 I've already said how we can finance the pitches but i think that as more and more places get them then it will be the local authorities that install them,look all you guys that want to play on grass forever i'm sure there will be grass pitches put aside for you so as you don't have change,we gotta move forward guys or we will fall further behind the best countries in the world

[Windsor_Sec]

Guess you will be going then Windsor_Sec as you lot are all BBB.

 

Stan asked if you could give him a lift

 

{Dons Tin Hat}

 

 

Would love to give him a lift Kroons but unfortunately the budget won't stretch that far. LOL !!!! 

[Lazy Sod]

I seem to recall an artificial pitch was used for a recent Champions League Final. How many of the detractors here would just happen to be Chelsea fans?

 

Edited January 8, 2014 by Lazy Sod

[duncs]

Funnilly enough LS I am a Blues fan,what weather conditions are we gonna get this weekend I wonder,this is what I was saying in an earlier post the focus should be on the matches not the weather,but still mistifyingly some of you don't mind if the games get called off,i've heard it all now,as Victor Meldrew would say UNBELEIVABLE.

[Powelly1]

Lazy sod - I think you'll find the artificial pitch was dug up and a grass pitch laid for that game in Moscow.

[CW1975]

I think artificial pitches are the way forward for some clubs but not all. The technology has certainly moved on with these pitches and to have such backing proves they are suitable to play on at all levels. Maidstone Utd are the model to use and to see them involved with the 3g4us shows they would be willing to assist with advise etc. it was reading an article about them that convinced me that it can work and was something I looked into in my time at Sheerwater. Unfortunately it wouldn't happen there unless the athletic club and football club were separated as the javelins would cause havoc.

 

I can't see the likes of Windsor or Croydon needing to replace their pitch with 3G and there will be others that may only have to cope with a couple of postponements each season when staying with grass, which could be a blessing in disguise for some teams with a heavy schedule of games. The likes of Chessington & Hook however would benefit greatly as they are renowned for postponements and could you imagine the transformation of South Kilburns ground if they were to regenerate with 3G etc. The revenue that can be made from hiring these pitches out is also a massive factor and in this day and age clubs need more revenue. Member clubs would have to become Limited Companies to cope with the revenue and be run so but this would be a progression in itself. I think many clubs would benefit and it would open up so many possibilities for youth development through all ages, again this also brings revenue. The interest in your football club then grows and brings the punters in. If you opened the doors for a free two hour session on the pitch twice a week you would also encourage kids to come and play, this would be managed of course by coaches so it wasn't just a frenzie of kids running wild.

 

Yes you need the backing of the councils and funding to boot. Funding is available and if helped by local councils with a plan of splitting the earnings everyone's a winner as the council get their money back and the club makes a profit. I think if you make it so that the communities will benefit from the facility it is something that they may back. You have to approach them with a business plan and the right beneficial package to the community and I'm sure they would assist, how many have actually tried? Maidstone Utd did and their story says it all for me.

Edited January 9, 2014 by Young Veteran

[Lazy Sod]

I would much rather be at a football ground watching the teams giving their all instead of being stuck at home with someone like Jeff Stelling creaming his pants as the latest Golden Boy of English Football bends down to tie his laces. I did play once on the artificial surface at Kenilworth Rd (Luton Town's home) and that was a very uncomfortable experience. It was akin to playing on concrete with a sandpaper coating. Technology has advanced greatly since then and now players can wear normal boots on these new surfaces. I sincerely believe that progress needs to be made. 

[newby marvel]

we at lammas trained on a 4g pitch over xmas was really no different to playing on grass though obviously is harder when you fall onto it. definetely agree with yv its the way forward though saying that over on the other pitch next to us they were clearing a huge puddle so they could play!!!

 

bloody underline sorry

[E&E Rich]

YV great post!

 

One thing in there that really hit me was that the council and a club could get together and share the cost, with a sharing of revenue to follow. Bizarrely I'd never considered that as our Council are so uninterested as a rule. That said, I bet our club have never put the suggestion to the council either and if we could get a half input from the council on a 3g, we could fill the gap in our revenue that is stopping us currently from building a ground and provide a service in return.

 

Sure we'd make less than in any original business plan, but survival has to come first and that seems a good way of achieving it.  

[CW1975]

Rich, E&E and other clubs without a ground currently should be persueing this avenue as far as I am concerned, it's a great opportunity for the club, the press coverage for councils and any other persons involved. Getting a new state of the art facility is big news in any borough. Add in mobile phone providers funding your lights to add their transmitters and maybe a fitness centre chain to pay for the clubhouse etc, with exclusive use for your football club members . Tooting & Mitcham is round the back of my house and they have a 3G that's just been relayed and is in use constantly along with a number of other facilities. Cutting the right deal is what will sell the idea for all. Kids need these facilities for their development and I see that as an important issue these days so pitching it to provide for them will go a long way.

[Windsor_Sec]

Very good post YV.  You mention Windsor as probably not needing a 4G surface but we are in fact planning for exactly that in the future as it will open up greater usage of the pitch almost 24/7 which means all 36 teams within the club can play/train at the ground and therefore increases the opportunity for added income from the clubhouse as well as the opportunity to hire it out more often for corporate games, 5 a side leagues, etc.  I would however strongly suggest that clubs go it alone wherever possible as councils are notorious for 'moving the goalposts' and stitching clubs up !  Apart from the normal avenues of funding ie FA, Lottery, Sport England etc you can apply for funding from your local council from Section 106 funds which basically is a sum of money property developers pay to the council for allowing their developments to go ahead and the funds are meant to be used by the council to improve leisure facilities for its' residents [this includes non-council run facilities].  Maidenhead Rugby Club recently had a big lump of S106  money thrown at them to install a 4G surface which they now hire out and make money from but ironically Maidenhead Utd FC applied for S106 funds recently and were turned down as it was deemed unsuitable for their project to build a new stand which wouldn't benefit the residents of the town whereas an application to build a 4G pitch would have been deemed suitable.

I think football at the top levels will always be mainly played on natural grass surfaces as the clubs in question aren't looking to maximise the usage of their pitches thanks to the massive incomes they get from attendances, sponsorship and TV rights but non-league clubs need to maximise their earning potential wherever possible so 4G is an obvious part of that equation as it's crazy to have a facility sitting unused for 90% of every week when it could be generating much-needed funds for the club.  

[CW1975]

I also believe that 3G pitches will improve players technically, especially at a younger age.

[Big J R]

I also believe that 3G pitches will improve players technically, especially at a younger age.

 

 

YV, yet again, I agree, but I keep asking.............. WHO PAYS ?????

[CW1975]

YV, yet again, I agree, but I keep asking.............. WHO PAYS ?????

Well JR, I see Dorking FC as one of the prime candidates for such a project. I think you have the perfect location in the town centre, a good enclosed pitch and a good reason to get the council onside and keep the wolves from your door( I hope I'm right in saying that people have wanted to take the ground from Dorking FC and develop it for other use. If not I apologise).

 

Has anyone approached the local council for funding a 3G project with all the benefits of such a ground going to the local community, groundbreaking move for the town and the borough. Maybe this would be the first move. There is plenty of funding about and with the maths done properly can prove a very profitable project. Dorking FC is a Limited Company so therefore, with the right business plan, going to the bank with backing of grants and funding from the FA etc they could be willing to help. As long as you make the project work financially then you will make a good profit, you may have money to pay back each month but it's no worse than many clubs pay for pitch hire at the moment but you will have a massive revenue. If you have any doubts I would suggest contacting Maidstone Utd or going to the 3g4us if you can. It all takes time and effort but if you have a good team of people with the energy to see it through you will benefit in the long run I'm sure, it's they way forward.

 

I hope you guys don't mind but I have also voted for you on the Capitol One ground improvement grant which could net you £75k, if others can do the same it might go a long way.

 

https://www.facebook.com/capitaloneuk/app_334443379979708?app_data=grounds-for-improvement

[duncs]

Thanks Chris (YV) great posts mate

[Weeble]

Watched a game at Hayes on latest synthetic pitch and it was a great game good passing and it played the same as a grass pitch. Costs a lot of money but ask Maidstone the advantages of one and how much revenue it produces not only for it being hired but the clubhouse revenue also. I am sitting on the fence on yes or no but slightly tilting towards yes

[Big J R]

Well JR, I see Dorking FC as one of the prime candidates for such a project. I think you have the perfect location in the town centre, a good enclosed pitch and a good reason to get the council onside and keep the wolves from your door( I hope I'm right in saying that people have wanted to take the ground from Dorking FC and develop it for other use. If not I apologise).

 

Has anyone approached the local council for funding a 3G project with all the benefits of such a ground going to the local community, groundbreaking move for the town and the borough. Maybe this would be the first move. There is plenty of funding about and with the maths done properly can prove a very profitable project. Dorking FC is a Limited Company so therefore, with the right business plan, going to the bank with backing of grants and funding from the FA etc they could be willing to help. As long as you make the project work financially then you will make a good profit, you may have money to pay back each month but it's no worse than many clubs pay for pitch hire at the moment but you will have a massive revenue. If you have any doubts I would suggest contacting Maidstone Utd or going to the 3g4us if you can. It all takes time and effort but if you have a good team of people with the energy to see it through you will benefit in the long run I'm sure, it's they way forward.

 

I hope you guys don't mind but I have also voted for you on the Capitol One ground improvement grant which could net you £75k, if others can do the same it might go a long way.

 

https://www.facebook.com/capitaloneuk/app_334443379979708?app_data=grounds-for-improvement

 

 

Many thanks Chris (YV).

 

There are so may issues to this problem at the moment that we have to wait and see exactly what the owners of Dorking F.C.( a limited company)  want to do.

Edited January 10, 2014 by Big J R