Equipment needed for BM

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poppyfield
Posts: 1889
Joined: Fri Apr 20, 2012 11:36 am
Team Supported: Darlington

Equipment needed for BM

Post by poppyfield » Mon Oct 24, 2016 8:37 pm

Been thinking about this since the success of the 'Bricks' and the 'Goal posts/ Nets' fund raising efforts.
Imagine all the work going into BM to get the ground ready, the expectation, the build up only to hear 'match is off due to a frozen pitch or to surface water, it would be, well devastating and hard to take. I have heard that the BM pitch drains well and not many rugby games are cancelled due a water logged pitch, but obviously different games different criteria for when a game can or cannot go ahead.
I think back to HP and the last couple of seasons the number of games been called off, fixture back log, having to play at Spenny ( thanks again) lost revenue in fact the club was getting to serious financial difficulties.
So in my view we need to prepare, and now is the time to do it, we need a good set of pitch covers, and at least 1 ( 2 would be better ) roller soakers, we do have some pitch covers at HP, but these are not the best, 2 reasons, 1 they only cover about half the pitch ( I have helped pull them out a couple of times ) 2 the frost protection they offer is low.
The cost of pitch covers are horrendous! Rain/frost covers (for the whole pitch) £35,000, Frost cover only £27,000.
A used full pitch frost cover is available from £10,000 ( figures obtained from local companies) Smaller covers are available eg. Goalmouth covers 10x8m £395 each

Roller soaker. cost £695 each
http://www.bowcom.com/products/bowdry/
These could be purchased now from B2D bucket collections.

So there you have it, what is that saying, 'Fail to prepare or prepare to fail'.
If we wanted to go ahead and buy covers how would we fund it? Options are limited. Fans fund raising (again) a Darlington business stepping up to the plate or other ways I cant think of.
I do believe we need to think very hard about getting these things in place, we should go ahead and buy the roller soakers imo, see what could be done about the covers.
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Quakerz
Posts: 20958
Joined: Sat Jul 11, 2009 6:32 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Equipment needed for BM

Post by Quakerz » Tue Oct 25, 2016 9:05 am

It's all well and good continuously suggesting fundraising for extra bits and bobs, but sooner or later - probably sooner the way this season is going - we are going to need to fundraise another 6 figure sum to bring BM up to category A standard.

That's got to be priority.
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lo36789
Posts: 10931
Joined: Wed Apr 27, 2011 10:58 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Equipment needed for BM

Post by lo36789 » Tue Oct 25, 2016 9:56 am

tend to think it is better for fundraising like this to be requested and driven by the club. The club have a more holistic view on what is and isn't a priority.

MCFCDarlo3
Posts: 896
Joined: Tue Oct 28, 2014 8:28 pm
Team Supported: Manc born Darlo & City
Location: Manchester

Re: Equipment needed for BM

Post by MCFCDarlo3 » Tue Oct 25, 2016 10:22 am

poppyfield wrote:Been thinking about this since the success of the 'Bricks' and the 'Goal posts/ Nets' fund raising efforts.
Imagine all the work going into BM to get the ground ready, the expectation, the build up only to hear 'match is off due to a frozen pitch or to surface water, it would be, well devastating and hard to take. I have heard that the BM pitch drains well and not many rugby games are cancelled due a water logged pitch, but obviously different games different criteria for when a game can or cannot go ahead.
I think back to HP and the last couple of seasons the number of games been called off, fixture back log, having to play at Spenny ( thanks again) lost revenue in fact the club was getting to serious financial difficulties.
So in my view we need to prepare, and now is the time to do it, we need a good set of pitch covers, and at least 1 ( 2 would be better ) roller soakers, we do have some pitch covers at HP, but these are not the best, 2 reasons, 1 they only cover about half the pitch ( I have helped pull them out a couple of times ) 2 the frost protection they offer is low.
The cost of pitch covers are horrendous! Rain/frost covers (for the whole pitch) £35,000, Frost cover only £27,000.
A used full pitch frost cover is available from £10,000 ( figures obtained from local companies) Smaller covers are available eg. Goalmouth covers 10x8m £395 each

Roller soaker. cost £695 each
http://www.bowcom.com/products/bowdry/
These could be purchased now from B2D bucket collections.

So there you have it, what is that saying, 'Fail to prepare or prepare to fail'.
If we wanted to go ahead and buy covers how would we fund it? Options are limited. Fans fund raising (again) a Darlington business stepping up to the plate or other ways I cant think of.
I do believe we need to think very hard about getting these things in place, we should go ahead and buy the roller soakers imo, see what could be done about the covers.
Think its a great idea re frost covers,even if 2nd hand.

Club know priorities though so lead to come from them?

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D_F_C
Posts: 2054
Joined: Sat Mar 27, 2010 8:43 am
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Equipment needed for BM

Post by D_F_C » Tue Oct 25, 2016 12:18 pm

Quakerz wrote:It's all well and good continuously suggesting fundraising for extra bits and bobs, but sooner or later - probably sooner the way this season is going - we are going to need to fundraise another 6 figure sum to bring BM up to category A standard.

That's got to be priority.
Have to agree with Q. Although I think you're thoughts and the intention behind them is admirable, there are bigger priorities at the moment.

Neil_Heaneys_Pace
Posts: 379
Joined: Tue Nov 01, 2011 2:14 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Equipment needed for BM

Post by Neil_Heaneys_Pace » Tue Oct 25, 2016 2:37 pm

Also wouldn't we as tenants have some sort of agreement with our landlord about who covers the costs of pitch upkeep?

Im sure we will bear some of the cost but surely not all.

bigdavethemaddog
Posts: 259
Joined: Thu Jun 04, 2015 11:52 am

Re: Equipment needed for BM

Post by bigdavethemaddog » Tue Oct 25, 2016 4:24 pm

if the weather hets really bad im sure somebody who lend the club covers for a small rental fee

quakerste
Posts: 1519
Joined: Sat Jul 11, 2009 7:07 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Equipment needed for BM

Post by quakerste » Tue Oct 25, 2016 5:24 pm

Aren't the covers at Hp ours. I thought they were brought over from the arena

H1987
Posts: 2073
Joined: Wed Jul 13, 2016 4:14 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Equipment needed for BM

Post by H1987 » Wed Oct 26, 2016 10:41 am

Agree, other priorities must come first. The ground will need upgrading again, and that has to happen in the next year or two.

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