April
Newsfile

Newsfile Archive

City's head groundsman Wayne Nash explains just whats happening beneath the superb surface he produces week in week out.

"The lack of a link drainage system at ninian park has been a long standing problem for the groundstaff, this year we have taken first step in correcting that by installing a pipe drainage system.

The site as we know is on the old council "ashtip" and is quite free draining but it only had 2 small land drains which were to deep in all honesty to make any effect on surface drainage.

We had previously decided to make this improvement 7 years ago during rick wrights era and an order to commence was given, unfortunately he decided to sell the club after the welsh cup final and the work was cancelled 2 weeks before commencing

The system was designed by Dr Bill Adams [head of the soil science dept at Aberystwyth University] and is being installed by A Jones and Son of Usk.
Jones have done most of the drainage work at Ninian Park since the 70's when Jimmy Schoular brought them in to try and get the club out of the mess that was caused when the diamond was dug out and a stone raft created [drainage technique, now rather dated] they are not the big name football pitch construction company, but are a good company who are more than able to meet our requirements without charging the Earth [pun not intended] Dr Adams is also comfortable with their work.

The work involves laying a main [125mm perforated drainage pipe, 900mm deep] around the Canton and Bob Bank touchline and another at the grandstand flank, they are feeding the the main storm water drain.

We then cut Lateral drains [90mm 750mm deep] into these at 10 meters intervals from both sides of the pitch, these are staggered and gives us 5 meter spacings through the centre area this helps overcome the problem that crossing the camber would have given us and doubles up on drainage in the biggest wear area.

These are installed using a lazer guided trencher though as was mentioned on an earlier post this is not cutting edge tecnology and could easily be done with boning rods and levels - but if you have a bottle opener why use your teeth !!
Good groundsmanship has a lot to do with doing basics well and the installation of this drainage system will assist us in our drive for consistently good playing surfaces. working from the bottom up we have installed a drainage system and will in the future improve the soil structure and turf texture but thats for another post as this is already long enough"

Thank you Wayne. Keep up the good work, the pitch you produce has played a major part in out promotion.