Turf Wars

Monday 11^th January 2016; a bit foggy early on, with a touch of ground frost, but it got out to be a clear, cool, bright and beautiful winter day, without a cloud in the sky. We’ve not had many of these kind of days lately; December was the warmest on record, so zero and below temperatures simply haven’t happened so far this winter. Unfortunately, the wettest November and December since records began have taken the gloss off the unseasonably balmy temperatures. I know this whinge is very small beer when compared to images of devastation in Cumbria, York and elsewhere in the north, but the catastrophic effect the elements have had on non-league football really does merit further consideration.

My team Benfield remain unbeaten in over 7 weeks, mainly because we haven’t kicked a ball since November 28^th. This period of inactivity includes the game at Morpeth on December 19^th getting the heave-ho when the teams were warming up, because of one questionable soggy patch on the far touchline, but most of the time incessant rain has put paid to games well in advance. Maddeningly these have included home games against Whitley Bay and the Boxing Day money-spinner when North Shields were due to visit; rescheduled midweek ties never have quite the same buzz about them, or comparable volume of paying customers. Last year, we didn’t have a single home postponement; this time round, we’ve had 4 already and it hasn’t even got cold yet. Consequently, fingers must be crossed for this weekend, when we hope to host local rivals West Allotment Celtic in the Coach Lane Clasico.

However, amidst all this wailing and gnashing of teeth, the actual fact is I’ve managed to see a game every single Saturday since the start of July 2015, as I did last season. Not only that, with only 3 games featuring Northern League teams surviving on Saturday January 9^th, I was still able to watch 4 games on 3 different pitches, seeing 19 goals in the process; Wallsend Winstons 1 Richmond Vets 3 (10.30 Blakelaw 4G, North East Over 40s Division 3),  Bedlington Terriers 3 Percy Main Amateurs 3 (12.15 Blakelaw 4G, friendly), the second half of Forest Hall 4 Gosforth Bohemians Reserves 5 (2.00 Coach Lane 4G, Tyneside Amateur League) and the second half of Team Northumbria 1 Marske United 2 (3.00 Coach Lane, FA Vase). This veritable sporting feast didn’t cost me a penny either, other than the £5 subs for playing like a dog for Winstons first off.

As I’ve hinted, 4G was the key for 3 of those games. The other, on Team Northumbria’s home ground, was on a pitch that is the best in the Northern League in every possible way; flat, well-grassed, immaculately kept and draining perfectly; who says there’s a crisis of funding in Higher Education? All those £9k per annum fees have gone to some use at any rate.

Seriously though, surely 4G is the way to go now. While we’ve all played on mudheaps (some of us still do in the Over 40s) and had a great time getting hacky black from head to toe, taking our lead from the likes of the Baseball ground in the mid-70s, this rarely is the case these days. Basically, referees, officials and some players don’t want games played in farcical conditions and, if they are halfway decent and have youth on their side, I agree with them. At my age, stumbling over on a ploughed field, ankle deep in stagnant water, is great; if you’re 17 and have a bit about you, it’s awful. This is why, at the time of writing, 2 FA Vase third round ties featuring Northern League teams (South Shields v Morpeth Town and Newton Aycliffe v Atherton Collieries, the conquerors of Benfield) have yet to take place, when fourth round ties were originally schedulked for Saturday just gone.

There is an easy solution to the problems of ever wetter winters; install 2 full sized, floodlit 4G pitches at every High School in the country and 2 small sized, floodlit 4G pitches at every Primary. If you notice, I’m calling it 4G and not all weather because no surface, synthetic or not, is truly all weather. Consett’s state of the art pitch has seen games called off because of ice on the surrounding areas and snow on the pitch (it is Consett remember; mild winters don’t exist), while snow flurries put paid to games in early December at Coach Lane for Forest Hall and Walker College for West Jesmond in the Tyneside Amateur. Perhaps the craziest reason for postponements this season so far has been wind, which caused a Team North game to be called off at 2.53pm; the opposition were Northallerton, which just adds insult to injury.

I’m not saying 4G is a panacea for all the ills of the game or better than grass (diving at Blakelaw was akin to jumping onto a pallet of upturned scrubbing brushes), but it is a practical, reliable alternative when inclement conditions prevail. Also, if floodlights were part of the package, youth and Sunday leagues could avail themselves of the facility, meaning that games could take place from Friday evening to Sunday evening, with the rest of the week available for training. There is a market out there for teams wanting midweek facilities outdoors and regular practises would keep wavering kids and shadow squad players involved.

I’m also not saying 4G is the solution for all grassroots (should that be astroturf roots?) clubs, mainly because it costs a hell of a lot to install. Consett are delighted with their set up at Belle View and whoever takes over Durham City’s former home New Ferens Park, now scandalously standing empty after an unseemly and intractable power struggle between the owners and Citizens’ chair Olivier Bernard, will inherit an immaculate surface in a slightly scruffy ground. However, other new grounds, such as Ashington’s, Penrith’s and Bishop Auckland’s, were constructed with a traditional surface and have suffered terrible drainage problems as a result. I’d imagine that the nouveau riche Mariners will investigate a top of the range synthetic surface for next season, but I don’t see a whole raft of others undertaking fund raising drives or feasibility studies as a precursor to embracing a 4G future.

In a sense, at Northern League level, that’s praiseworthy; we have 44 clubs, each with a unique history and set of traditions. They all have their spiritual home grounds (apart from perhaps Washington, who took over Nissan’s vacant ground and West Allotment who sublet Blue Flames from the Northumberland FA), which they would be loathe or even unable to lay 4G on. However, that isn’t really the case at the Northern Alliance or Tyneside Amateur League level, in the vast majority of cases. In my beloved Tyneside Amateur League, 6 clubs have what could, however loosely, be described as a home ground. Gosforth Bohemians Reserves are part of the organisation that owns Benson Park, while Stobswood Welfare hire a ground of the same name. The other 10 hire facilities, some including Newcastle Medicals change home grounds regularly, while 2 clubs play permanently on 4G surfaces at home; North Shields Athletic Reserves at John Spence High School and West Jesmond, who previously used to hire the gluepot of Paddy Freeman’s, at Walker School. Surely those who have their own grounds could be granted the money by the FA to install 4G surfaces and floodlights, if they wish to (residents of leafy NE3 may not wish to see Benson Park illuminated), while those who are effectively tenants would surely be prepared to hire higher spec facilities?

In the Alliance top division Percy Main, Wallington and Seaton Delaval have beautiful, old world grounds, while Whitley Bay A play at Hillheads, Carlisle City at Gillford Park and Blyth Town are building a facility at South Newsham. None of these would probably wish for 4G surfaces, for aesthetic or practical reasons. Of the rest, 5 have their own grounds, none of which are remotely glamorous, and 5 hire pitches.  In the division below, Newcastle University and Wallsend Boys Club no doubt have the financial clout to upgrade their facilities should they wish, Gosforth Bohs wouldn’t be allowed to nor I suspect, would Cullercoats, while the other clubs either rent or have basic facilities. In the Alliance bottom division, Gateshead Development play on the 4G behind the International Stadium and all bar 2 others are tenants. Forest Hall and Swalwell are the exceptions; the latter’s pitch is probably the worst surface used by any Saturday afternoon team in our region.

Consequently, as the vast majority of teams in Alliance Divisions 1 and 2, as well as the Tyneside Amateur League, are comprised of young players (age 22 maximum in most instances), who would still look to move upward if any club came looking, it would be in their interests to play on the best surface possible. Remember, in the main these are teams rather than clubs in many instances, with changing names and home pitches; giving them the best possible surface to play on should be a no brainer. Of course there are “social” teams at this level, but they surely wouldn’t object to playing away games (even home ones?) on 4G. However, I do recognise that in the Alliance Premier and Northern League, clubs are as much about fans as they are about players; it is essential that these wonderful grounds are maintained. Perhaps, one day, the FA will give every club a pitch as good as Team Northumbria’s, if the desire to stick with a natural rather than synthetic surface prevails.

So, how do we pay for it? The simple answer is cancelling Trident and chasing the tax-avoiding multi-nationals for what they owe. If that’s not imminently feasible, then get the FA to place a 5% levy on all transfer fees and deduct 1% of all salaries and bonuses in the Premier League. Surely any sane person would see the moral imperative in that. However, I won’t hold my breath, either for decent weather or, more poignantly, universal decent facilities.