Rochdale - worst pitch in the league

[coys200]

Ive a very strong feeling it will be moved. The FA will not want half the England team playing on that.

 

[Rocksuperstar]

*sensible hat*
That pitch is comedy, there's no way the FA can clear it to be played on more than they could Ramsgate sea front with that much sand.

*other hat*
Fuck it, let them play, make them wear 1960's kit and let them kick lumps out of each other. Film it in black and white with Chumley-Warner commentary then if the FA show concern we can reassure them that this tie is being played in the past.

 

[Mate]

This happened a few years ago when Arsenal played Farnborough

Switching to the stadium of the away side was banned following this. If the ground is deemed unplayable, they will move it to the nearest neutral venue.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2003/mar/12/newsstory.sport1

The lucrative and controversial loophole that allowed Farnborough to switch their fourth round FA Cup tie against Arsenal to Highbury has been firmly closed by the FA's Challenge Cup committee.

From next season, no club will be able to benefit financially from such a switch and those who move for the wrong reasons could be barred from the competition the following year.

Despite losing out on Sky's television money Farnborough's decision, for security reasons, to move their game from their Cherrywood Road ground (capacity 4,900) to Highbury (capacity 38,500) greatly increased their share of ticket and programme sales.

But next year all clubs entering the competition will be required to state on the entry form their ground's maximum capacity. This must be accom panied by a commitment from the club, and a declaration signed by the local safety authority or police force, that the capacity will stand, no matter the opposition.


If a cup tie still had to be switched it would go to the nearest suitable neutral venue, rather than the opponents' home ground. "If games are still moved, any excess money earned by the participants would go into the central pool," said the FA's Paul Newman. "Entry to the competition for the team drawn at home could also be refused for the following year."

But at yesterday's meeting the committee refused to countenance the idea, promoted by Arsenal's vice-chairman David Dein and manager Arsène Wenger, to scrap replays. "The committee took the view that replays are part of the fabric and romance of the FA Cup competition and should not be removed," said Newman.

 

['O Zio]

Ive a very strong feeling it will be moved. The FA will not want half the England team playing on that.

Hadn't thought of that but it's a good point.

 

[fortworthspur]

TBF, it doesnt look much different than the old 1st division pitches when I first started watching Spurs in the late 70s. Times have changed.

 

[Bobbins]

At least the town itself seems nice

https://www.ilivehere.co.uk/rochdale.html

"Welcome to the cesspit of the universe, where evolution took a break and spat out this breed of useless slack-jawed yocals with less IQ than a glass of water, and told them to breed with their sisters over and over and over."

 

[rambu]

Have found a trailer preview of the rochdale game... enjoy

Nike's special edition for this game:

 

[guy]

Looks like Bury or Oldham's grounds the closest?

 

[EastLondonYid]

Looking forward to Sissoko's first touch on that ...

 

[Colonel_Klinck]

50k lol . A new deso pitch is 750k. Well that’s what Newports cost in summer.

I'm not on about some hydrid pitch. Just getting down B&Q and get turf laying would be better than the shit they offering us at the minute.

 

[Dundalk_Spur]

The current NWHL pitch looks better than that.

 

[Dharmabum]

 

[Metalhead]

Even easier would be to just move the match to Wembley. That benefits Rochdale too because they'll make more money from a game at Wembley than they will playing at home. We could even offer to pay for free coaches to bring the Rochdale fans down.

Like I say, easier, cheaper for us, and makes more money for Rochdale. Win-win really. I suppose you can say it's not fair for them to lose their home advantage but surely there has to be some rule about if the home side are unable to provide suitable facilities to host the game then it can be moved elsewhere?

I'd rather see us pay for them to have a new pitch installed than see the players risked on that surface. Still, I guess that I can be cavalier as it's not my money.

 

[RickyVilla]

Guys, we’ve got a retractable pitch just sitting there waiting in N17. Cant we just wheel that baby down the M25 for the day?

Moving Rochdale to Surrey would be a great idea.

 

[coys200]

Heavy rain and snow forecast till Thursday. Not a chance that pitch is gonna be playable. Most sensible solution is move it to somewhere like Burnley.

 

[topper]

Moving Rochdale to Surrey would be a great idea.

You could sell a three bed detached house in Surrey and buy the town of Rochdale!

 

[DanielCHillier]

Heavy rain and snow forecast till Thursday. Not a chance that pitch is gonna be playable. Most sensible solution is move it to somewhere like Burnley.

Isn't Rochdale just north of Manchester, would Old Trafford be an option?

 

[Trees]

Heavy rain and snow forecast till Thursday. Not a chance that pitch is gonna be playable. Most sensible solution is move it to somewhere like Burnley.

I'll have a bet it is.

 

[joey.leone]

The moon has a better surface than that, the lack of gravity aside.. No way we can play on that.

 

[stevenurse]

The FA should do the right thing and move the tie, and also ensure Rochdale keep a pitch suitable for the professional standard of the EFL. They should be otherwise punished and made to play all games away from home.

Nothing will be done I'm sure and we'll be made to play on that ploughed field/beach and no doubt the combination of lower league Cloggers and the rubbish pitch will contribute to at least one pretty serious ankle injury.