Technical Surfaces is continuing to work in consultation with Richard Norton, Grounds Manager at Bolton Wanderers FC, to implement the best maintenance practices on the Desso Challenger Pro 250 pitch at the club’s new academy training ground in nearby Lostock.

The club has invested over £2.5 million,  in a  40-acre facility close to the Reebok Stadium, which includes in this first stage, four full-size grass pitches, one of the largest 3G synthetic pitches in Europe, temporary changing rooms, offices and a physio room.

Successfully utilising Technical Surfaces’ extensive knowledge of optimum in-house and specialist procedures, as well as their exclusive range of machinery designed solely for use on synthetic sports surfaces, Richard and his team are able to boast a first-rate training facility.

Technical Surfaces’ association with the club began in 2007, when Richard contacted them with a view to purchasing a dedicated machine to enable him to perform the fundamental day-to-day tasks of cleaning the newly-installed surface, removing debris and detritus and loosening the rubber crumb infill.

Richard then opted to enhance his own general maintenance efforts with the company’s specialist Decompaction and Revite® of the pitch, attended on the day by representatives of Desso and the Football Association. Combining these processes enabled Technical Surfaces to first loosen and then intensively clean the compacted rubber crumb infill to effectively remove dust, debris, broken-down carpet fibres and other deeper-seated contamination; this was followed in June 2009 by a top-up of the granular infill, to provide continued protection to the carpet fibres.

“As well as our commitment to improving the stadium pitch, our new academy has a 3rd generation artificial turf facility to FIFA 2* playing standards,” comments Richard Norton, Grounds Manager at Bolton Wanderers. “We were keen to get Technical Surfaces involved from day one to ensure that the correct maintenance programme was being carried out to the new pitch. We have been extremely impressed by their overall level of work and service in maintaining our synthetic pitch.”

Specialist de-compaction works are required at various stages throughout the life of a 3rd Generation sports pitch, as the rubber crumb infill is prone to compaction which, if not regularly dealt with, will compromise the playing and draining properties of the surface.

Similarly, if left unaddressed through a lack of regular Power Sweeping maintenance, contamination will soon work its way down through the infill and settle at the base of the carpet, again affecting surface drainage and quality of play, potentially impacting on the life expectancy of the facility.

To a Premier League Football Club, the reliance upon their training and academy facilities is essential. Just as the club’s Grounds staff must make sure that the pitch is well tended and ready to sustain a season of hard-fought league and cup matches. The same also applies to the pitches ‘behind the scenes’ at the training ground which enables the players of today and tomorrow the best possible conditions of play all year round.

Training grounds and academies exist not only to help ensure that the first team is fit and ready to play each weekend, but to identify and develop potential footballing talent and secure the role of the football club within the local community for future generations.

At Technical Surfaces, the company are at the very forefront of synthetic sports pitch maintenance, employing the latest techniques and bespoke machinery to allow their customers to ensure best practice in the care of their artificial sports facilities.

For more information on the maintenance of 3rd Generation sports surfaces, or to request a free, no-obligation site inspection by one of their experienced Technical Managers, call 08702 400 700 or visit www.technicalsurfaces.co.uk