Construction of a new 3G facility is underway at Ramsgate FC’s Southwood ground.
Since the end of the Second World War, The Rams have played on the turf at Southwood Stadium. While the location won’t change, the stadium is taking shape to be one of the best facilities in Kent. It will be hosting football more than 1000 youth team members as well as the first team and U23s and multi sports, community events along with offering its facilities to schools and colleges in the area.
Since James Lawson took over as chairman of the club the vision has been clear and this week has marked a milestone in that transformation.
James said: “The 3G install will help take us to the next level both on and off the pitch. There has been a big effort to get to this and point and it’s fantastic to finally see the diggers on the ground.”
The installation of an all weather artificial pitch opens up many options for the club, not only for the First Team but for the 65 youth teams that will all train on the 3G surface throughout the week.
On top of this, the renovation of the new glass fronted Corner Flag bar will give supporters and parents an unrivalled view of the action whatever the weather.
Matt Longhurst, who has recently been named as the full time First Team Manager and Community Officer has also been an integral part of the transformation with his work off the pitch as well as on it.
He said: “The work has started on what is going to be fantastic facility for the whole area. We have so much planned with the primary schools, our own teams and coaches, local companies, 5 a side leagues and much more. It’s going to be amazing to have the whole club in one place to make it a real family feel.
“What I am most excited about seeing is the hundreds of players using the pitch every night plus, as a coach, to be able to use this type of surface will improve the quality of our work and for us to play home games on it will really allow us to play the way we want to. I can’t wait until it’s ready.”
Work is due to be completed around the end of June and the club can’t wait for the players, parents, supporters and surrounding community to benefit,
For information about sponsorship opportunities please get in touch with Matt via email at Matt_rfc@outlook.com
Report and photos Rams FC
Poker (Harry) and Barry both now deceased would be very happy .
Football is played on grass.
It is Grass. You just never have to cut it, stripe it, seed it, watch it go bald over the winter and it gives a great opportunity for 1000+kids and local groups to play on it 7 days a week in all weather. As with everything in football it has to move forward and develop. We don’t play with pigs bladders these days do we.
How can hundreds of players be on it every night? Is there more than one pitch or is it 24/7 ? The neighbours will soon get upset !
Yes, I was confused by that statement too! Unless he meant hundreds of spectators?
You can’t train on a grass pitch as it will wear away pretty quickly. The 3G surface wont wear away (well it will it a bit but over many years) so they can use it during the week for training/5-a-side. They will probably split the pitch in half so over the course of an evening you could have hundreds using the facilities. If it was just grass this would be impossible.
I imagine it provides a good income source once installed.
Frank
Have you researched G3 pitches regarding castnergentic cancers. I wouldnt let my kids on them.
Plus there arent good for the planet as the life span is ten years and cant be recycled.
The rubber crumb is made up old car tyres, which have lots of chemicals in them.
Just had a quick look now – seems most of the most important bodies associated with their use have confirmed the risk is negligible. Interesting comment is that the risk is equivalent to the “effect of ingesting grilled foods or exposure to tyre wear on roads in everyday life”
Some relevant links
https://www.thefa.com/news/2017/jun/28/statement-on-3g-pitches-280617
https://resources.thegma.org.uk/3g-pitches
USA are looking into this alot more the Britain.
This link is uk based
https://fullycharged.show/blog/3g-pitches-is-the-uk-sleepwalking-into-a-public-health-crisis/
This bit from the link is a worry , no way are my kids going near g3 pitches
Environment Agency Reports stated that rubber crumb is always waste and is unsuitable for sports surfaces. So why is our government allowing this material to be used and why are our children encouraged to play on it?
I wouldn’t consider the information in that link to be very well informed – seems to be the opinion of one person with no background in the industry rather than the considered research of a body such as the FA, Sport England or the The Department for Environmental, Food and Rural Affairs.
Note that the Environment Agency is sponsored by that last group, a government department, so not sure what your last sentence means – seems to contradict itself.
Here’s a link I found from the sports industry magazine
https://www.pitchcare.com/news-media/rubber-crumb-is-anyone-listening.html
The article is from 2016. Most of the bodies mentioned in that article have now done their research and come to the conclusion in the link I posted above.
No difference to Margate they have had a 3G pitch for a few years, it is used at least 5 or 6 times a week