BAD GUY Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 With all this rain we have had and more to come, has caused so many clubs misery with postponements, but what lies ahead at Chalky Lane the home of Chessington & Hook tenants Epsom Athletic. With no comment from the FA to extending this season, unfortunately the Chess & Hook pitch over the past few years is synonymous for its postponements, this season is somewhat different because not only have C&H got the usual chasing up their home fixtures before the season ends, Epsom Athletic (tenants) are also in the same plight. C&H have 13 (out of 21) still to play at home whilst Epsom Ath. have 10 (out of 15) so a massive total 23 more home games to play, so how, with more rain due and probable more postponements, do both clubs expect to conclude all their home fixtures ? Ask other clubs to utilise their pitch ? Could this be a case of the pitch being used Sat, Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Sat ? If either team cannot fulfil their fixtures (I'm sure by Hook or by Crook -sorry for the pun they will), but what can be done to prevent this happening again and again for future seasons.? Should C&H take a leaf out of Colliers Wood book and get 60 tonnes of sand to make their pitch better ?,,, or does it actually need sand ? could well be a drainage problem?...so will the league allow this to continue season after season ? I am surprised how C&H aa a club survive with all these cancellations ! Sad all round really for all concerned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Hamnett TSF Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 1) Don't groundshare! 2) Don't groundshare with a problem pitch. It gives Dorking FC a problem too, if all grounds are busy catching up with postponed games, where will we be playing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green_Fingers Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 1) Don't groundshare! 2) Don't groundshare with a problem pitch. It gives Dorking FC a problem too, if all grounds are busy catching up with postponed games, where will we be playing? At Windsor & Camberley Town, Rother reckons they'll be finished their home games by the end of the month Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Windsor_Sec Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 At Windsor & Camberley Town, Rother reckons they'll be finished their home games by the end of the month Which month though as according to my fixture list we still have 7 home league games to play plus at least 1 cup match ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lazy Sod Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 With all this rain we have had and more to come, has caused so many clubs misery with postponements, but what lies ahead at Chalky Lane the home of Chessington & Hook tenants Epsom Athletic. With no comment from the FA to extending this season, unfortunately the Chess & Hook pitch over the past few years is synonymous for its postponements, this season is somewhat different because not only have C&H got the usual chasing up their home fixtures before the season ends, Epsom Athletic (tenants) are also in the same plight. C&H have 13 (out of 21) still to play at home whilst Epsom Ath. have 10 (out of 15) so a massive total 23 more home games to play, so how, with more rain due and probable more postponements, do both clubs expect to conclude all their home fixtures ? Ask other clubs to utilise their pitch ? Could this be a case of the pitch being used Sat, Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Sat ? If either team cannot fulfil their fixtures (I'm sure by Hook or by Crook -sorry for the pun they will), but what can be done to prevent this happening again and again for future seasons.? Should C&H take a leaf out of Colliers Wood book and get 60 tonnes of sand to make their pitch better ?,,, or does it actually need sand ? could well be a drainage problem?...so will the league allow this to continue season after season ? I am surprised how C&H aa a club survive with all these cancellations ! Sad all round really for all concerned. And if that is not bad enough, I would imagine that there would be a number of away games to reschedule as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Clapham Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 With all this rain we have had and more to come, has caused so many clubs misery with postponements, but what lies ahead at Chalky Lane the home of Chessington & Hook tenants Epsom Athletic. With no comment from the FA to extending this season, unfortunately the Chess & Hook pitch over the past few years is synonymous for its postponements, this season is somewhat different because not only have C&H got the usual chasing up their home fixtures before the season ends, Epsom Athletic (tenants) are also in the same plight. C&H have 13 (out of 21) still to play at home whilst Epsom Ath. have 10 (out of 15) so a massive total 23 more home games to play, so how, with more rain due and probable more postponements, do both clubs expect to conclude all their home fixtures ? Ask other clubs to utilise their pitch ? Could this be a case of the pitch being used Sat, Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Sat ? If either team cannot fulfil their fixtures (I'm sure by Hook or by Crook -sorry for the pun they will), but what can be done to prevent this happening again and again for future seasons.? Should C&H take a leaf out of Colliers Wood book and get 60 tonnes of sand to make their pitch better ?,,, or does it actually need sand ? could well be a drainage problem?...so will the league allow this to continue season after season ? I am surprised how C&H aa a club survive with all these cancellations ! Sad all round really for all concerned. I have posted elsewhere exactly what we have done at CWUFC. Not just a case of "chucking a load of sand down"! It would appear that CHUFC require the same works that we have carried out ie new drainage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E&E Rich Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 1) Don't groundshare! 2) Don't groundshare with a problem pitch. Very easy to say that here, but who is to tell Chessington that they can't raise funds from ground sharing? No one stopped Dorking taking Bookham's money despite masses of postponements on an overused pitch. I've been very critical in the past of Chalky Lane, but until there are ground grading regulations in place for the green bit in the middle, then Chessington might be quite happy to play a lot of matches in April as the ground share might actually keep them alive and that is the price they have to pay for their survival. And if Epsom Athletic don't like the arrangement, they have a choice, albeit a limited one as we at Epsom know very well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lazarus Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 The Management Committee has discussed the situation at Chessington on numerous occasions over the years as, arguably, every season they have more problems with postponements than anyone else. It is also true to say that, every year, we have got there in the end, and at this moment every outstanding home fixture for both Chessington and Epsom Athletic has a date upon it. Unless the club is able to arrange for the sort of work carried out at CWU to be done at Chessington as well, there are only two other options that I can see, one of which is to require Chessington to play elsewhere, which is not practical, although I am sure that, at this present time, we would allow the club to play matches at alternative venues if any could be found. The Club itself has already tried to do that with its cup matches but to no avail because other clubs are having a difficult enough time with their own pitches. The second is to remove the club from the league. There is no appetite to do that within the Management Committee and in case any such proposal would have to be the subject of an EGM upon which the clubs would have to vote. I doubt if a single club would end up voting in favour. If anyone has any sensible ideas, or more importantly could perhaps help the club out by staging a game or two for them, please come forward but failing that we can only soldier on and remember that it is not only Chessington who have been in this position this season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A town Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 Not as easy as that 'spurs fan ' when you have nowhere in your whole bourgh to play Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Composure 7 Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 It seems like a lot of people have a problem with C&H?, chalky lane and teams that ground share!! Beats me!!! It really only affects the teams that have a lot of games in March/April, ie C&H & EAFC, but the weather cant be changed its affected every club in the country Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rother Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 At Windsor & Camberley Town, Rother reckons they'll be finished their home games by the end of the month Do I? Gosh! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Hamnett TSF Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 There are benefits from groundsharing, and there are problems caused by it. I'll leave names out of it, as that just gets a few people thinking I am against their club. If an established CCL club's pitch or ground has problems that stop it playing at home but are being addressed, temporary groundshare is sensible. If a club get's booted off its ground for development, or is upgrading it's ground, I can see groundshare would work short term. If an intermediate or elite club with adequate facilities for that level wants to play senior football, but has to groundshare to achieve it, all we are doing is trying to keep numbers up at CCL div1. It may benefit the landlord club financially (assuming they get paid) but has detrimental effects elsewhere. The tenant club are paying out cash to keep a team playing a level or two higher, and that cant be viable long term. This is my view, I realise my club is relying on the goodwill of other clubs and the league, and please dont think these comments are in anyway representative of the club's views. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E&E Rich Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 If your club actually had any views it would make a nice change tsf I understand where you are coming from on this, and in an ideal world ground sharing wouldn't be required, but until the FA change the rules, we are just wearing out our fingers talking about it, as you can't stop a club from making money that way if they want to do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big J R Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 Watch this space ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
butterfingers Posted February 25, 2014 Share Posted February 25, 2014 fingers crossed for some good and dry weather, long live chalky! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
butterfingers Posted February 25, 2014 Share Posted February 25, 2014 Very easy to say that here, but who is to tell Chessington that they can't raise funds from ground sharing? No one stopped Dorking taking Bookham's money despite masses of postponements on an overused pitch. I've been very critical in the past of Chalky Lane, but until there are ground grading regulations in place for the green bit in the middle, then Chessington might be quite happy to play a lot of matches in April as the ground share might actually keep them alive and that is the price they have to pay for their survival. And if Epsom Athletic don't like the arrangement, they have a choice, albeit a limited one as we at Epsom know very well. can you expand on that please.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E&E Rich Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 Yes of course, although I thought it was fairly obvious.. Any club without a ground have to share. There are not many options so the choice is limited, but if they don't like Chessington, they have to ask one of the few other clubs that is prepared to share. It is exactly the same situation with us at Chipstead, except that we have no reason to be unhappy with our arrangement thus far. Is that clearer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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