Sponsored by - S Rodgers, J Goodwin, B Millburn, PC Lettings, NSC, S Leonard, Give ‘em Beans, NSC & Surrey Barrovian

[boyliegladbach]

Regarding the fanzone and the problem of the “stray” shots - I’ve spoken to Kris Wilkes's and at some point in the next few days we’ll be going to the ground to have a look at what the options are. The obvious ones are moving where the practice nets go pre-match (that’ll obviously be a club decision) or, attach posts & netting to the existing posts and wooden cladding. The problem with netting will be making it look right and not just something else to make another area of the ground look untidy.

Yes, it's finding a solution to what is only a ten minute a game problem.

[Holkerbird]

It's strange how things happen.
I was talking to a chap at an away Lancaster preseason friendly when a Lancaster player kicked a ball during the warm up and it hit the man in the face breaking his spectacles.
It.turns out he had never been for an eye test for 11 years (couldn't be bothered and not financial).
The optician sent him straight to FGH as it turns out he had a serious eye condition and another 6 months he would have lost his sight.
Fate moves in mysterious ways.

[Alley_Cat]

If you get hit by a ball you get a free drink - solved it

[Fazered]

Football ground - may contain footballs

[spirit of 1990]

If you get hit by a ball you get a free drink - solved it

You’d have half of the customers from Weatherspoons turning up & fighting to get hit in the face with the ball…

I met Kris Wilkes at the ground today and the first option is can the nets be moved elsewhere? Hard to see where really. If they can’t be moved we agreed that netting will be the next best option. How high? How bad are some players at taking shots…

[Stephen Leonard]

I haven’t seen the nets in question but if they are portable why don’t they put them facing the other way on half way line so if they miss the ball just goes further down the pitch and no one gets hit - they might be more accurate if they had to ‘fetch it ‘ when they miss

Only possible issue would be potentially hitting the opposition

[Richard Ingham]

Only possible issue would be potentially hitting the opposition

Or folk on the Popular Side if the shots were taken at the wrong/right angle.

[mickycarrol]

At Prem grounds they have portable nets that are put up whilst teams warm up and then taken down just before kick off. Takes literally seconds and means no eye sore netting is permanently up. Must be fairly inexpensive as well I’d have thought.

[Big E]

If you get hit by a ball you get a free drink - solved it

You’d have half of the customers from Weatherspoons turning up & fighting to get hit in the face with the ball…

I met Kris Wilkes at the ground today and the first option is can the nets be moved elsewhere? Hard to see where really. If they can’t be moved we agreed that netting will be the next best option. How high? How bad are some players at taking shots…

If netting was close or directly being warm up goals they wouldn't need to be that high, the further vaxk they were situated the higher they'd neeed to be. A washing line type system attached to the wall on the steel works end would probably do the job. The Idea spot would be right behind the goals with the poles into the astro turf, but obviously harder and more costly to fit

[mark webb]

walsall had there portable goals like us but had netting up right behind then the groundsman took the 15ft poles down and netting it looked simple enough

[spirit of 1990]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Regarding the pop up type netting Mark, I’ve already sent Kris Wilkes a link to this earlier today.
That’s three or four possible solutions that are being looked at now.

[Lancaster Branch]

Stick the nets on the other side of the area so stray balls hit the Cross Bar/go into the car park rather than into the fanzone.

Or sign players that can shoot straight.

[spirit of 1990]

The fanzone gate that recently smashed its hinges was fixed and replaced today ready in time for tomorrow’s game.

[Holkerbird]

That was quick work. Well done everyone.

[spirit of 1990]

Although some work has carried on over the winter it was obviously scaled down because of the poor weather and gales.
First bigger visit on Sunday saw mainly a bit of a clear up, tidying things that just made the ground look a bit scruffy.
This is a before and after by the new/old floodlight in the fanzone area.