We are due to play them on the 29th and apparently the EFL have allowed them to significantly change the pitch dimensions by exploiting a loophole.

https://talksport.com/football/1791751/ ... -fixtures/

Taunton Iron Cider wrote: March 17th, 2024, 9:03 am We are due to play them on the 29th and apparently the EFL have allowed them to significantly change the pitch dimensions by exploiting a loophole.

https://talksport.com/football/1791751/ ... -fixtures/

I'm not sure I agree with your analysis there Dave. Colxhester will be playing on the same pitch as us. If anything they will lose the advantage of playing on pitch of which the dimensions they are used to.

I assumed they had done something 'tactical' like narrow the pitch, but seeing the brief highlights on TV last night it looks more drastic. Maybe making it as short as possible to move the goals away from the boggy areas. Looks a total mess.

Edit. Just seen this, should have looked before posting.......
The pitch will now be narrowed by four metres to 64m (210ft) and shortened by three metres to 102m (335ft).

I always thought a home team could alter the pitch dimensions to what they wanted as long as it's within the minimum/maximum the laws of the game dictate

Stan A. Einstein wrote: March 17th, 2024, 9:16 am

Taunton Iron Cider wrote: March 17th, 2024, 9:03 am We are due to play them on the 29th and apparently the EFL have allowed them to significantly change the pitch dimensions by exploiting a loophole.

https://talksport.com/football/1791751/ ... -fixtures/

I'm not sure I agree with your analysis there Dave. Colxhester will be playing on the same pitch as us. If anything they will lose the advantage of playing on pitch of which the dimensions they are used to.

Brendan, surely narrowing the pitch by 4 metres makes defending a little easier, yes it’s the same for both sides but to Colchester with their poor home record, a minimum of a draw and 1point would suffice in their relegation battle.

UPTHEPORT wrote: March 17th, 2024, 10:04 am I always thought a home team could alter the pitch dimensions to what they wanted as long as it's within the minimum/maximum the laws of the game dictate

Me too, but it would appear that we both thought wrong.

Taunton Iron Cider wrote: March 17th, 2024, 10:07 am

UPTHEPORT wrote: March 17th, 2024, 10:04 am I always thought a home team could alter the pitch dimensions to what they wanted as long as it's within the minimum/maximum the laws of the game dictate

Me too, but it would appear that we both thought wrong.

I think they can do, as long as it stays the same size for all visiting teams in one season. This is permission to change, during a season.

I think a team once made a mid-season change (narrowing the pitch) maybe after a manager/tactical change. I suspect that resulted in a change of rule to prevent it happening. Could Colchester, in their current pitch crisis, have switched to another venue, as we did a few seasons ago? I guess the answer to that is all the grounds in the county have had similar rainfall.

I seem to remember a change to Somerton Park pitch for a cup game, to make the pitch narrower. Obviously that was at least 40 years ago, and the rules would have changed since.

I think the RP pitch laid out for football is 102 x 66 metres. So the new Colchester pitch will be the same length as ours. But it will be 2 metres narrower.

Bangitintrnet wrote: March 17th, 2024, 11:56 am I seem to remember a change to Somerton Park pitch for a cup game, to make the pitch narrower. Obviously that was at least 40 years ago, and the rules would have changed since.

Yes, it was quite common in those days for a smaller team to narrow the pitch for a cup game against a big teams. These days I believe teams have to submit their pitch dimensions before that start of the season and should then stick to them through the season. Obviously Colchester are looking to be an exception to the rule.

There are possibly allowances in the regulations for instances of ineffective drainage exacerbated by excessive rainfall. One would hope that as a condition of allowing Colchester to take this action mid-season, there needs to be work done to correct the problem in the summer, or points deductions next time a game is called off due to a waterlogged pitch. And in event of relegation the same conditions would be enforced by the National League...

Go on, I'll be the first to accuse them of moving the goalposts

Amberexile wrote: March 18th, 2024, 1:39 pm Go on, I'll be the first to accuse them of moving the goalposts

Yes both of them it appears from the TV coverage I saw...