Pitching In

We know that the pitch at Latimer Park leaves much to be desired.  And if we somehow hadn't realised it's shortcomings, opposition managers are lining-up to point out the bleeding obvious during their pre and post match interviews.

We know that a lack of rain for 24 hours renders the surface bone-dry and bobbly.  We also know that a 5 minute shower can flood the pitch to a depth of several feet.

We know.  We know.  We know.

We also know that many clubs a lot lower in the footballing pyramid have pitches far better than ours.  Some have been prepared to host reserves or ladies teams from higher placed clubs.  Others have the latest artificial surfaces, 100% flat and bobble-free.  We've all seen footage of one-man-and-his-dog outfits with state of the art 4G pitches and wondered how on earth they could afford such an outlay.

Why them and not us?

My knowledge of pitch maintenance and costs is as lacking as the next terrace expert.  But could our pitch not be dug down a couple of feet, filled with "good soil" rolled flat and hey presto!  A perfect surface.  Or be dug-up and replaced with a spanking new 4G?

Sure, the cost would be enormous, but that's what we have Owners, Chairman and Board members for.  Right?

But exactly how desperate are we punters to have the pitch sorted once and for all?  What if Ritchie offered to shell out for the Latimer Park's surface to be made the envy of non-league.  No expense spared.  A billiard table in Burton.  The only catch would be that, given the outlay, we would be making Latimer Park our permanent home.  

Flog the pointless, unreachable Frenchies Field back to the Council.  Stop pretending once and for all that this impossible "return to Kettering" would happen.  Not that this distant field is especially more "Kettering" than Latimer Park.  Both sites are just over 3 miles from Kettering town centre.  One has a football ground on it.  The other has fox sh*t on it.

Do we commit ourselves to the home we have now?  Or keep imagining Frenchies Field might happen?  Which way do we jump?  

Do we really expect Ritchie's bottomless wallet to furnish us with a Wembley level playing facility at Latimer Park while also magically creating Rockingham Road MK 2 in a field with zero access which is only just borderline part of Kettering?

We're not privy to Ritchie's thinking.  We have no idea if he is as concerned with the "Burton-bobble" as opposition managers and the rest of us seem to be.  But what would we say were Ritchie to make us the hypothetical choice outlined above...?  It would be an interesting conversation to be sure!