Dungannon Swifts boss Dean Shiels believes the laying of a new synthetic pitch at Stangmore Park is an exciting development and another progressive step for the Irish League.
Work began on the project in May and it is envisaged the new surface will be ready a couple of weeks in advance of the new campaign which kicks off on August 13.
Dungannon’s first home game of the season is against Ballymena United on August 20 followed by the visit of Big Two giants Glentoran three days later.
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“We’re hoping to be on the new surface for pre-season,” said Shiels.
“It’s an exciting development and I think it will suit the way we want to play. It’ll also help the club in terms of accommodating the senior team and also all the youth teams.”
The installation of a new pitch at Stangmore Park means five Danske Bank Premiership clubs will be playing on a synthetic surface next season.
North Belfast rivals Cliftonville and Crusaders, Larne and Coleraine all play on artificial turf, with the likes of Glentoran and Ballymena United eager to follow suit.
Cliftonville and the Crues have been operating with synthetic pitches for a number of years now, Larne installed theirs in 2018 and Coleraine played on their new surface for the first time last season.
“More 4G pitches is definitely a direction the league is going to go in,” said Shiels.
“I understand why because a lot of the grass pitches suffered last season due to weather. Even the Oval, which was always a good pitch, suffered.
“Mourneview was poor, Ballymena the same and even our own pitch, which was renowned for being good, was poor for most of the season.
“A lot of the grass pitches across the league suffered, so I’m glad we’re getting a new surface and I do think it’ll help us in terms of the way we want to play.
“It can also be a good source of revenue for clubs because you can use it on a regular basis and rent it out to other teams. That’s a positive from a financial point of view.”
Larne boss Tiernan Lynch has argued in recent times that artificial pitches are the optimum option for Irish League clubs given the local weather and resources.
“I think if you had the choice between a 3G pitch or a really good grass pitch, you’re always taking a grass pitch,” Lynch told Belfast Live last season.
“But to get a grass pitch in the condition you would like to keep it, there are so many other considerations like undersoil heating, full-time groundsmen and so on.
“That’s a challenge in this league, so I do think artificial pitches are the way forward. As things stand, you’d rather play on that kind of surface.”
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