After the conclusion of the season and a week of events, a busy summer of pitch renovation work at Boundary Park began on Monday.
An extensive programme is in place to install a new hybrid pitch for the start of the 2023/24 season, significantly enhancing the performance and quality of the surface whilst also being able to stage more games.
The work is the most wide-scale to have been completed on the pitch in over 25 years, with the new surface consisting of 97% natural grass and 3% plastic thanks to a grant from Oldham Council.
Working with contractors Chappelow Sports Turf, the first stage of the process has seen the vegetation removed from the pitch using a Koro Fieldtopmaker, with the fibres separated for future use.
Overseen by Head Groundsman Dean Pickering Jnr, 60mm has been removed in the first pass, significantly more than during a normal renovation.
A total of 8 inches will be removed and new drains installed, as well as a new system for irrigation.
This phase is due to be completed within six weeks, after which seeds will be in the ground, followed by the period of growing.
Within a month of the grass germinating, the hybrid pitch will be stitched in time for the new season.
The installation of new dugouts at Boundary Park has also started, whilst work is already underway in renovating Chapel Road and Little Wembley as part of a wider pitch improvement programme.