Construction of new hybrid carpet stadium pitch
MKM Stadium, Hull City Football Club
Project challenges
Extremely tight programme for carrying out the construction
Due to club commitments at the end of the EFL Championship, and the start of Hull FC Rugby League 24/25 campaign, the window for re-constructing the MKM Stadium pitch was only 4.5 weeks.
The club had gained confidence in County Turf’s HERO hybrid carpet system, so the scope of works with short timescale became achievable. MJ Abbott put together a proposal that utilised HERO as a custom grown turf. This meant that the construction would use every available day leading into the 15th June rugby league opening fixture against Leeds Rhinos.
An important aspect to any stadium pitch project is the efficiency of pitch removal and the timely importation of new materials. Working closely with dedicated site staff, trusted suppliers and hauliers, good communication proved instrumental in delivering the construction programme.
Our approach
Expert project management to meet the tight construction programme
The scope of work included:
- Excavate to remove 450mm depth from the entire pitch surface area, load onto lorries and remove from site to tip.
- Installation of new primary drainage, irrigation and undersoil heating systems.
- Installation of geotextile layer, 150mm depth of gravel, 200mm depth of lower sand rootzone, and 65mm depth of upper rootzone.
- Amelioration of nutrient retentive amendments.
- Installation rugby and football goal sockets, and ball stop netting sockets.
- Installation of County Turf HERO hybrid grass carpet reinforcement system.
Outcomes
Successful completion on programme for the first rugby league fixture of the new season
The club’s head groundsman Aaron Tong and his team started match preparation before the last line of HERO turf was laid. Such was the nature of this short construction period, every available hour was used!
This televised match went without incident, and the pitch received high praise from players and coaching staff alike.
With Aaron’s expert leadership, backed up by OBi Sports, the pitch continued to improve and is performing as expected for intensive football and rugby league use.
From the start we were never in any doubt we got the right people in with MJ Abbott to do our project. Everyone involved went beyond the call of duty to make sure we met the first rugby league fixture.
Aaron Tong
Head Groundsman, Hull City FC
