Wembley Stadium's pitch consultants resign

The pitch consultants in charge of the playing surface at Wembley Stadium have resigned.

The news was confirmed on Wednesday after almost constant complaints about the playing surface since it was first laid.

The pitch has performed poorly on almost every major occasion for which it has been used, with recent major finals marred by the players slipping and the surface cutting up far too easily.

The Sports Turf Research Institute (STRI) confirmed that they would be stepping down from the role at the end of June after being responsible for the surface for the last 13 months.

"We have had many constructive and positive discussions with Wembley over the last few weeks on what would be the best way forward to make significant improvements to the pitch," said Gordon MacKillop, chief exective of STRI.

"In relation to this STRI presented an alternative strategy for 2010 to change the construction of the pitch, which Wembley agreed was the best way forward and is now proceeding with this.

"We are pleased that Wembley has adopted our proposed strategy which should see improvements to the pitch during 2010. This new structure of pitch does not require the previous level of research and consultancy from the STRI team and, therefore, we feel it is the right time to resign."

Wembley Stadium this time history repeats for Germany benefits

The World Cup most bizarre moment carries such significance because of its eerie similarity to a 44 year old memory that has divided the two countries ever since.

In World Cup histior Frank Lampard’s disallowed goal in the 38th minute of unfairness.
Yet German fans will point to the 1966 World Cup final at London’s Wembley Stadium, when England won the trophy by beating West Germany thanks to a hotly disputed goal from Geoff Hurst on a similar play.
So what happened in 1966?
Eleven minutes into extra time and with the score tied at 2-2, Hurst collected Alan Ball’s cross, swiveled and smacked a shot against the crossbar. The ball hit the underside of the bar and bounced downward toward the line.
England players celebrated and after a long consultation with his assistant, Swiss referee Gottfried Dienst awarded the goal. Television footage appeared to show that the ball had not fully crossed the line, as it must do to be allowed. England went on to win 4-2.
Years later, a study conducted by experts from Oxford University concluded that the goal should not have counted. German fans have never forgotten the incident that led to England’s only World Cup victory.
Lampard began his career at West Ham, the same London club where Hurst and several members of the England team played their club soccer.

FA say they can't fix Wembley pitch until 2023

England's chances of hosting the World Cup in 2018 could be harmed by the news that the pitch at Wembley Stadium may have to be relaid as many as seven times a year until 2023.
A crisis meeting held today at the stadium attended by ground staff consultants, Football Association officials and the Institute of Groundsmanship failed to come up with any solution to the current problems other than having to constantly rip up the surface at a potential cost of over £8million.
It is thought that the pitch will be relaid before the Carling Cup and FA Cup Finals and at regular intervals throughout the season to coincide with England friendlies.
Geoff Webb of The IoG revealed that because of ongoing loan repayments the stadium will remain multi-purpose for the next 12 years at least.
"It is quite common for this to be the case at venue of this kind," he said.
"The FA have admitted that the pitch that was laid for the FA Cup semi-finals was too hard. But they hope that in future they will be able to solve the problem."
Having spent more than £750m on the stadium, the FA need to service their debts and have consequently allowed major sporting events to take place there, including rugby union and NFL matches, while the venue is regularly used to stage big concerts.
The easy alternative would be to reduce the number of events at the stadium but the FA are hamstrung by the debts.
The latest set of figures available at Companies House showed Wembley suffered huge pre-tax losses of £31.1m, following its £53.3m pre-tax loss in 2007.
At present, it is not expected to break even until 2014 and that will only occur if the number of events presently held stays at its present rate. It is still possible that Wembley could default on agreements with banks over its £326m loans if Club Wembley sales drop, which would certainly be the case if fewer events were held.
A new surface is currently being put down following Saturday's rugby match between Saracens and Harlequins when huge chunks of the surface reared up during scrummages, and it will be the 11th time it has been relaid since the stadium opened.
The new surface will be severely tested in the coming weeks with the FA Cup Final between Portsmouth and Chelsea to come on 15 May, before four play-off finals and England's World Cup warm-up friendly against Mexico.
The bigger fear for the FA is that next season's Champions League Final that is being hosted at the rebuilt Wembley for the first time will have the same problems with the turf. Such a scenario in a high-profile global match could only harm England's chances of then hosting the World Cup in 2018.
The pitch attracted fierce criticism after both FA Cup semi-finals earlier this month as Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp branded it "farcical" and said: "You wouldn't see players falling over all the time on a Sunday in the park".
Manchester United striker Michael Owen's season was ended after picking up a hamstring injury during the Carling Cup Final victory over Aston Villa and Sir Alex Ferguson said: "I think the heavy pitch at Wembley made some contribution to it."
Webb believes the pitch management could be improved. It has been the responsibility of the Sports Turf Research Institute since former head groundsman Steve Welch was sacked last year.
"I think it's coming down to the management of the situation itself within the stadium," Webb added. "You've got to look at the decision-making process and you've got to look at the control of that process as well."

FT: Carlisle 1 Southampton 4

That's all we have time for from Wembley. Southampton are the clear victors but Carlisle will be kicking themselves as three of the four goals were courtesy of individual errors. Take nothing away from the Saints though, they've wrapped this cup up in style.

Musungu in Rwanda can't help himself, he's off out to celebrate the Saints' Johnsons Paint Trophy success, regardless of the meetings he has in work tomorrow. He's asking for a big shout out to Wembley spectators Simon and Owen who will no doubt be as jubilant as he is.

90+4 And there is the final whistle and Alan Pardew, wearing a suit blazer over his match-day tracksuit, punches the air and runs onto the pitch to celebrate with his players.

90+3 Davis has a goal-kick and this could be the final act of the match!

90+2 Saints fan David Parker is reading in Bulgaria, but is delighted to see Southampton winning in style in front of his wife Sharon and son Darren, who are at Wembley today.

Wembley Stadium refinances loan

Wembley Stadium has refinanced the loan taken out to fund the redevelopment of the English national football stadium.
The deal relates to the remaining loan of £341.5m from a £426.4m financing package secured in autumn 2002.
The stadium, a subsidiary of the FA, said it had secured a more favourable interest rate on debt and extends the term of the loan from 2018 to 2023.
It comes as Wembley emerged as favourite to host the 2011 UEFA Champions League final.
In an effort to lure the final to Wembley, the government has said that players on foreign teams will be exempt from any tax.

Wembley Stadium Elmor rock out in the shadow

Promising young bands one of Guildfoed's took to the stage in front of more than 20,000 people in the shadow of the Wembley Stadium arch last week.
Elmor were hand picked to entertain the masses prior to the New England Patriots versus Tampa Bay Buccaneers American football match.
The band played a 40 minute set at NFLUK’s official party, which was held next to the famous stadium.
Lead guitarist Tristan Patrick Sherfield said: “It was absolutely amazing. We’re used to playing in front of 250 people so playing in front of 20,000 was a shock to the system.
“It didn’t phase us though, we lapped it up.
"We came on after the Buccaneers cheerleaders. We were backstage with them, I should’ve at least got my photo taken with them.”

U.K.’s Wembley Stadium: May Default on Loan, Sunday Times Says,

Wembley National Stadium the Football Association's unit may default on loan agreements if it fails to sell enough season tickets, the Sunday Times reported.
The unit made a pretax loss of 31 million pounds ($51 million) in 2008, the newspaper said, citing comments from the company.

“Old Blighty”, NFL plays

The game might not have been the most exciting, but it did help the NFL move the ball a bit further down the field towards its goal of at least MORE games abroad…and maybe even an international team.
The New England Patriots beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 35-7 Sunday at the third regular season NFL game to be played overseas.
The game was played before a sell out crowd of 84,254 at London’s Wembley Stadium which usually plays home to the soccer (or “football”) crowd. And if you think it was just an ex-pat crowd you’d be wrong.
“The vast majority of the crowd were British fans of the sport,” NFL UK publicist David Tossell told me. And the majority of them came from outside London, some even from continental Europe.
For their trouble, aside from the somewhat one-sided game, the fans got singers Toni Braxton and Katherine Jenkins in a battle of the national anthems, flags and graphics which gave the game the feel of a “home” Tampa Bay game, and the very well- received Tampa Bay Buccaneer cheer leaders.
So could there be more NFL games abroad next year? “It will take a little more groundwork to develop the fan base here,” NFL official Tossell told me. The teams don’t love the travel, and the owners miss the home game revenues.
But all spoke highly of the reception and the facilities. “It was like a Super Bowl,” New England Patriot quarterback Tom Brady is quoted as saying.
When the Giants played here in 2007 they went on to win the big game. It might work again for the Pats!

when Patriots play Buccaneers at Wemble, Brady, Belichick not expecting another blowout

Tom Brady and Bill Belichick aren't expecting another blowout when their New England Patriots face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday at Wembley Stadium.
The Patriots (4-2) crushed the Tennessee Titans 59-0 in the snow last Sunday, and they'll play a team this weekend that is 0-6.
"Last week was one of those games where a lot of things went right for us," Belichick said at The Oval cricket stadium, where the Patriots practiced Friday. "(It's) very unusual to have a game like that. I'll be lucky if I'll see another one of those in my entire career.
"We don't actually care about last week anymore. We're on to trying to defend and move the ball against Tampa and handle their kicking game."
Brady missed all but one quarter of the opener last season with a knee injury, but he is back this season and threw six touchdown passes last Sunday against the Titans.
"I like where our team's at. Keep practicing hard and keep making improvements," Brady said. "Whatever we did last week, you take the good from it, you understand the things you did well."
The NFL is playing a regular season game in the British capital for the third straight year, and commissioner Roger Goodell said Friday he expects the league to start playing multiple regular-season games in Britain in the next few years.
The Patriots arrived in London early Friday morning, giving them only one full day in London on Saturday before the game at Wembley, the home of England's national football team and host stadium for the 1948 Olympics.
"It's one of the best-known stadiums in Europe," said Patriots linebacker Sebastian Vollmer, who is from Germany and noted that England won the 1966 World Cup final at the iconic venue. "Germany lost, but I think it's going to be good. Really good."
Last year, the New Orleans Saints and San Diego Chargers spent almost a week in London getting acclimated to the time change, but the Patriots and Buccaneers arrived late — much like the New York Giants and Miami Dolphins did two years ago.
"What we tried to do was to get all our work done in New England, all our preparation," Belichick said of the late arrival. "We tried to cram three days ... into 2 1/2 (before arriving)."
Now that they're in Britain, the team's schedule will be easy until game time, with only a light practice at The Oval on Friday afternoon and a walkthrough at Wembley on Saturday. That will give the players some free time, if they want it.
Patriots linebacker Junior Seau said he wanted to go see "something that's within a mile. Then I'm going to go back and take a nap."
Seau said it was his first time in London, and he wasn't at all upset that the fans back in the United States wouldn't get to see the Patriots and Buccaneers play there. Tampa Bay gave up a home game to play at Wembley.
"They've seen enough of us live," Seau said. "It's time for us to come to London."
Patriots owner Robert Kraft, who called himself an Anglophile and said he is a regular at Wimbledon, was also glad with the decision to send his team to London for a game.
"When you get to Wimbledon and the have an chance to own a team that's going to play at Wembley, that's pretty cool," Kraft said. "I'm looking forward to that."
American football is not nearly as popular in London as the English version, but Wembley has still been packing in the NFL fans over the last few years. Many will be there this year to see Brady, one of the greatest quarterback to ever play the game. But despite being relatively anonymous in London, he still doesn't go unnoticed.
"Americans, they recognize me," Brady said with a smile.

Oxhey Jets, Wembley Stadium during England's World Cup match against Croatia

Eagle-eyed football fans will spot an advertisement for a South Oxhey club during an England international next week.
The name of Oxhey Jets FC will be beamed to millions of viewers across the country, and more across the world, after being chosen to stand for the Football Association's grass roots campaign.
The club, which plays home matches at Boundary Stadium, in Altham Way off Little Oxhey Lane, has been named an FA Charter measure club, while John Elliott was named Administrator of the Year for Award Charter clubs at a current Hertfordshire FA dinner.
Oxhey Jets will be advertised on the perimeter boards at Wembley Stadium, during England's World Cup 2010 qualifying match with Croatia on Wednesday, September 9.