The Project

The main pitch and five-a-side pitch were laid in the summer of 2007. Polytan’s ‘Ligaturf’ synthetic surface continues to lead the way in providing the very best surface for European and World football. Links Park will be the first club in the UK to have this as their playing surface. Austrian Premier League side Red Bull Salzburg already have this as their playing surface as has the Stade de Suisse which is one of the venues for Euro 2008 whilst Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund use it at their training centres with Celtic soon to have it installed at their new Academy. The pitch itself is a layered system with soft, grass-like fibres laid on top of a 25 millimetre elastic support layer and can absorb 40 millimetres of rain. Muscle injuries and skin grazes are a thing of the past. Optimal, not too highly sprung impact elasticity guarantees ideal ball bounce behaviour and natural player movement, just like on a grass pitch. Standard actions like tackles or fast acceleration with sudden turning and sliding movements are practically the same as on a grass pitch. However, when the weather conditions are poor the surface performance is significantly better than a grass pitch. The surface has been given a 2 star rating by FIFA and is a FIFA recommended installation. Benefits of such a pitch is that it will stay green at all times, gives a consistently good playing surface, can take much more use than natural grass and it can be used all year round. The surface already meets the requirements of the International Associations and the exacting requirements of professional clubs.

Rolling out the first sections of Polytan Ligaturf

» Ground Improvement Pictures