Hendon FC

Hendon FC: Silver Jubilee Park

With their existing 3G pitch beginning to look tired, with not much life left in it, Hendon FC embarked on the journey to find a replacement for their Silver Jubilee Park home.

The surface first and foremost needed to provide a quality playing surface for senior football, as required by the Football Association’s register of pitches. After visiting a number of other football grounds looking at examples, usage, appearance and the wear and tear of their surfaces, Hendon FC decided that Premier Pro Elite, recommend to them by TigerTurf, was the best available surface to suit the club’s particular needs and usage.

An elite combination

Premier Pro Elite is the latest in 3G technology from TigerTurf. Manufactured using a highly resilient monofilament and fibrillating tape yarns, Premier Pro Elite hosts a unique structure facilitating the use of alternative organic performance infill in place of polymeric. The fibre combination also reduces infill splash.

Not only did Hendon make use of the latest in synthetic grass technology for their surface needs, but they also opted to install an ecocept performance base. Made from 100% recycled mixed waste plastics, Hendon have boosted their eco-credentials! Ecocept diverts 300 tonnes of material from landfill during one full size construction, as well as saving 190 tonnes of carbon emissions (the equivalent of plating 112 trees!). The Premier Pro Elite and ecocept combination allowed Hendon FC to achieve a 32% reduction in SBR infill.

ETC Sports Surfaces were the chosen contractor for the project, coordinating and carrying out the build from start to finish. Chris Headon, Managing Director at ETC Sports said; ‘It was an absolute pleasure to work with Rob and Ian at Hendon and alongside TigerTurf to produce a great facility for a fantastic club.’

Long term impact and sustainability

The club have already seen the direct impact the new field has had on the satisfaction and long-term sustainability of its regular users.

Rob Morris Chairman at Hendon FC said ‘Rather than more hours, without the new pitch we may have lost hours, the two senior clubs using our ground would have had to be relocated and other users would have followed in 18 -24 months. We have noticed that because our regular users are delighted with the new pitch, they have committed to staying with us.’

Rob continued, ‘We wanted to upgrade to a FIFA Quality Pro accredited surface because we envisioned there could be long-term benefits, such as one of our senior team users being promoted or having cup progress to the FA Cup first round proper and beyond!’

Hendon are committed to providing a community facility for groups, organisations, and schools, they offer use of the field at a reduced rate and in many cases, free of charge. As well as this, Hendon remained loyal to their regular users by not increasing pitch hire fees to cover the costs of the upgraded field. The club forecast that income for the first twelve months of use will be in the region of 15% up on the previous season and the surface will have paid for itself in five years.

Rob concluded; ‘As you walk into the ground the pitch looks great and that is a selling point in its own right. We are delighted with it and all our users have the same opinion. Coaches and Players from senior level down are very pleased with it and compliments have come from them and numerous other visitors.’