Peterborough United's pitch situation is an 'unmitigated disaster' but club are ready to spend big again in the summer

This Posh pitch has started to look like this again. Photo: Joe Dent/theposh.com.

The playing surface at the Weston Homes Stadium has deteriorated badly in recent weeks much to the frustration of a Posh team who are committed to an attractive passing game. Their scheduled fixture at home to Port Vale was one of just three EFL matches to be postponed because of waterlogging on Tuesday.

MacAnthony used the phrase ‘unmitigated disaster’ when discussing the pitch on his latest ‘Hard Truth’ podcast, but refused play a blame game.

Posh will spend big again to install a new pitch at the stadium in the summer. They could go down the ‘Desso’ route and install a hybrid grass pitch.

MacAnthony explained: “We spent a lot of money with a company who installed the pitches five years ago and who maintained them. They dropped out of the maintenance business a few months ago when there was still time left on their contract.

"We knew were coming to end of a five-year cycle with the pitch and we would have to replace it at the end of the season, but we didn’t expect it to give up on us halfway through.

"We employed a new company in December so there is no criticism of them, but we will have to spend a lot of money in the summer. We might go for a Desso pitch.

"We’ve spent the most money we’ve ever spent on pitches at the stadium and at the training ground and what has happened has been an unmitigated disaster.

"We have nine games left at home this season, most of them in March and April when hopefully the sun is shining and we’ve been able to get some work done on the pitch. It needs rolling and flattening. We actually got a good 10 days work into it before the Vale game, but if we’d played just 45 minutes on it, it would probably have been ruined.

"If we can get the pitch sorted I’m sure it will help our pace and youth cause problems for teams with tiring legs at the end of a tough season. We’re certainly doing what we can.

"It would be great if the EFL put a fund together which clubs could access and borrow from to ensure there are better pitches throughout Leagues One and Two. Clubs could pay it back from their TV money over five years or so and we could be charged interest. There would probably be only 10-12 clubs a year who would need to borrow.”