Wembley Pitch Consultants Resign

Sports Turf Research Institute, the company responsible for the much-criticised pitch at Wembley Stadium, has resigned from its exclusive partnership.

STRI had been responsible for the playing surface at the national stadium since May 2009.

The Football Association is to use a new company, Desso Sports Systems, on a trial basis to lay the pitch for the FA Community Shield on 8th August.

The pitch, which has been relaid 11 times since Wembley reopened in 2007, has been heavily criticised, not least after the FA Cup semi-finals in April.

‘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 STRI chief executive Gordon McKillop.

‘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,’ he added.

As part of the plan to repay the £750m cost of the new Wembley, The FA has to allow other sports and events to use the stadium – a scenario that has impacted on the state of the pitch.

‘The pitch is at the heart of the stadium and football is our number one priority,’ a statement from Wembley National Stadium Limited managing director Roger Malin read.

‘However, Wembley Stadium is a multi-use venue and developing our event calendar with a range of football, rugby, sports and entertainment events is key to the success of our business plan.

‘The crucial balance for us is to maintain a good quality playing surface for football, whilst at the same time fulfilling our business plan commitments and maintaining our heritage as a multi-event venue.’

The FA has said that should England win the right to host the 2018 World Cup finals, Wembley will only be used for football in the year leading up to the tournament.