GreenFields sports turf systems have recently re tested and passed a 3rd successive FIFA RECOMMENDED 2 STAR standard with the use of its Real FT 60 Slide at the site of the first project carried out with its strategic partner Allsports Construction and Maintenance Ltd.

Stenhousemuir Football Club is a community based club also playing in the Scottish Football League Third Division. A club steeped in history since its formation in 1884, Ochilview Park being its third home displaying a continued pattern of growth and development.

During the summer of 2006 the club embarked on an ambitious program to develop its natural grass pitch into a 3G synthetic surface combining sand and rubber infill materials and designed to reach the much coveted FIFA RECOMMENDED 2 STAR standard. Following a 3 year feasibility study the clubs initial plans were not driven by commercial and financial requirements but by the desire to have a surface capable of sustaining a high quality surface irrespective of the poor weather and difficult ground conditions.

The local authority keen to see the development of a sports facility open to the community contributed £250,000 towards the overall £439,000 capital investment project. However with proactive and skilled individuals on the board the club managed to reduce a considerable amount of management and engineering costs during the construction phase.

Since its completion the club have not only been able to open the facility to the community but have decreased match postponements and improved training facilities for its first and youth teams. More importantly the club have and continue to enjoy a significantly increased revenue income not only from the hiring out of the field but associated on site facilities and non football events.

The key success to this project has not only been the high quality of the GreenFields product and its installation but the clubs acceptance for the need for a structured maintenance program. By the very nature of modern 3G products maintenance is essential in achieving a sustained and quality standard something clearly proven by the success of the FIFA RECOMMENDED 2 STAR pass for the 3rd successive year.

David Reid, Club Chairman commented “The installation of our FIFA 2 Star pitch has been a massive boost to our club, both from a quality facility perspective as well as revenue generation. The facility has now passed its third test for the FIFA 2 STAR standard with flying colours which was no surprise. The workmanship aligned to the quality of the product has impressed everyone and the pitch today looks as good as it did on day one”. He continued “ongoing maintenance of the pitch has had a large influence and we have high hopes for the future longevity of the facility, given its performance to date”