There is more to a football match than turning up kicking the ball around hopefully scoring a goal, getting changed and going home. Below we have tried to give you some idea as to the preparation that is required to get the game played.

Grass Cutting
Each pitch has to be cut before each game. It takes about one and a half hours to cut the grass. The pitch then has to be cleared of any rubbish or debris that may injure the players; any repairs necessary are also carried out at this time.  This can take another half an hour. Its then time to erect the goal posts these have to be taken out of storage and carried to the pitch bolted together, nets fitted and peg down this can be done in about half an hour. Total time taken, anything up to two and a half to three hours.

Now if both full size pitches are to be used which is most weekends of the season, you can double the time shown above. When the grass is growing fast in the spring and early summer the pitches may need cutting twice a week, again more time spent on ground maintenance. 

We also have to add into this equation all the mini soccer games that are played and the junior football matches again the goals have to erected and dismantled after every game. Once again this can take up to half an hour a time. 

Changing Rooms
Now we are fortunate enough to have two sets of home and away changing rooms here at Cairns crescent, all with shower. After every match all the mud and dirt has to be cleaned away and the shower area cleaned down this can take up to ten minutes per changing room. Not a long time I agree but multiply that by the four changing rooms and you get another three quarters of an hour

So you see before a ball is kicked we can have spent up to ten hours just getting the grounds ready so that the young and not so young can have a safe game of football.

Other Maintenance
When the season finishes in May any other ground maintenance is carried out this involves painting and any repairs required to the cabin, changing rooms or storage rooms.

Each year all of the following are painted, Changing rooms, pitch dugouts, and the barriers around the pitch. This is also the time that the other jobs are done such as dripping taps, coat hooks replaced if required, and a whole host of other jobs that get put off as the season progresses.


Ground Facts and Figures

Cairns crescent playing fields covers an area of about four acres. This is split into three football pitches
The main pitch with the crowd barrier measures (TBA)
The second pitch measures (TBA)
And the mini soccer pitch area measures (TBA)

We have a car park that can hold up to twenty-five cars

We also have children’s play area with swings and a climbing frame.