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Manchester United are exploring the possibility of radically changing the pitch at Old Trafford.
Plans
There are numerous stories reporting that United are planning to build a new, state-of-the-art stadium in the near future.
A new Wembley of the North, like Sir Jim Ratcliffe, would seat 100,000 people and be the largest stadium in the UK and the second in Europe.
Nevertheless, even before a building permit for the new stadium has been applied for, the club is considering a major change to the current field.
Perimeter problem
The sun report “Manchester United will investigate whether the perimeter of the Old Trafford pitch can be changed to avoid the risk of injuries to players.”
Since major works were carried out in the mid-1990s, the field has been raised and surrounded by a ditch.
In another unusual design, “brickwork separates the field and a rubberized footpath, which is placed in front of the advertising billboards.”
The stadium’s special feature has been noticed for years by the club’s own supporters and also by visitors to Old Trafford.
It is relatively common to see players fall and slide down the slopes of the field.
A famous example was when Ashley Young shouldered Angel Di Maria while playing for Paris Saint-Germain in 2019 and the Argentine tumbled down the ramp into the billboard, much to the delight of the home faithful.
Tragedy
Nevertheless, a recent tragedy has finally changed the way United think about pitch design.
The Sun reports that “Former Arsenal youth player Billy Vigar died last month after suffering a ‘significant brain injury’ while playing for Chichester City at Wingate and Finchley FC.”
He probably crashed into a concrete wall, which has since been demolished.
Fan forum
Last week, a supporter on the United fan forum highlighted the number of injuries in the Premier League caused by players hitting billboards at high speed.
They asked if United would consider investing in transparent, soft material to cover them to improve player protection.
Featured image Alex Livesey via Getty Images
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