Head Groundsman Ken Hare hopes that this summer's maintenance work to the pitch will provide a superior playing surface for boss Steve Tilson next season.

Work started on Tuesday to remove the old turf at Roots Hall in preparation for a new surface to be grown in its place.

And Hare has more reason than most to pray for a bit of sunshine this summer, with the new pitch needing to be playable by the end of July.

"The pitch could have been a lot better last season," admitted Hare.

"We decided against this process last year but the pitch cut up a lot and it probably wasn't the right thing to have done.

"Since then we have been suffering with meadow-grass which isn't the best type of grass to play football on as it cuts up.

"So the idea is to remove the old rubbish grass off the top of the surface and replace it with a far superior playing surface."

That work began yesterday with the removal of last seasons pitch from Roots Hall and has been followed up with today by preparation work to the soil underneath.

"Yesterday we took an inch or so off the top of the pitch," he continued. "Today we are opening up the soil as there are a lot of black areas where it has been waterlogged this season.

"Thursday we will verti-drain it, which puts holes into the pitch and allows water to drain off, and then we will spread 80 tonnes of Rootzone on and mix it all in with the current earth.

"By Friday we should have seeded and fertilized it and hopefully the sun will come out. Ideally we now need sunshine during the day and rain at night. Those would be perfect conditions."

Gallery: Roots Hall Pitch Work