“We remain committed to keeping the pitch playable" - Latest update from Calderdale Council on The Shay pitch

The surface caused severe disruption to the second-half of FC Halifax Town’s season, with pitch related postponements resulting in Town having to play home games away from the The Shay and face four games in the final eight days of the season.

When asked for an update by the Courier on what work will take place over the summer on the pitch and on the long-term plan for the surface, Calderdale Council’s Director of Public Services, Ian Day, said in a statement: “We understand how important the condition of the Shay pitch is to enable the sports that mean so much to fans, to Halifax and to Calderdale’s culture.

“We remain committed to keeping the pitch playable, and continue to do everything we can to treat and prepare it between football and rugby games.

“Unfortunately, we’ve been up against one of the wettest months on record this March, after one of the rainiest winters, which has caused ongoing problems.

“As well as planning our usual rigorous improvement works to the pitch over the summer break in the fixture calendar, our discussions with the football and rugby clubs are ongoing as we continue to jointly look into maintenance options and longer-term plans for the pitch.”