Hi All,
just to let you all know what is going to happening at the game on Thursday night.
We will be having a fancy dress theme for any spectatorrs wishing to take part. The theme is "what i wanted to be when i was 5 years old." there will be a prize for the winning costume which will be deided before the game. As well as this there will also be face painting at the main entrance before the game, which will of course be free of charge.
Weather permitting we will also be having 2 schools, St. Stephens of Skipton and Oakworth Primary playing a game of tag rugby before the match and at half time.
Thursday will also be the start of the cross bar challenge in which 1 lucky fan could get the chance to win £100 if they manage to hit the crossbar from 30metres out.
And finally there will also be the freddie challenge where freddie will take on the batley bulldogs mascot in a pass, punt, goal kick challenge.

So please everybody get yourselves down and enjoy a real entertaining night of fun and games.

Not wishing to pick a fight with you Rach but the fact that Silsden have been using the pitch during the winter has significantly affected the surface and its ability to drain - ask any decent groundsperson and I'm sure he/she would agree, they would rather 'rest' the turf prior to any season. Cold temperatures, a foot of snow and winter play will have all played their part in destructuring the soil and inhibiting drainage.

The pitch has received significant investment over the past 20 years,with drainage and plenty of sand applications. If the pitch wasn't used for anything else other than rugby and training sessions - it would stand up to the inch of rain that has fallen over the past ten days.

Whilst I more than appreciate the need for extra income, I am sure that the money raised from the rent of the pitch would not cover the cost of aeration/sand required to deal with the rigours of play and persistent rainfall.

My heart goes out to Mark as does it to all the groundsmen who entertain 'duel purpose' sports grounds. It must have been heart breaking to see the pitch degrade in to a mud bath 'live' on TV. And let us not forget, it has to be returned back to a reasonable condition for the next home game - which ever sport that is.

Consider this - When I prepare for a televised tournament, I have the abilty to close areas of the course and indeed, the televised tournaments I have delivered have been during peak growing conditions.

Astro turf

Like you know anything about it

Oh and Rach, what's all that about blaming the man with the long white beard...
...what's Gandalf got to do with it???