Pitch marking

[Seagull]

What do most clubs use for lining pitches? We use lime but having seen today's paper with the story bout yer man's burnt goolies and later breathed a few lungfulls of the stuff while mixing it, I have my doubts about its safety. Is it safe and what are the alternatives? I found an article which says its banned by the FA- do the FAI have a similar ruling? Should 8 year old kids be exposed to it?

[hamish]

What do most clubs use for lining pitches? We use lime but having seen today's paper with the story bout yer man's burnt goolies and later breathed a few lungfulls of the stuff while mixing it, I have my doubts about its safety. Is it safe and what are the alternatives? I found an article which says its banned by the FA- do the FAI have a similar ruling? Should 8 year old kids be exposed to it?

Funny Seagull, I was thinking about this lately. Back in the bad old days, before we got a lining machine here I was lining the Beeslow pitch with a bucket of lime and a brush. Needless to say some of the lime splashed up into my eyes and, Jesus, the pain of if. Lucky enough, the local hospital was just across the road and I was told I was a lucky man to not lose the sight of one of my eyes.
What do clubs use nowadays?? I remember one bloke used to swear by white cement to get a good, rich, white and easily visible line.

[sligoman]

I was lining the Beeslow pitch with a bucket of lime and a brush. Needless to say some of the lime splashed up into my eyes and, Jesus, the pain of if. Lucky enough, the local hospital was just across the road and I was told I was a lucky man to not lose the sight of one of my eyes.

Speaking of lime burns, did ya see this Hamish?.

[hamish]

Speaking of lime burns, did ya see this Hamish?.

Yeah, amigo - that's what also brought it to my mind too. I think lime is banned now, isn't it.

[Seagull]

Yeah, amigo - that's what also brought it to my mind too. I think lime is banned now, isn't it.

Where could you go to find out if it's banned? I found on the internet that it was banned by the English FA in 1995. We're still using it at our club though- what are the alternatives? Are we just lucky a kid hasn't been destroyed by it yet?

[MervilleUnited]

I think lime is banned now, isn't it.

Not Yet! Had an enquiry a couple of years ago, was told it was ok if allowed to dry on the grass. No word since, but I was looking into it last week before this article, and found current price of 70 euro per box for lining paint. Box = 12 Cans. 3 Cans needed per game =17.50 euro per game.

So for a bunch of 12 year olds to play a game,

17.50 Paint
15.00 Laundry
15.00 Referee
15.00 Pitch hire

62.50 Match Total Before a ball is bought, training cones, bibs phone calls..........etc!

Parents take note!

[hamish]

Oh that's right - I remember those cans for lining pitches. Each can didn't last "jig time" as far as I can remember but seemed to give a nice strong consistent line.
People used to swear by mixing white cement and lime to get that extra whiteness (sounds like a Daz advert!! ) and yeah remember now about needing to let the lime dry - trouble there is if you're using pitches a lot for mini sided games they often need to be touched up so you'll end up with damp lime anyway. Cheers guys.

[thejollyrodger]

Rip Off Republic

[Mayo Red]

Not Yet! Had an enquiry a couple of years ago, was told it was ok if allowed to dry on the grass. No word since, but I was looking into it last week before this article, and found current price of 70 euro per box for lining paint. Box = 12 Cans. 3 Cans needed per game =17.50 euro per game.

So for a bunch of 12 year olds to play a game,

17.50 Paint
15.00 Laundry
15.00 Referee
15.00 Pitch hire

62.50 Match Total Before a ball is bought, training cones, bibs phone calls..........etc!

Parents take note!

Lime is bad news alright. The spray cans give a good clear line but as you say, are expensive. The nozzle can clog up very easily in the marking machine aswell if the can is not lined up just right! A ref for €15 is a bargain, they get €35 for an U-14 game in the Mayo League!!

[sligoman]

15.00 Referee

I've seen parents doing ref for Merville sometimes though, they don't get paid do they?

[MervilleUnited]

I've seen parents doing ref for Merville sometimes though, they don't get paid do they?

At Under 8 and 10, Parents referee, as the games are non competitive, and no emphasis on results, just skill development.

At Under 12 and upwards, 15 euro per team applies, except in the cups, where the home team must pay the full 30 euro. And I recieve nowt! And when I pointed that out one day to a ref, he told me i was the bigger *!**"$!*!

Sligoman if you have the time on saturdays, I will get you on the course, and you can referee two games every saturday, and have cash for the rovers that night! Badly needed to let kids play!

[sligoman]

Sligoman if you have the time on saturdays, I will get you on the course, and you can referee two games every saturday, and have cash for the rovers that night! Badly needed to let kids play!

I'll wait until my cousin(s) move up to the under 12's and then I'll help out. I don't usually go to the games unless one of them is playing so one is in under 10's at the moment so when he moves, I'll help, if needed.

A refereeing course?. How long would that take to complete?.

[hamish]

A refereeing course? How long would that take to complete?.

The day you start reffing is a match I intend to be at. heh heh

[sligoman]

The day you start reffing is a match I intend to be at. heh heh

Go away you! If your in the crowd, I'll make sure to send you off! .

[parnell ranger]

We use wet lime to mark the pitches- usually dried by kick off- purely for economic reasons-a bag of lime will mark 15 pitches- those expensive cans wont do one.
We pay 7.50 per team for under 8-11 games, 12.50 pere team for all 11 a side games.
We sought advice re allowing untrained parents ref games and were told not to allow it for legal reasons.

[hamish]

Go away you! If your in the crowd, I'll make sure to send you off!

Then I'll stand in the next field and continue the abuse.

[MervilleUnited]

A refereeing course? How long would that take to complete?

One Day, 6 Hours total, usually on a saturday.

Any other takers? Big shortage holding up kids footie, and it will give your enjoyment a different dimension, maybe even you might give the ref the benefit of the doubt!

Each U12 Game sees up to 36 players getting on the park!

[Mad Moose]

One Day, 6 Hours total, usually on a saturday.

Any other takers?

Looked into it but decided against it given I couldnt coach kids or at least be seen to be associated with a club. And I wouldnt give up the coaching.

Brendan

[Karlos]

I took the referees course and was explicit in my views that I did not want to referee and the FAI were fine with that. My aim was to understand fully the laws of the game for coaching kids and also to act as an emergency referree where situations required it. I'd encourage all coaches to do the course and then referree their training sessions appropriatly. Too often kids get away with murder in training and then the referrees get it in the neck on a saturday for booking or sending off a kid for something that should have been stamped out in training in the first place. Just my two cents!

[Guitd]

hi im a groundsman in the west i use pitch marking paint which is now available here in ireland i also sell it.costs about €65 a drum mixed with water 6:1 ratio
fully safe to use get about 10 markings per drum depending ratio used can be used with wheel marker or a special battery liner which costs about €750 but is great job mark a pitch in about 10 min in your best clothes without getting covered in paint/lime if anyone needs more info email me