Groundsman Hoping for Away Start - Ipswich Town News
Blues groundsman Ben Connell is hoping that Town start the new season with two away games as work continues on the Portman Road pitch.
Connell told the club site: "We have skimmed off the top of the pitch and mixed in 145 tons of sand into the surface.
"The pitch has been reseeded and now we are looking for lots of sunshine to help get as much strength into the grass before the new season starts.
"We didn’t have much sun to work with last summer and it was a real push to get the pitch ready but hopefully we will be a bit luckier with the weather this time.
"Ideally for us, we’d like as much growing time as possible and if we are away on the first day of the season and away in the cup, that will give us another week.
"We have no home friendly this year and that will help as well but if we are at home on day one, then we will be ready.”
The 2013/14 campaign begins on Saturday 3rd August with the first round of the Capital Cup played in the following midweek.
Meanwhile, released Norwich keeper Lee Camp’s wage demands would reportedly price him out of a summer move to the Blues.
The Northern Ireland international was a Town target in January with Mick McCarthy said to have renewed his interest in the 28-year-old ahead of 2013/14.
The Town boss is keen to add at least one keeper during the summer window to compete with Scott Loach, Arran Lee-Barrett and Jason Brown having been released at the end of the season.
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