The renovation work on the Meadow Lane surface began last week in the biggest pitch-project for many years, and there has also been a new addition beneath the turf which will help the groundstaff a great deal next season.

A small number of 'turf pods' have been installed, which are another type of sprinkler system, have been installed in the middle of the pitch.

This will allow the groundstaff to be able to be able to water certain areas of the pitch which were unreachable with the present sprinkler system in the middle of the Meadow Lane pitch.

The new equipment was in action on Tuesday for the first time to water the Meadow Lane surface following its overhaul which saw the turf torn up, ploughed with 200 tonnes of sand, levelled off and then re-seeded in a three-day operation.

The groundstaff of Greg Smith and Trevor Hutchinson have been working hard to ensure the pitch is being treated correctly through the summer, and with a lot of hard work and planning going into this project they are confident the Magpies will have a good, quality surface next season.

Trevor reported this morning that the first blades of grass were beginning to peak through the surface this morning, only a week after the big project began.