FOOTBALL players have been critical of the maintenance of council-owned football pitches in Barnsley- describing some as "shocking".
They have complained that grass on some pitches has been so long it has been dangerous to play on.
They point out that individual teams pay more than £450 a season for a pitch to play on and argue at that price it should at the very least be cut as often as is necessary.
One angry player told the Chronicle: "The standard of the pitch was shocking in a way that you just wouldn't expect health wise. The grass was more than eight inches long so not only does it spoil the actual game, but it also hides glass and dog muck."
This week the council issued a statement saying: "Present weather conditions are ideal for grass growth so some of the pitches are currently looking overgrown.
"However, Neighbourhood Services has pooled its resources to ensure that all the council maintained pitches will be cut.
"We also need to ensure there is not too much cut grass on the surface; this occurs if the grass is cut too short and that the grass is short enough to allow for a good game, especially for the children playing on the junior and mini pitches."
