Real Madrid’s head groundsman has visited both Dundee football grounds to try and glean tips to improve the hallowed Bernabeu pitch.
The visit took place as part of a Scotland-wide tour of the grounds, organised by Greenock Morton’s groundsman Mark Farrell, with the help of local broadcaster and Courier columnist Jim Spence.
The trip happens to coincide with the 50th anniversary of Dundee United’s famous 2-0 win over Barcelona in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1966.
Rumours circulated that the visit was organised after Madrid learned of the anniversary and United’s 100% record in four games against their great rivals, Barcelona
Real Madrid’s English head groundsman, Paul Burgess, 38, was coy on the real motive but said: “A couple of times a year, I come over and have a look around the grounds to steal some ideas.
“There is a lot to be learned about grounds in other countries and it’s great to spend time with other groundsmen.”
Steve Braddock, Arsenal’s groundsman for the first team’s training pitch, was also in attendance and said the standard of the grounds in Scotland has impressed him.
He said: “I love coming on trips like this because you can learn a lot about how other grounds operate on different budgets and in different conditions.
“I’ve been really impressed with the grounds and the facilities around the country.”
The pair will head up as far north as Elgin and Inverness in the coming days in their five day tour.
Dundee United’s pitch has more influence on the team than most as the club’s fans gained their nickname the ‘Arabs’ after a peculiar decision by the management in 1963.
After a particularly harsh winter, United had to deal with a completely frozen pitch, and, after two postponed matches and a Scottish Cup tie coming up against Albion Rovers, management took the decision to hire a tar burner to deal with the problem.
However, predictably, this destroyed the grass, meaning the directors had to come up with a plan B.
They ordered several lorry-loads of sand to cover the pitch, re-painted white lines on it and, after a pitch inspection, the pitch was deemed playable with United going on to triumph comfortably.
Seeing it as a good omen, United fans adopted the nickname, which remains to this day.
