THE green, green grass of Woodlands’ relaid outfield is looking good ahead of the new season, as league photographer Ray Spencer’s drone shot shows.

The club decided on the major investment after the heat wave in 2018 resulted in the grass in large areas of the ground becoming scorched.

Over the following winter, those parts of the outfield unfortunately became infested with moss.

Club secretary Brian Pearson said: “The outfield was in a poor state during the 2019 season and trying to remove the moss only resulted in us creating areas of mud.

“We are delighted with how the new outfield is looking and the contractors are performing the first cut this week.

“They will also be vertidraining and overseeding, while the few areas where hollows have developed will be filled in and seeded.”

In addition to the outfield renovation project work, Woodlands have continued over the past 12 months to improve their outdoor facilities.

At the clubhouse end of the ground, three large old tree stumps have been removed and an old compost bin demolished.

These have been replaced by a hedge and flowering cherry trees.

These trees are the latest in a total of around 500 saplings which have been planted in and around the ground over the last three years in support of the Northern Forest Initiative.

The club are currently working on a project to provide a terrace area in front of the Sports Hall, which will provide extra seating, with picnic tables, on the reclaimed land to transform that end of the ground.

The new hardwood seating has been created by the Woodlands maintenance team over the winter months.

The front of the scorebox and the repeater box on the Sports Hall have been completely replaced and the scorebox technology updated, while in response to the league’s Raising Standards Initiative, the interior is undergoing a complete renovation.

Three areas of hard standing will accommodate car parking at the gate end of the ground, roll-on covers and the club’s roll-on practice cage.

The crossing between the clubhouse and the Sports Hall was found to be in very poor condition and has been completely replaced, as has the downpipe on the Sports Hall.

Looking to the future, plans have been passed for a side extension of the clubhouse to form a larger kitchen and improved lounge facilities and Woodlands have just submitted plans to provide extra accommodation for their ground equipment adjacent to the scorebox.

Woodlands are due to get this season underway with a Bradford Premier League Premier Division game at Townville on April 17.