Which grass football pitches in North Wales get the most games on whatever the weather?
With the wet weather currently playing havoc with the North Wales football programme, it makes supporters more grateful than ever for grounds where matches always seem to go ahead.
While 3G and 4G artificial surfaces have their advantages and their fans, the fact is the beautiful game has always traditionally been played on grass – and that’s how so many prefer it.
The word artificial says it all. Plastic pitches help clear the fixture list, but they are far from ideal and certainly cause more than their fair share of injuries.
While a fair amount of North Wales clubs play on mud-free carpets, there are still plenty of grass fields around and some have a very good record for getting games on.
Here are some of the best in our experience….
BELLE VUE, RHYL
If Noah relaunched Ark Tours, it is likely football at Rhyl would still go ahead.
Belle Vue, home of CPD Y Rhyl 1879, is now known as the Hops and Barley Community Stadium.
CAE’R DELYN, NEFYN
Games are never called off at Nefyn, after heavy rain the pitch dries up like a raisin in a heatwave in no time,
MEMORIAL PLAYING FIELDS, RUTHIN
Jaws could be hosting a swimming class on Ruthin’s pitch and there would still be a game going on.
Going back donkey’s years. the Memorial Fields has so often beaten the weather when postponements elsewhere are more common than Vape shops in Rhyl.
FFORDD PADARN, LLANBERIS
Football survives at Ffordd Padarn even if the players have flippers and snorkels in their kit bag.
Rain, snow, or anything else which falls from the sky cannot cause a P at Llanberis.
ISGRAIG, LLANGEFNI
While other teams are kicking their heels on a Saturday if the weather leaves them frustrated, CPD Cefni are usually in action at the community gem named Isgraig.
NEW STADIUM, HOLYHEAD HOTSPUR
Renowned for a surface which soaks up water better than a bunker at St Andrews.
Pitches elsewhere on Holy Island and Ynys Mon can be staging canoe races while the New Stadium has a game on the go.
LON-YR-YSGOL, CAERWYS
It used to be rumoured Steve Griffith possessed the world’s biggest hair-dryer, as no matter how much rain was falling a ‘match on’ at Caerwys was a cert.
BERNIE WILLIAMS MEMORIAL GROUND, GREENFIELD
It can rain cats and dogs, buffalos and zebras, even rhinos and hippos, but it won’t stop the football getting the green light most of the time at Greenfield.
THE OVAL, CAERNARFON
One of the best grounds in North Wales, currently undergoing major renovations to host a UEFA tournament, nearly always delivers the goods when the water from above does its best to cause a football wipeout. Even if it’s wetter than a submarine’s number plate, The Oval keeps the entertainment flowing.
BLUE TURTLE ARENA, COLWYN BAY
You’d expect a ground bearing such a name to be a haven for watersports, but regardless of the rainfall the show so often goes on at Llanelian Road.
Niagara Falls could overflow and the football would prevail at this happy haven.
BANGOR CITY STADIUM, NANTPORTH
Has a good game survival record considering the amount of matches being played there these days, with CPDM Bangor and Trearddur Bay also using it as their home ground, as well as CPD Dinas Bangor City 1876.
FFORDD DERWEN, RHYL
Even when it’s wetter than an otter’s pocket, this pitch has the ‘game on’ sign displaying.
NFA, the team that players there, certainly doesn’t stand for Noah’s F****** Ark in this case.