Football Myths #1

Last updated : 13 September 2003 By George Young
Football Myths: "Scunthorpe's pitch is too narrow for them to play their passing game".


Since the move to Glanford Park, United's seasonal failings at home have been blamed on the fact that we haven't got a big enough pitch to play the passing game which apparently we always play. Last season when we won 4 at home and 5 away, it was even fingered as partly responsible for our relegation.

It's very easy to blame the pitch but the truth is that there are many reasons why it's effect is minimal. Firstly, Newcastle's pitch is listed as being as wide as ours (73 Yards) and bigger than many other clubs, like Preston. Just because there isn't a 10-yard ring of turf round the pitch like at Carlisle doesn't mean that it's small. I've never seen Newcastle have any trouble with their wingers like Solano or Dyer putting balls in for Shearer. They seem to manage fine.

Actually, I can't remember when Scunthorpe had two wingers in the side. We've has Morrison, Eyre, Paterson, Nicholson, Alexander and perhaps even Mark smith but we never had two in the same side regularly so what's the point in blaming the width of the pitch when we haven't the sort of players to use it.

Last season we didn't play passing football anyway, particularly at the end - we resorted to hoofing it up the pitch for the big man to get knock downs which is all very predictable. Also, the quality of the surface was terrible which was unusual to be fair. This meant that any passing football which was attempted was ruined by the pitch, like the Cardiff and Colchester games.

We do badly at home because of too many boo-boys in the crowd, who get on the backs of the players too early whivh never helps. We also don't create much of an atmosphere unless its a Derby match. When we go away from home the fans are better and the players have more confidence.

This season things seem to have changed. At the time of writing we've only lost 1 home game (Ok, so its two now-Ed) but have only won one away and against Torquay we had Morrison and Sheldon on the flanks and we looked dangerous. I understand that Glanford Park is a tight ground, and it might help if there was enough room for a player to run up to take a corner, but it's mostly a question of perception. Perhaps if we didn't come down with the Christmas decorations then we'd be alright.

George Young