Hull City's £1.5m MKM Stadium pitch renovation work begins ahead of new Championship season

Hull City's MKM Stadium -Credit:PA Wire/PA Images
Hull City's MKM Stadium -Credit:PA Wire/PA Images


Hull City's £1.5m renovation of the MKM Stadium playing surface has begun with the Championship season now well and truly over after the Tigers missed out on the Championship play-offs earlier this month.

The pitch came in for heavy criticism during the winter months after cutting up badly during one of the wettest periods on record, with former boss Liam Rosenior often referencing the lack of quality, and how it impacted his team's performances.

A brand new pitch is being laid with work now well underway and groundstaff benefitting from the first lengthy dry spell since last summer to make progress and get it ready for Hull FC's next home game against Leeds Rhinos on June 15 the first of two successive home games for the struggling Rugby League outfit.

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Speaking to Hull Live earlier this year, vice-chairman Tan Kesler admitted the pitch wasn't up to standard and explained the club's plans to improve it going forward, at significant cost to the club.

"The lifespan of that pitch has expired and I can promise you that it's another big investment that we're putting in this summer and you'll see," he said.

"We're going to have a completely new pitch. That's another thing we're going to have to take away from the football budget and allocate to improvements and developments, so that's why we're asking for a more supportive approach from the city council. It costs £1.5m," City's vice-chairman said when pressed on how much it would set the club back. "Plus another £700,000 over the year for maintenance."

Kesler also explained how Hull FC would not be contributing directly to the upcoming pitch replacement, but says the growth and success of the club going forward will generate funds that can be put back into the playing surface and overall upkeep.

"It would be unfair to ask Adam (Pearson) to do that because he's also trying to make his team competitive," he said. "Although it would have been amazing if they can throw some money in there, I never expected that. He and I are very good friends, all I want is for his team to be competitive and for the rugby club and football club to be the best entertainment in this city. It's not about us expecting them to do something. If they're successful it helps us anyway, that kind of revenue we'll generate we'll use it on the pitch and the development."