Work is now well underway at Hillsborough to ensure the Owls will have a state of the art playing surface for the 2015/16 season.
Pitch experts are busy laying the foundations for a brand new Desso GrassMaster surface that is used at top level venues across Europe such as Wembley, Stamford Bridge, Old Trafford and San Siro .
Owls fans have been kept up to date with the pitch progress via the club’s official YouTube channel, with regular time lapse videos showing the transition.
Site manager Nick Danvers said: “We’re into our second week and we’ve got the formation level, with all the drainage in and part of the irrigation complete.
“After this, we will look at the possibility of putting a gravel carpet down because it is very stoney, it actually stands on an old river bed. Then, the under soil heating will go on with the root zones and sand on top of it.
“We’d like to be finished by around the third week in June at which time the Desso process will start.”
Desso GrassMaster is a sports playing field surface composed of natural grass combined with artificial fibres.
While the natural grass is growing, the design is such that the roots intertwine with the artificial fibres, creating a solid and even structure with good drainage.
Explaining further how the system works, Nick continued: “Desso is a polypropylene fibre that is stitched in every 20 mil to 200 mil depth and you can’t see it when the natural grass is there.
“But once the natural grass wears, then these green polypropylene fibres become visible and it adds strength and stability.
“You will never get a playing surface that will cut up and it will always be level and even.
“The majority of Premier League clubs have got the Desso system installed for the playability, knowing it will be an even playing surface throughout the winter.”