In the summer of 2024 Charlton Athletic Football Club tendered ‘The Valley’ pitch reconstruction project through PDS and TGMS. White Horse Contractors and GrassMaster Solutions were selected to deliver a high-performance stitched hybrid pitch for both the men’s and women’s 1st teams.

White Horse Contractors arrived on the start date to remove the existing Fibresand pitch using our Fibre Master machine. The pitch was removed in 2 passes to create the plateau for the new hybrid surface.Once the original pitch was removed the new 300mm lower rootzone layer was delivered and pushed out using the existing irrigation system. The upper rootzone followed afterwards again by White Horse Contractors in house team. After the lower and upper rootzone had be consolidated and graded, the White horse Contractors team came in to add soil amendments and cultivation before seeding.

GrassMaster Solutions stitched the pitch using their Gen-5 fully electric stitching machines into grass that had been seeded with state-of-the-art Tarkett PE fibre, produced at their advanced facility in Abu Dhabi, used for the installation. The GrassMaster team worked around the clock to complete the stitching within a week. Their lightweight and manoeuvrable Gen-5 machines ensured minimal surface disruption, preserving the pitch's integrity. To accommodate existing services along one wing, we adjusted the stitching depth, delivering a precise installation while maintaining the high quality expected.

The Hybrid turf pitch was not the only part of the construction project for White Horse Contractors. Our team also removed the previous worn 3G carpet and upgraded it with support from our sister company at S&C Slatter, along with the ducting, power supply and other pitch side infrastructure and the clubs crest at the entrance to the playing area and dugout. The project was completed on time, on budget and to the highest standard.