A source at the Jersey FA revealed that nearly £1,000 had been spent on spray paint and that local artists were being recruited to carry out the work, which will make the surface look more realistic.
The new surface, which is a hardy plastic turf peppered with small black rubber pellets, was completed last month at a cost of nearly £700,000.
But concerns were soon raised by senior figures in football that the vivid green of the ‘grass’ was too distracting for spectators and the decision was taken to transform the surface with a subtle paint job.
It was also revealed that Visit Jersey had voiced fears that such a lush surface gave off the negative impression that Jersey was a rainy place.
Speaking to the JEP this morning, a source at the JFA said: ‘It’s a bit embarrassing, to be honest. We’ve always prided ourselves on having a very good surface at Springfield, and now it seems that it actually looks too good.
‘Some players have already complained that it felt a bit odd to be on a synthetic surface and we hope that this will make them feel more at home, especially with us hoping to lift the trophy in this summer’s Island Games.
‘At one point we did consider adding actual mud to the surface for authenticity but it was pointed out that it might encourage the growth of actual grass.’
Derek Kallstrom, the former manager of Gibraltar’s Island Games football team, said that he welcomed the move.
‘There were a few eyebrows raised when it was revealed that this year’s tournament would be on a plastic pitch so we are glad that at least it will look like an old-fashioned surface. It’s unlikely that the original colour would have fooled anyone that it was real grass so I’m looking forward to seeing how it looks when they’ve painted it.’
There were also rumours that the JFA had considered installing a machine to pump out the smell of freshly-cut grass during matches but no one at the association was available for comment this morning.
