The Brewery Field Chronicles | Chapter Six | Tech it to the next level

November 27, 2019
, 5:40 pm
, News

Technology is everything these days. It’s no different in football, with over the top pre-match light shows and contentious VAR decisions a weekly occurrence at grounds up and down the country.
Whether you are a fan of technology or not, its introduction is inevitable at some point. That has been the case at The Brewery Field this year, where a number of new electrical upgrades have been added.
All of them have brought something new and have improved the overall match day experience both in terms of quality and safety.
There has been a big upheaval in the Boiler Room located just down from the Board Room. The team from ES Systems, a highly respected IT company based in Witton Gilbert, Durham, came in to overhaul the PA system in the summer.
ES Systems were asked to audit our PA requirements in line with the architects layout to ensure we had a balanced state of the art sound system which would encompass the new stand.
A long standing issue with the sound and announcements at The Brewery Field has been the inability to hear the speakers from the far side of the ground opposite the Main Stand.
However, with the installation of new speakers in the Pond Stand as well as the Ramside Estates Main Stand, there has been a significant improvement.
This progression will only get better with the new stand being built, as the noise from the speaker system will reverberate around the entire four corners of The Brewery Field.
A new sound system has obviously improved the pre-match experience in terms of music and announcements, but its introduction is even more important given the arrival of Andy Sixsmith, our Match Day Host.
Sixsmith is a freelance sports broadcaster with an impressive CV and a wealth of experience, and he has without doubt brought a new dynamic to home games this season. After his first game against York City in August, he said:
“This season, I want the match day experience to be about you; the supporters. We plan to meet as many of you as possible – I’m not against heading into the crowd for a bit of a chat!
“There’ll be pitch side pundits, pre-match and HT competitions, serious, serious noise and plenty more besides as we aim to turn the Brewery Field into a complete and utter football fortress – both on and off the field.
“Because of course we all want to see the lads win every Saturday. Of course, we all want to see the Brewery Field continue its reputation as one of the best and loudest grounds in the National League.
“But at the end of the day, for me, my aim is pretty simple. If you all head away having had a right good day, then that’s my job done. A Saturday at the Brewery Field should be an experience, a great laugh and a memorable day out. We plan on making it all three.
“I’m delighted to be a part of Spennymoor’s journey as we write the next chapter in this incredible club’s history.”
Having a match day host has never been a feasible possibility before this season. Hi-spec wireless microphones and receivers had to be installed to acquire the desired range for the sound to still transmit.

One of the less noticeable additions has been the state of the art CCTV System that ES Systems also installed.
The safety and wellbeing of supporters on a match day is one of the main priorities for any club. All areas of the ground are now covered and recorded via a system set up in the Boiler Room
Peter Storey, Head of Match Days, said: “I am delighted that we have comprehensive CCTV throughout the ground which really supports the safety and confidence for all supporters and staff.
“Being able to provide post analysis and footage when appropriate is a great example of a well organised and professionally ran football club. The safety of our supporters, visiting fans, staff, officials and players is a priority for us.”
The completion of the New Stand saw the final speakers and cameras installed, giving The Brewery Field fantastic coverage in terms of sound and safety.
One of our most loyal volunteers benefited from the ground work too, with long serving Cameraman, Chris Rowcroft, having a new media tower built for him to reside on a match day.
As well as giving our footage a more professional look with a higher angle, it will keep Chris protected from the elements as we head into a busy winter period.
The media tower was installed by Dave Stuart Scaffolding, based in West Auckland, and cladded by Micheal and Simon Darwin of MD Construction. Michael and Simon are both Spennymoor fans having supported the club since the Northern League days.
Michael said: “I was first contacted by Ian Walker who spoke to me about the construction of a TV tower at The Brewery Field. There was already something in place but we needed to provide some cover for the camera operators.
“It’s been a pleasure to do some work at the club. The fact me and my son go to the games and have been long time supporters makes it that bit more enjoyable.
“It’s great to see the progression at the club from when I began supporting six years ago. The stadium has now got the wow factor and the phenomenal collective effort has delivered a terrific end result.”

Be sure to read the previous chapters!
Chapter One – https://spennymoortownfc.co.uk/2019/11/20/the-brewery-field-chronicles-chapter-one-the-grass-is-always-greener/
Chapter Two – https://spennymoortownfc.co.uk/2019/11/22/the-brewery-field-chronicles-chapter-two-digging-into-the-detail/
Chapter Three – https://spennymoortownfc.co.uk/2019/11/22/the-brewery-field-chronicles-chapter-three-let-there-be-light/
Chapter Four – https://spennymoortownfc.co.uk/2019/11/25/chapter-four-housing-the-tools/
Chapter Five – https://spennymoortownfc.co.uk/2019/11/26/the-brewery-field-chronicles-chapter-five-great-design-is-transparent/