Owls praise clean-up heroes

Last updated : 28 June 2007 By Andy Parsons

Hillsborough Stadium's pitch was left underwater, dressing rooms demolished and cooperate facilities were completely wrote off as severe floods from the River Don wrecked the ground.

The adverse weather from Monday and Tuesday could put pay to Wednesday's pitch being in tip-top condition for next season and chairman Dave Allen even says that the under-soil heating could be damaged by the stagnant water.


But club operations manager Alan Roberts believes that people who are currently helping the club through a really rough patch are worth their weight in gold.


He told the club's official site: "The cleaners and maintenance staff are the unsung heroes who get on with the job behind the scenes - the people who come on a Saturday don't even notice them.


"Unfortunately all the pre-season work such as painting around the stadium has been ruined and has got to be done again and at least a dozen staff stayed overnight on Monday because they couldn't get away, then stayed through Tuesday to start the necessary work.


"Every one of them has had to do work they are not really employed to do, but there has not been one complaint. I've got nothing but praise and admiration for them."


Meanwhile, it looks as if Sheffield United will be re-signing their former striker Billy Sharp from under the noses of The Owls.


In a bizarre business move, The Blades, who sold Sharp to Scunthorpe for £100,000 - are set to bring him back to Bramall Lane for £1.9million more.