STADIUM officials are confident Town will have a “pristine” pitch for next season.

The surface – which has come in for plenty of criticism from fans and players alike this term – is to be re-seeded this summer.

The artificial Desso element, however, which is the synthetic core of the pitch, does not need to be replaced immediately.

Experts Hewitt Sports Turf, who also look after Wembley and the Emirates Stadium, believe the Galpharm Desso will be fine until around 2011.

Stadium chief executive Ralph Rimmer explained that John Hewitt, MD of the turf company, has been advising on pitch maintenance in the short, medium and long term.

“We will be re-seeding in the summer and the pitch should be in pristine condition, absolutely fantastic, for the Town centenary game against Arsenal on August 6,” said Rimmer.

“The pitch has endured one of the wettest periods on record since Christmas and is currently in the busiest spell of staging matches for Town and the Giants, so we know a lot of attention and comment is being paid.

“John Hewitt and his team have been visiting every month to advise us on the way forward and, despite the battering it has taken from the weather this year, he is reasonably pleased with the condition overall.

“One factor which has been revealed is that the Desso doesn’t need replacing at this stage.

“I think people have been confused by the fact it had a 10-year warranty when fitted, which was almost 12 years ago.

“That didn’t mean it would last only 10 years. It was always believed it would be fine for 15 years or so and that certainly appears to be the case.”

When the Desso is eventually replaced, officials will have to find an eight-week slot in the summer.