PNE ready for goalline technology

All Championship clubs will have the Hawk-Eye system in place for the 2017/18 season, the Premier League having had it since 2013.

Helping PNE install their system is Orb Rope Access.

The company specialises in doing maintenance work in high areas – they regularly do floodlight repairs at North End and work on the roofs of the stands.

Goalline technology uses a number of cameras and sensors, located at different points.

Matt Lavery of Orb Rope Access told the Post: “So many different angles need covering by cameras and sensors.

“If players are blocking the view of some cameras in the goalmouth, the ball has to be seen from other angles.

“Goalline technology uses around 20 cameras and that means a lot of cabling.

“Some of the cables are rooted high up on the roofs and we have been helping with the installation.

“We’ve worked with North End for a few seasons now.

“Any work which needs doing at height, whether that is maintenance on the floodlight towers, cabling or painting, we do.

“I’ve been involved in rope access for 10 years.

“We go all over the country, we’ve done work on the Guild Hall in Preston, we’ve had contracts at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

“Recently, we did a charity abseiling day for the Royal Manchester Hospital which raised £60,000.”

Championship clubs agreed in February to bring in goalline technology, and it was rubber-stamped at the league’s AGM in April.

It has been in place for the Championship play-off semi-finals and will be used for the final between Huddersfield and Reading at Wembley on Monday.

EFL chief executive Shaun Harvey said: “The introduction of goalline technology is a significant step forward for Championship clubs and reflects the importance of the outcome of every single game in the division.

“It has already proved successful elsewhere in our competitions and I’m confident it will have a similar positive impact in the Championship.”