Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Stadium in Gong Badak was left abandoned after its roof collapsed in June 2009.
And as a result, its pitch was neglected and left overgrown with weeds.
In 2017, attempts were made to make it playable again but the remake of the pitch failed to meet the standards of the FA Malaysia and the Malaysia Football League (MFL), who concluded that the field was unsuitable for matches as its conditions could cause injuries to players.
However, the venue may soon have the best pitch in the country.
The stadium pitch is now being carpeted with Bermuda grass, thanks to MFL, who sponsored RM1 million for the re-turfing.
“By next month, the turfing will be completed and MFL will be supervising the maintenance work to make sure that it meets the standards.
“Hopefully, it will be given the green light for next year’s M-League,” said Azulkefli Mohammad, chief executive of the Gong Badak Sports Complex.
“Bermuda grass was chosen because it is tough, has a deep root system and can withstand drought, and it creeps along the ground forming a dense mat almost like a carpet.
“The philosophy behind the use of the Bermuda grass is that it makes a good playing pitch which will cushion players from getting hurt and improve the quality of football.”
However, singling out the best stadium in the country would depend on how best the pitches are maintained because all are using similar material.
“Arguably, we would be the best stadium for next season because the pitch will be under maintenance for five months before the kickoff.
“But whether the quality remains the same will depend on how well we maintain it after every match,” he added.
Azulkefli said the toughness of the Bermuda grass also made it popular for other sports fields, especially golf courses, as it repairs itself quickly, thus keeping maintenance costs reasonably low.
He added that a good pitch would be an avenue for spectators to watch fast-flowing matches and as home ground for Terengganu, it would be turned into a fortress for the Turtles against rivals.
Terengganu coach Nafuzi Zain said his team will only use the field when the authorities have given the green light.