Reds groundsman John Rogan at a waterlogged Solitude

Cliftonville are set to end the blight of postponements at Solitude by playing on a new synthetic 3G pitch.

The Reds will become the second Carling Premiership club to have an artificial pitch after Crusaders brought in a 4G surface at Seaview last year.

Cliftonville will not be able to play competitive games at Solitide until early October due to work on the pitch.

Their Europa League home game in July will be at the Oval while Seaview will host several of their league games.

The north Belfast side received financial assistance from the Irish Football Association's 'Football Turf Project Funding Programme' to develop the 3G pitch.

The pitch will be constructed to 2-Star standard - Fifa's highest 3G specification.

It will solve a major problem for the club, which has called off many games in recent seasons because of waterlogging.

Cliftonville's friendly against Macclesfield Town on 11 July will be played ay Mill Road in Crumlin while Donegal Celtic Park is the venue for the game with FC United six days later.

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