Shards of plastic were found on the Spotless Stadium pitch barely an hour before Friday night’s A-League game kicked off at the venue.

The Wanderers were due to face the Jets at the venue, but in an inspection before kick-off, pieces of plastic were found on the pitch, with staff removing them from the ground.

It’s understood there were separate pitch inspections on Tuesday and Thursday, and all was fine. Officials believe the strong winds on Friday blew debris from the stands onto the pitch.

The game was cleared to go ahead.

Fox Football sideline reporter Glen Lauder said the “sharp” shards were from plastic cups from a concert at the venue a week earlier.

Shards of plastic found on the pitch. Source: FOX SPORTS

Wanderers staff inspect the pitch. Source: FOX SPORTS

“There is some issues here at Spotless Stadium this evening, of course the Wanderers’ first game here this season,” Lauder told Fox Sports’ A-League Express.

“Ernie Merrick, the Newcastle coach, has already complained to the match commissioner.

“The pitch itself doesn’t look great but the big issue is these shards of plastic cups.

“Now there was a concert here last weekend and as you can see, there’s been some volunteers doing a bit of an ‘emu search’, I’ve been told it’s called. But they’re picking up these shards of glass (plastic).

“I’ve spoken to A-League officials here this evening – Greg O’Rourke has been on the phone as well to find out what’s happening.

“They’re going to do another inspection in about 15 minutes so we’ll wait and see what comes of that.

“But certainly there’s plenty of concerns about these shards of plastic. I’ve been holding them, they’re pretty sharp.”

Shards of plastic found on the pitch. Source: FOX SPORTS

Jets coach Ernie Merrick showed a collection of shards, along with a screw, he’d picked up from the pitch.

“I just had a couple of minutes to pick up some of the rubbish on the football pitch — I’m not sure if you could call it a football pitch, it’s more like a carpark out there,” Merrick told Fox Sports’ Kick Off.

“That was all on the pitch. That took me two minutes.”

Former Sydney and Adelaide coach John Kosmina slammed the state of the pitch.

“That is a disgrace,” he said.

“That is an absolute disgrace.”

Plastic shards and a screw Ernie Merrick found on the pitch. Source: FOX SPORTS

When Merrick was asked whether he was worried about his players’ safety, the Jets coach was blunt.

“Course I am. But the match commissioner says it’s playable, and so it’s playable.

“We’re happy to play as long as we don’t get an injury, but that’s pretty bad.”

To say the pitch at Spotless is a disgrace is to give it a compliment.

More from 7pm aedt ahead of a big weekend of @ALeague on Fox Sports 505. — Adam Peacock (@adampeacock3) November 23, 2018

Staff still out on the pitch picking up shards of plastic... Not sure why it’s been left til now, less than an hour before kick off, to try clean it up. pic.twitter.com/OPwjfjLN1e — Carly Adno (@CarlyAdno226) November 23, 2018

They are presently picking up the plastic shards from cups at last weekend’s hip hop concert.

This just after stadium management, in a press release, said it is a premier boutique venue.

🤪 pic.twitter.com/UI0RJWAR1i — Adam Peacock (@adampeacock3) November 23, 2018

It's equally disgraceful if the debris has blown onto the pitch from the stands. R&B Fridays was Sat 17 Nov -- so you'd have to assume the broken shards of plastic have been scattered amongst the stands until then. The wind has only been this strong today. #WSWvNEW — Vince Rugari (@VinceRugari) November 23, 2018

The Spotless pitch is a disgrace. Wanderers entitled to ask for a refund of their fee. Not up to standard. — Ray Gatt (@Gatty54) November 23, 2018

Wanderers have come out to warm up. According to FFA there were two ground expections on Tuesday and Thursday involving groundsmen, stadium officials, FFA and Wanderers. They were not happy with state of pitch. The suggestion is that the huge winds today shocked debris on pitch. — Ray Gatt (@Gatty54) November 23, 2018

How can you have a match here? Sliding tackle, plastic into the skin. No way... #WSWvNEW — Vince Rugari (@VinceRugari) November 23, 2018

How embarrassing 😳 — Stefan Mauk (@StefanMauk) November 23, 2018

Players appeared to slip on the turf generally throughout the game — especially in a spot close to the Wanderers’ bench.

Newcastle’s Daniel Georgievski came off in the second half with an injury and post-match, Merrick criticised the pitch again.

“I just feel sorry for Markus Babbel, playing on a pitch like that. It’s a disgrace,” Merrick told Fox Sports post-match.

“Well that’s right (it’s not a good look). For safety and to play the best possible football to entertain the crowd, you can’t play on a pitch like that. It’s a disgrace.”