Reading Football Clubs training ground sport signs

My sign company (Ensign Signs of Wokingham) has recently completed the second set of sign boards fixed to the Barriers International spectator rail system, and have a few thoughts to share with others who are thinking of embarking on such a project.
Firstly, it has to be said that both rail systems installed at Reading Football Clubs training ground in Berkshire are great systems that are both stylish and durable. There are though issues with trying to fit signboards to the posts using their sign bracket that with a few simple modifications could eliminate some of the problems we have encountered.
The main problem we have had to deal with is the durablity of the boards behind the goal areas. These sign boards behind the goals take the most impact of balls hitting them. At the moment each Dibond signboard is fixed at the 4 corners using a locking nut and bolt that fixes to the sign bracket supplied. This solution works for the majority of the Dibond panels fitted around the pitch, but is proving ineffective for the runs of boards that span the whole length of the penalty areas.
The current specification is that the gaps between each post is 2.62m wide, by approx 750mm deep. We chose Dibond for the sign panels because of its strength, durablity and value for money. There are over 120 panels surrounding each pitch, so the cost per panel had to be a serious consideration. The only way to fit the signs was to use the sign bracket supplied. This is a 12" wide steel bar that slides down each post and has two holes at each end to allow a M8 bolt to fix to it. This bracket is only fixed to the post using a single rivet. In essence, this rivet is the only thing that is holding the bracket and sign panel to the post. This rivet also has to take the continual impact and vibrations that reverberate along the sign board.
This method has meant that over time some of the rivets have failed and some of the panels have dropped, twisted and dented.
We feel that this situation can be avoided if a couple of modifications are made at the layout design stage that will probably increase the installation cost but would significantly reduce any maintenance and repair issues in the future. Firstly, Dibond panels come in 3 meter lengths. If the posts behind the goal areas were spaced at 1.5m apart, each panel would be supported at the ends (as present), plus it would have a post to support the middle of the sign board. This would stop the flex on the board during impact, and help to cut down the reverberation through the panel. Secondly, the sign brackets should be fixed by at least 2 rivets or self tapping screws. This would make the fixing stronger and should stop the rivets failing and thus stop the brackets holding the signboards dropping.
As mentioned at the beginning of this blog, the system overall is great, and it is not our intention in anyway to put any potential customer off from using the spectator rail system. The sign panels fitted down the sides of the pitch are generally fine with no real issues to note. This blog is to highlight the damage to the signboards that will occur behind the goal areas, and to offer advice that will help you to avoid this.
There are pictures on our website http://www.the-sign-works.com/ of the sign boards fixed to the spectator rail system. We are very proud of our part in Reading Fooball Clubs training ground program. We have been suppliers to Reading FC since 1990 and whilst this was a large signage program for a small company to undertake, we took it in our stride and completed the job on time and on budget.