Groundsman Nominated For Award

Groundsman Nominated For Award: A member of staff from Colwyn Bay Football Club has been nominated for a prestigious award.

Elfyn Jones was nominated for the Evo-Stik North Groundsman of the Year, and his sterling efforts throughout the season have seen him reach the final three.

Groundsman Nominated For Award

The 52-year-old Rhyl resident will now attend at glitzy award ceremony at the Hilton Hotel in Blackpool on Saturday, June 16 where the winner will be announced.

Jones is in his second season volunteering with the Seagulls after previously holding a position with Warrington Town, and he has also assisted at National League side Chester at times during the campaign.

He spends between 25 and 30 hours a week working on the pitch at Llanelian Road, combining his time at the club with the tanning salon he runs in the area, where he spends 35 hours a week on average.

Jones, said: “I didn’t expect to get this far and I am surprised, but having praise off referees and home and away fans regarding how good the pitch is looking is so nice to hear.

“This makes all worthwhile and the players also have a good surface to play on. I sometimes work longer when we’re playing at home as there’s preparation in brushing, slitting and aeration work needs doing. Also fertilising when required.”

This recognition is even more significant when you consider the terrible weather conditions that have blighted the domestic game over the winter months, which has made the preparation process extremely challenging for Jones and other groundsmen in the region.

“This season has been the worst ever, the amount of rain we’ve had has made life difficult,” he added.

“I was unable to put the tractor on the pitch for three weeks due to it being simply too wet. The last few months I’ve been more busy on my sponge roller collecting water off the pitch than I ever have before.”

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