Tag Archive for: groundsman

Manager’s Tribute To Former Groundsman

/in , , /by

Manager’s Tribute To Former Groundsman: Southend United manager Chris Powell has paid tribute to Sid Broomfield, the man who helped to build Roots Hall.

Broomfield passed away earlier this week, aged 94.

And Powell insisted the club’s former groundsman would forever be a massive part of the club’s history.

“You don’t get too many people like Sid at a club,” said the Shrimpers chief, who first met Broomfield in the early 1990s.

“I knew him from my days as a player and since coming back as manager too.

“This is a man who built the ground.

“We talk about moving ground and pastures new and it’s something which needs to happen.

“But sometimes we forget about where we are, who we are and who has been involved in that.

“Sid’s a man we saw regularly and he’s part of the reason we’re at Roots Hall.

“He’s a massive part of our past and a massive part of our history.

“He will be sorely missed by all of us because when you talk about Southend he was someone who definitely bleeds blue.

“Rest in peace Sid.”

And Shrimpers legend Kevin Maher has also paid tribute to Broomfield.

“Sid’s a true legend of the club and a lovely man too,” said the former Blues skipper.

“Condolences to his family and friends.”

Click here to read the original article

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Award For Beccles Town Groundsman

/in , , /by

Award For Beccles Town Groundsman: Beccles Town have been crowned winners of the Suffolk FA Groundsman of the Year sponsored by Ransomes at the first time of asking.

The club had never previously entered the competition, which is open to clubs in the county at Step 7 and below.

The five members of the Judging Panel visited this year’s seven entrants on Thursday and were unanimous in their choice of Beccles Town as winner.

Chris Brown and Shaun Soloman are joint groundsmen at the club, who play in the Premier Division of the Hadley & Ottaway Anglian Combination.

Tony Adams of Claydon, the 2017 winner, was runner-up and Bryan Simmonds of Bacton United 89, who won the competition in 2016, was third.

Beccles Town will receive £200 to be spent on groundscare equipment, with Claydon receiving £100 and Bacton united 89 £50.

The groundsmen from all three clubs will be invited to attend the Suffolk FA Awards Ceremony later this year to receive their prizes.

Coddenham Athletic, Leiston St Margarets, Old Newton United and Westerfield United, whose groundsman is Ipswich Town’s 1978 FA Cup Final winning goalscorer Roger Osborne, were the other four clubs to enter the competition.

Beccles Town Vice-Chairman Mark Jermey, who nominated Chris Brown and Shaun Soloman, said: “I am so delighted for Chris and Solly, who have transformed College Meadow over the past few years.

“They have transformed not only the playing surface but the facilities at College Meadow. Their most outstanding quality, aside from hard work, is their ability to enthuse others to donate time and resources.”

Ipswich Town FC Head Groundsman Ben Connell, who led the Judging Panel, said: “I have been impressed with the groundsmen’s innovation and can-do attitude in making and servicing their own machinery to help maintain their football pitches.

“This has influenced the quality we have seen today.”

Phil Jeggo, Regional Pitch Advisor for the Institute of Groundsmen, said: “It is very encouraging to see the increase in the number of entries this year in the county.

“Full credit to all the volunteer groundsmen for producing high-quality standard pitches in the challenging conditions we’ve experienced over the past 12 months.”

Click here to read the original article

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Praise For Orient Groundsman

/in , , /by

Praise For Orient Groundsman: Leyton Orient assistant Ross Embleton hailed the work of Colin James and his staff after pitch struggles last season due to a lack of investment by the previous regime.

The current condition of Leyton Orient’s home pitch will given the team the chance to impose themselves on their future opponents, according to Justin Edinburgh’s number two Ross Embleton.

After two National League games in E10 to date, O’s have only managed to pick up two points following draws with Ebbsfleet United and Barrow.

In both fixtures Orient produced some eye-catching football, but couldn’t hold onto their lead and as a result have yet to win at the Breyer Group Stadium so far.

Nevertheless, Embleton hailed the work of groundsman Colin James and his staff after Orient’s well documented problems with the pitch last season.

Ahead of hosting Boreham Wood on Saturday, O’s will look to make the most of their plush looking surface.

Embleton said: “I was really disappointing for Colin and all the other staff who have worked on the pitch because they got it into top class condition for the stage of the season we are at and then the foxes come along and did what they did to it!

“When you look at it now, Colin has definitely turned it around into a pitch he can be positive and proud of.

“As it evolves across the season, I am sure we will work out exactly how good the pitch will be because in recent history the pitch has got worn in certain areas, but right now it is giving us the chance to impose ourselves on the opposition.”

Orient, as they were last year, have been well supported during the new campaign and both of their home fixtures have seen over four thousand O’s fans in attendance.

Assistant manager Embleton hailed the influence the crowd can have, especially when the east Londoners have their backs to the wall.

He added: “There was a period around the 65-minute mark against Ebbsfleet where we were under a little bit of pressure and the crowd really gave us a lift.

“We were really sorry about the late goal we conceded and these types of games you really want to hold onto the lead and send everyone home happy, but the biggest thing for me was the support was there again.

“It was outstanding away to Salford City, there was only one set of fans there on that day, and then against Ebbsfleet the numbers were fantastic, so the biggest thing for me is the backing we got once again.”

Click here to read the original article

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Groundsman Creates ‘Starburst’ Outfield

/in , , /by

Groundsman Creates ‘Starburst’ Outfield: TV viewers watching the latest test match at the Darren Sammy stadium in Gros Islet may have been struck by the unusual way the outfield has been cut, mown into the shape of a “starburst” fanning out from the pitch to the boundary. This sort of topiary appears to be unique to international cricket but then the man behind it is a one-off too.

Kent Crafton has been groundsman since the stadium was completed in 2002 and for the last six years he has acted as head curator for the whole Caribbean region. He is widely credited with having transformed pitches from “roads” on which batsmen filled their boots to the livelier surfaces that have revived local pace bowling and, in this series, left England’s batsmen hopping.

That is only Crafton’s day job. Manicuring the grass at his home ground is his real passion. During the women’s World Twenty20 in November, he went to extraordinary lengths by creating a Hibiscus shape with his mower.

During this match, a member of Crafton’s groundstaff can be seen walking across the outfield each evening with a paintbrush and tin, dabbing whitewash marks along the edges of each section to help Crafton be precise with his daily cut. Under ICC regulations, the outfield is given a light cut on each day of a Test match.

The outfield for this game has been unusually slow. This is because of the thick type of conch grass on the island but it may also have something to do with Crafton needing thicker-than-normal grass to create his patterns.

Anyone who gets between him and his artwork does so at their peril. A few years ago, in the build-up to a Test match, he severed through a 200-metre TV cable that happened to be lying across part of the outfield. He was not noticeably apologetic. “He has his own kingdom,” said one source.

There is, moreover, another problem taking up any matter with him: Crafton has an identical twin called Alton, who works as a development coach at Gros Islet. It has not been uncommon for people to think they are speaking to one of them, when in fact it is the other.

Click here to read the original article

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Dan Sanders Wins Groundsman Award

/in , , /by

Dan Sanders Wins Groundsman Award: Westfields groundsman Dan Sanders has been crowned the Midland Football League Premier Division Groundsman of the Year.

Sanders, from Clehonger, looks after all the main pitch and other pitches as allpay.park.

He also finished runner-up overall in the Midland Football League to Brockton Football Club as Groundsman of the Year.

His certificate was presented by Midland Football League representative Gary Foxall at the home match versus Sporting Khalsa on Saturday.

Westfields’ Chief Executive Andy Morris said: “Dan Sanders is a superb groundsman and has been our groundsman since we took occupation at allpay.park in 2003.

“He has transformed what was an old unused recreational field into a first-class football ground, not only our main stadium pitch but also all the other pitches which are used by our junior, youth and the reserve team in addition to the pitches used by the Hereford Sixth Form College.

“His work and attention to detail has earned him this award for which we are delighted for him as he and his father over the years have spent many hours looking after the ground and getting it in playable condition when other pitches in the area have been waterlogged.

“The award is really well deserved and congratulations to Dan Sanders.”

Click here to read the original article

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.