Hall on the Ball
Behind the scenes at Arsenal FC part 2
Geordie, on and off the pitch, was with the club
a long long time and is dearly missed by all”.
All the pitches are kept in tip top condition by
the assistance of £500,000 worth of machinery
and the award-winning groundsman, Steve
Braddock and his team of 14 assistant
groundsmen and 3 expert gardeners, who work
seven days a week. Next to the ʻrealʼ grass
pitches was a fully-enclosed indoor 3G synthetic
grass training pitch measuring 70m x 50m,
which is used by the hugely successful Arsenal
Ladies Team. This pitch doesnʼt burn the skin
like the old style astro turf pitches. It was also
fully ventilated and when Sean switched on
the fl oodlights they are equivalent to any 2
nd
This concludes my tour of Arsenal C that
Division sideʼs stadium!
I undertook a couple of years ago… I was When Arsene Wenger came here at the
itching to fi nd out what was so special about the beginning of his reign, there were just 4
Almost coming to the end of my tour, I was
playing surface and I didnʼt have to wait too long pitches, a changing room and a restaurant! He
shown the dedicated press briefi ng building
as Sean, the facilities manager, led me out to sat down with his coaches, staff and Directors
which was opened at the start of the 2004/05
where the players learn their trade and stated the obvious fact that things needed
season. This building is where the players and
to change. The ʻProfessorʼ had a plan! He
staff fulfi l their media requirements and consists
The Training Centre covers an incredible area
wanted to sell Nicolas Anelka to Real Madrid
of 10 interview rooms plus a press conference
of 143 acres, including 45 acres of forestry
room seating up to 100 journalists. Players also
for £23m, buy Thierry Henry and put a down
and some 28,000 trees, which doubles up as
used this building to further their education as
payment on this place, all in one go The
a wildlife sanctuary for bird watchers delight 3
I observed the latest I.T. equipment in some of
Directors didnʼt have to think about it for too
times a year.
the small class rooms at their disposal as there
long before sanctioning Arseneʼs vision of the
was a strong emphasis on further education.
clubs future. There has already been £16-17m
The England squad train here before every
spent on the Centre since its opening but is
home game as this venue can offer them the
We went back to the restaurant where we had a
now worth a cool £30m plus.
best playing surface there is plus its location is
coffee as I tried to absorb what I witnessed but
not far from Wembley itself. Brazil, Argentina,
my day had not entirely fi nished! As Dennis and
In all there are ten full-size pitches, each costing
Ukraine, Germany, Ivory Coast amongst other
I were exiting the Centre, we bumped into Neil
£200,000 and grown from seed, to the exact
national teams that have used these exceptional
Banfi eld, Arsenalʼs reserve team coach. Neil,
specifi cations of the playing surface at Emirates
facilities since its opening in 1999. Every pitch
who also holds a ʻbadge and billʼ, was preparing
Stadium! Three of the pitches are reserved for
has an under soil drainage system and all the
to head off to Malaysia with the youth team for
the youth team, three for the reserves and three
water from this complex system gets pumped
a tournament. Neil was joined by youth team
for the 1
st
team. The tenth pitch is the ʻmatch
under the main building into a huge lake fi lled
coaches Steve Bould, David Court and the
pitchʼ where 1
st
team friendlies and Under-18
with carp! I should have brought my rod! Two
legendaryLiam Brady. I was introduced to these
fi xtures take place. This pitch is named after
of the three 1
st
team pitches have underground
Arsenal heroes and felt honoured to be in their
former Arsenal hero and reserve team coach
heating that is run to a temperature of 17
company. The youth squad started to arrive for
George ʻGeordieʼ Armstrong, who sadly passed
degrees centigrade throughout the winter
their trip to the Far-East while I started my cab
away in October 2000 after collapsing while
months which incorporates over 17 miles of hot
up and headed south, back to London.
water pipes under those pitches. I wouldnʼt like
coaching. As we stood by the commemorative
to get that gas bill! I gazed across the 1
st
team
memorial stone and plaque overlooking this
A few days later, Dennis phoned and invited
pitches, visualising the great players that have
ʻspecialʼ pitch, Sean described why the former
me to see the ʻend productʼ at the Emirates
worked hard to make Arsenal what they are
Arsenal legend was held in such high esteem
as Arsenal were to take on Portsmouth. This
today.
“Geordie was a great servant to Arsenal was an offer I couldnʼt resist, so I met up with
Football Club, he gave everything and probably Dennis and his son, Michael, also a cab driver
When Brazil trained here in 2000, Sean received
passed away how he wanted to go, which was and noticed an air of confi dence around the
a letter which stated that the pitches provided
on these fi elds, training the boys of Arsenalʼs stadium amongst the fans as I took my seat
were the best that they have seen, played on,
future. Arsenal, with the permission of Georgeʼs at this purpose built magnifi cent arena. To be
or trained on, anywhere in the world Now when
wife, thought it was a fi tting way to honour him. honest, Arsenal never really seemed to get out
Brazil write and tell you that, you take a sense
of pride. For Sean it was a fantastic experience
to watch the Brazilians train and something
heʼll never forget, and added that when Arsenal
enquire after a certain player, having this ʻseal
of approvalʼ from Brazil certainly helps a player
reach his decision. I asked Sean if there were
other clubs in the Premier League with ʻlike
for likeʼ facilities? He replied that Arsenal and
Manchester United were way out in front while
hot on their heels were Chelsea after their
massive investment over recent years and
added that the rest are starting to follow suit but
they need an initial outlay of £6-7m to start the
ball rolling. I suppose the league doesnʼt lie in
where you fi nish as itʼs how professional you are
that goes a long way to where you end up at the
end of the season.
48
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