“... a suitable ‘no play’ window of four or five weeks had to be drawn up”
reduced to just three weeks in two out of the past three
seasons. Union and League
overlap at the beginning
and end of the Rugby League season and it’s not unusual to get back to back fixtures,
requiring timely changeover of pitch markings. Thankfully, the Sedgley Park President is a dab hand with a string and linemarker
and I get some good assistance.
Super League side,
Salford City Reds use Sedgley Park’s facilities during the day, Monday to Friday, as a training base. This is for about ten months of the year and they use our training
pitches, gym, conference and video room and dine at the club three or four times a week. Great Britain and England Rugby league sides, with their respective coaches, Brian Noble and Karl Harrison, have had team runs on the main pitch prior to important matches. In recent years, local, national and Sky television cameras have become commonplace at the club. Sedgley Park are a real 12 months a year, 7 days a week operation, employing full time General/Commercial Manager, Bar Manager and Catering Manager. Pitch care is ongoing and all suitable windows are used for remedial and renovation work. Good equipment, best practices, a well controlled weed and feed regime and quality materials in the form of sand, topdressing and seed have all helped in allowing the pitches to improve despite continuous use and, more recently, some very wet weather. My biggest problems at the club
are lack of a good irrigation system and annual meadow grass. However, when I started, that list would have been a lot, lot longer!
Days OFF!
TONY BOLTON, Head Groundsman: In my spare time I help out at a couple of local football clubs spiking/aerating every two or three weeks and helping out with end of season renovations. I still have time for my family, wife, my three sons, their wives and partners and a nine year old granddaughter going on 39! My two Jack Russells, Bob and Bert, come to work with me every day. Bob is an adept tractor driver and younger Bert is learning the rudiments of pest control - rats beware. I have a passion for wildlife and feed badgers in my backgarden. This season’s cubs are due to make an appearance shortly. I like birdwatching, in particular birds of prey, and have done voluntary work for the RSPB at Operation
... or what Pitchcare readers get up to out of office hours
Osprey, Loch Garten, Scotland. Watching White Tailed Sea Eagles on the Isle of Mull and Golden Eagles in the Western Highlands have been some of my most memorable wildlife encounters. However, seeing the resident Buzzards on land adjacent to Sedgley Park pitches still gives me a twinge of excitement. Following the retirement of our local Wildlife Protection Police Officer, with no replacement found, I keep a watchful eye on a local Peregrine Falcon nest and several badger setts. However, my love of wildlife does not extend to the fox that keeps digging up my cricket outfield and wicket end repairs but, I suppose, that’s life.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100