“It brings a tingle of pride to my spine when the team run out onto the pitch and it looks fabulous”
to cope with half time repairs as well as erecting and dismantling practice goals. “I am very lucky to have such a great couple of lads working with me at the stadium.” says Jonathan. “My Assistant Head Groundsman, Paul Mytton, and Karl Prescott are great guys and work extremely hard to maintain the very high standards demanded and expected at Villa. We are very proud to be part of such a fantastic club with a brilliant history and heritage. It really brings a tingle of pride to my spine when the team run out onto the pitch and it looks fabulous.”
I have to agree, and ‘fabulous’ was certainly the word to describe the pitch during my visit to photograph the stadium and interview Jonathan. The tightly packed and intensely green, healthy dense sward was an absolute picture to behold. From my photographic vantage point high up in the famous Holte End stand it was an utterly breathtaking and awe inspiring view through my wide angle lens!
The club owns around £500,000
in grass machinery, including that used at the recently fully commissioned training ground at Bodymoor Heath which, incidently, Jonathan also has overall responsibility for following recent promotion.
“I do miss my family in Ireland” Jonathan confesses. “However, I have made a wonderful life here in England and could never regret my decision to leave now.” Married to an English girl, Joanna, and with twenty month old boy and girl twins, Jonathan has much to be justifiably pleased about and was naturally welcomed into her Villa mad family instantly. He commutes daily from home at
Perton, near Wolverhampton and enjoys the occasional game of golf when spare time allows. Speaking about his time at Villa, Jonathan recalls a conversation with previous Chairman Doug Ellis. “Give us a pitch we can all be proud of at Villa” said Ellis. “I will do just that” replied Jonathan. I believe he has kept his word.
Villa v Odense on 26th July View from the Holte End stand was ‘fabulous’
00800 64 111 111 39
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 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140