“I think the hours that we work, with the commitment we show, demonstrates our passion for the industry - love is a word I only use when I am drunk!”
Daniel Madsen, Assistant Groundsman, Parken Stadium, Denmark
course was recognised as an education. In the future I would like to further my education with some distance learning. Part of the training policy at college is to learn machine operation and maintenance but, as I have been using machines in Parken since I was 17, I feel that I am a competent operator already. However, training at work is ongoing and I feel I learn new skills regularly. We have a wide range of equipment that is used between Parken and KB and, on occasions, we hire in equipment for renovations.
Most of the machinery has been bought through UK dealers. Our inventory includes two Dennis mowers - a G860 and a Premier, Honda rotaries, New Holland tractor, SISIS AerAid, Variseeder, Litamiser and outfield spiker, John Deere triple mower, Kubota mini tractor, Toro Pro-core and the MLRt lighting rigs.
Match day preparations are normally
carried out the day before any match, although FCK generally train at the stadium the day prior to a match, in which case we would set up the day before that. Working at the national stadium we are
required to produce high standards for the players. This is a constant challenge in Parken due to the event schedule, but progress has been made at the training ground, and our intention is to raise the standards there as well. Personally, I would hope to be in
charge of my own venue one day. It’s strange, but Chris tells me I should be aiming for his job! I would also like to experience more of the world and develop my knowledge. We usually maintain the grass at 25mm. Our pitches are a rye grass mix. The training ground pitches are cut at the same height as the stadium pitch.
The sizes of the pitches are also the same as the stadium. The fertiliser programmes are event dependant in Parken, where we use a mix of liquid and granular feeds and tonics. At KB we use slow release fertilisers three to four times through the season.
In the autumn we have a topdressing
programme, putting on 25 tonnes per pitch at KB per year. We also hollow core 2-3 times a year. At present we get one week for renovations at KB, Chris tells me that is more than enough, but I think we need longer! I’m not sure if we have any wildlife policies in place, although Chris says that we have AC/DC playing this year, so I will let you know after that! I do know that pesticides are banned in Denmark and there are major restrictions on the use of fungicides. Parken have adopted a new strategy to
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