Mike Savage presents a memento to Professor Tim Wilson at the University of Herfordfordshire
day they returned to Ipswich for a nostalgic and celebratory dinner.
The following morning they visited Ipswich Town’s Portman Road stadium, where they met head groundsman Alan Ferguson, who uses the latest version of the Ransomes Matador to maintain the pitch. This was followed by a tour of the Training Centre and Academy at Playford Road. Next stop on the itinerary was a tour of Ransomes Jacobsen’s European headquarters and manufacturing plant and an opportunity to meet the press. After a tour of the manufacturing facilities some of the team accepted the invitation of a round of golf on the company’s three-hole golf course followed by a buffet lunch with the Directors and other staff. David Withers, Managing Director of Ransomes Jacobsen said, “We are absolutely delighted to be in a position to help the Operation Matador team celebrate their epic achievement. It would be difficult to replicate what they achieved, even today, and it was a remarkable feat.” “It says a lot about the quality of the equipment we built back then; a tradition that we carry on today. After 50 years, I’m delighted that all of the Operation Matador team are still with us; that we’re still producing quality turf care equipment in
Assistant Parks Manager David Jordan (2nd from right) with haggis and personal memento
Ipswich - and we’re still producing the Matador mower, albeit with some technological enhancements from the original! The team here at Ipswich really enjoyed meeting the guys and I hope we contributed to a very happy and nostalgic reunion.”
The celebrations didn't end there. BBC television got wind of the story from the local newspaper and decided to feature the event in an upcoming programme to be screened in the autumn. This resulted in the guys returning to Ipswich a week later for a day of intense filming at Christchurch Park in Ipswich and at Ransomes Jacobsen.
Commenting at the end of a hectic day,
Mike Smith said, “We can’t thank Ransomes, and their Managing Director David Withers, enough for their hospitality and for the resources they put at our disposal so that we could celebrate our achievement in style. What’s really pleasing is that they are still producing mowers in Suffolk, still producing the Matador and still have the same ethos as they did 50 years ago. The fantastic attitude of today’s company is just the same as it was when we approached Ransomes Sims and Jeffries, back in 1959. Here’s to the next 50 years.”
Alan Ferguson, Head Groundsman at Ipswich Town FC, with the team at Portman Road
Filming for BBC TV's Inside Out programme in Christchurch Park
What are you like?
Malcolm Magrath - single and happy, but not averse to a bit of crème egg bribery, apparently!
Who are you? Malcolm Magrath, Lottery Manager and Groundsman, Ashton Town A.F.C. of the North West Counties (Vodkat) League.
Status (married, single, children etc.)? Single and very happy!!
Who’s your hero and why? Probably Gordon Milne. I grew up watching Wigan Athletic in the Northern Premier League and the team that Milne put together was brilliant. That was the team that should have been elected to the Football League.
What is your dream holiday? A Mediterranean cruise I would think.
What annoys you the most? Being asked what annoys me the most!!!
What would you change about yourself? Don’t know if I would. Perhaps I should be more assertive.
Who wouldn’t you like to be? Any politician.
Favourite record, and why? It changes according to how I feel. I like a lot of the early
ELP stuff like Tarkus and Brain Salad Surgery. Also, early Deep Purple. If I had to choose one it would probably be 24 Carat Purple, which is a good mix of live and studio recordings and never fails to give me a boost.
Who would you choose to spend a romantic evening with? Ellie Tait (having first ensured a plentiful supply of crème eggs!!).
If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would do? Thank the person who bought me the ticket and, probably, buy the house of my dreams
If you were to describe yourself as a musical instrument, what would you be? Perhaps a bass guitar. It’s in the background but, without it, the music wouldn’t work quite the same.
What’s the best advice you have ever been given? Find out the facts first.
What’s your favourite smell? Roast chicken.
What three words would you use to describe yourself? Open-minded (is that one
word or two?), thoughtful, versatile.
What talent would you like to have? To be able to play keyboards proficiently.
What makes you angry? I try not to get angry. I do, however, get rather wound up by drivers who fail to indicate and those who have clearly never read The Highway Code since the day they passed their test.
What law/legislation would you like to see introduced? I don’t know about introducing a law, but I’d like to see the punishment fit the crime rather more than appears to be the case at present.
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