after season. There’s always something new to bother us”
“The challenges seem to be ever increasing, season
Dan Duffy, Head Groundsman, Liberty Stadium
from inside air temperature to that outside. We acquired one set of lighting rigs that we use on areas of the pitch that are most prone to the elements, and high wear areas between the football and rugby. They are rotated around these three areas; forty eight hours in each area. The rigs are only used in these three high wear areas covering only 16% of the pitch. If we had access to more lights, we could achieve more.” “The biggest wear comes from the rugby games, particularly around the scrummage, ruck, mauling and line out areas. It is common for the referee to re- set a scrummage several times over the same spot - over 800 kilos of muscle pushing down on the same piece of turf! You can also bank on this happening a lot around the centre spot and strategic scrum five areas.”
On arriving at the stadium on the
Friday (6th May), a day before the match, I was met by Dan and introduced to two of his staff, who were busy mowing the pitch, east to west, using
their Dennis G860s. Dan’s assistant is Dan Kirton, who came to the club last November, after returning from a sabbatical travelling around the world. He is very experienced in pitch management, having previously worked for six years at Chelsea’s Cobham training ground. Ben Arthure is employed two days a week. He is a relative latecomer to the industry, having previously worked in the steel industry upper management for thirty one years, retiring in 2009. He retrained in land based NPTC courses in tractor driving and machinery operations, safe operation of a chainsaw and the PA1, 2 and 6 spraying certificates. He also has two NVQ level 3s in Operations Management and has just completed Sports Turf and Amenity Horticulture.
He started working at the Liberty Stadium on a part time basis two years ago, helping with mowing, along with other tasks such as aerating, marking and fertilising the pitch. He also helps
look after the machinery. He says he learned so much in the time he has been there, stating that Dan “always explains his decisions, so you really feel part of the decision making process during day to day operations at the stadium.” Ben is really enjoying his new outdoor life and has vowed never to work inside again. When not working at the stadium, He is actively volunteering his services at the Swansea Civil Service Cricket Club.
Whilst on the subject of staff, Dan has also trained up another member of the team, Anthony Harry who, for the last five years, has come in to help out on match days. Anthony is employed as a groundsman at Pencoed College looking after several winter games pitches. Here, he has attained various certificates and, was a finalist in the Young Groundsman of the Year. Dan’s working hours are legendary at the club - the amount of hours he does is staggering - eighteen hour days can be the norm when preparing and repairing
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