“I don’t swear by any one brand, and I believe it is important to remain fresh and continue to explore what’s out there”
that offers everything,” Ben states. “My Toro kit I have is excellent, but there are others, like the Dennis pedestrian, that also deliver very good results - it all depends what you’re wanting it for.” The same’s true for seed and fertilisers. “I don’t swear by any one brand, and I believe it is important to remain fresh and continue to explore what’s out there.”
”Seed wise, I am yet to discover what performs here, as works are only just finishing now - only time will tell on that front,” Ben continues. “As far as outsourcing is concerned, its clearly difficult to justify capital expenditure on machinery if it’s only going to be used occasionally. Therefore, we will continue to use outside contractors for certain operations, such as spraying and verti- draining.” For Ben, having fit for purpose machines will play a crucial role in him executing his plans. At present, his fleet is humble, with the Toro 2000 triple mower and Sisis pedestrian slitter his only two permanent machines on site. Yet, with a management committed to investing in grass roots, Ben has his eye on a few that he feels would make his job complete. “Ideally, I’d like either a Ransomes Mastiff or a Dennis pedestrian mower. “Pedestrian mowers are much easier to maintain and set up, and have the double benefit of giving a nicer, neater finish, and it means I don’t have to keep putting tyres over the pitch, as I do currently with the Toro triple.” The big business that is now football means clubs have to make the most of all their assets - including the pitch and the stadium - to maximise revenue during the closed season. Attracting all manner of events and friendlies may bolster club coffers, but the groundsman’s gripe is that they can often mean there are extremely tight time margins to squeeze in the vital post-season renovation. Luckily for Ben, this is not the case and he has the luxury - at least this year - to complete the work in good time. His duties at Broadfield Stadium officially kicked off on 1st May and, within six days, contractors R & K
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Kensett had turned around the renovation and handed him back a pitch primed for premier growth. Kensetts are no stranger to the ground, having completed similar work for several seasons, and are highly regarded by the likes of club chief executive, Alan Williams.
Day one began with a double scarification of the surface to help deal with the accumulation of thatch. Monday saw sixty tonnes of sand incorporated by means of sand slitting, followed, the next day, by a three-way overseeding with fifteen bags of Masterline Pro 81 ryegrass mix.
On Wednesday, forty tonnes of 80:20
topdressing was spread to allow for the 12:4:4+2mg fertiliser to be applied on the Thursday. “I wanted a medium to high rate nitrogen fertiliser to get a good establishment and colour when the seed grows through,” explains Ben. “We are expecting another dry summer, so I wanted to give the grass the best chance possible. We do have a good irrigation system, so I predict positive results. But, we all know you can’t beat natural irrigation." With work complete, the pitch was left
in Ben’s capable hands once more, ready to implement the changes he deems necessary to achieve the results the club want.
“I’m expecting to see some growth between ten and fourteen days, so I will be topping and cutting in three to four weeks’ time to encourage a good cover,” he adds. “Once the renovations have settled in, I can start on my aeration programme, firstly addressing the root problems, which may turn out to be a long-term task, depending on how deep the roots develop with regular aerating,”
he continues.
Ben plans to combine his remedial work with regular soil sampling to ensure he’s on track in correcting the current problems yet, for him, the likelihood is that he will avoid employing an aggressive fertiliser programme. “I’ve never been one for using fertilisers to any great extent and prefer to keep it as natural as possible, as I believe that success lies in having sound foundations, something I will be working to achieve here.” “The most I’ll be doing will be using wetting agents over the summer if we do suffer from drought again but, at present, that’s all I can foresee. Otherwise, I know what I need to do and hope to see some significant improvements by the winter.” Even though groundsmanship is a
profession renowned for length of service of its practitioners, Ben, at only twenty- five, has already amassed over seventeen years of experience, so there could be decades of service ahead for him still, especially given his ambitions to move on up with a club bent on making its mark in the Football League. Crawley Town and Ben appear a perfect match, as drive and the vision to progress are qualities both have shown in spades. “Crawley is a great club to be part of,” Ben concludes. “The management has been extremely good to me and I know, in only a short time here, that I’d like to progress with them as far as I can, with the nPower Championship the key target in the next five years.”
On current evidence, that’s a five-year plan that looks likely to succeed.
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