“We want to engender a sense of team spirit in our groundsmen, which is why we put a big emphasis on meeting regularly to share ideas”
Paul Cox and Billy Beech
“Unfortunately, in our business, you cannot cater for everyone, but we have to listen to people and make sure they feel that you have taken on board what they’re saying”
and his assistant Billy Beech who, at only twenty, is the baby of the bunch. Paul joined the team six years ago having acquired an early taste for the industry from his uncle, Darren Rorie, who works at Boston Manor in Ealing. “I had never taken any formal qualifications in horticulture or groundsmanship, but the grounding I gained from my uncle is something that I will always value - it gave me the solid foundations I needed to help build a successful career in the industry,” explains Paul. After leaving school, he was faced with two career options - “gas or grass”. Thankfully, for him and for the Foundation, he swept aside any thoughts of a gas maintenance job, jumped into groundsmanship and hasn’t looked back. For both Paul and Billy, the chance they have been given to take on such a big responsibility at an early age is one they relish and, it seems, is one they have taken in their stride. Billy came to the centre fresh out of school, eager to start at the highest level he could. “Billy was eighteen when the post of head groundsman became vacant but, at the time, his experience wasn’t quite enough for him to take on such a challenging role,” explains Alex. “Taking him on as an assistant was the best way forward, as it will allow him to develop and hone his skills so he can eventually take on a head groundsman position at one of our other sites,” he adds. Billy began his training at sixteen, with the LPFF meeting the costs of his education. Billy took his NVQ in Horticulture and later a BTec level 2 qualification in Sports Turf, which he received last year. Aspirations are high among the young LPFF staff.
“I definitely want to work in top-flight football one day,” states Billy. “Seeing how much the profession has moved on in only a few years, and how people like Darren Baldwin at Spurs command much more respect than ever before, gives us something to aspire to.” For Alex, it’s important to have the right mix of experience and
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youth in the ranks. “All the lads have a great relationship with each other and we share information and equipment between us,” explains Paul. “It’s important for us to show the older guys that we’re just as capable and can deliver great playing surfaces here. We have regular meetings with each other so, when they come to us, we have a chance to show off our work.” Keen to also stress the sense of operational independence the groundstaff enjoy, Alex chimes in: “You won’t find anyone checking their watches at 8.00am to make sure the lads have started on time. The proof of the pudding is in the eating, so we can tell if the pitches are up to scratch or not. The end user is a good guide of quality and we are soon told if they feel something is not right.” “We want to engender a sense of team spirit in our groundsmen,” adds Alex, “which is why we put a big emphasis on meeting regularly to share ideas, and allow the younger staff to learn from the older guys.” One of the biggest influences on Billy’s development has been LPFF groundsman Dave Garrett, who sadly died of bowel cancer two years ago. “It was from Dave that I learned how to prepare a cricket wicket - tips that I will always remember him for,” reveals Billy.
Learning how to maintain grass cut heights to prolong the life of the wicket was one of his most valued pieces of advice that Billy puts to good use during the summer. “Keeping the grass to a 3-4mm height is vital to allow the wickets the longevity they need to cope with the volume of play we get here,” Billy notes. “Despite the fact that some of our clubs would like it as short as possible, it’s just not practical for us, and would end up ruining the wickets, so we have to maintain that extra length.” Paul again remembers his uncle as the one who offered him the most guidance in his early development, and it is cricket where his passion lies. “Perhaps the best piece of advice he gave me was how to scarify the square. At the time it was not
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