Also in this issue: Simon Rudkins, Hastings United FC
Winter Sports Go east young man...
When Phil Sharples was asked to manage a contract to build grass football pitches in Azerbaijan, little did he know of the challenges that lay ahead. Pg70
The Greenhous Effect...
The groundstaff at Greenhous Meadow, home of Shrewsbury Town Football Club, have been overseeing the recovery of the pitch following the staging of the club’s first ever concert, an evening with Elton John. Pg76
A fan-tastic groundsman
Neville Johnson visits the south coast to see a non-league pitch and its award winning groundsman who’s given a new meaning to wholehearted support. Pg80
Brothers in arms
Graeme Balmer has joined his brother, Grounds Manager Dave Balmer, at the Kingsholme Stadium, home of Gloucester
RFC.Pg86
Are we being grassed up?
Six years after FIFA accepted artificial grass as being good enough for use in professional football, research about the safety of a field is still ongoing and, every so often, sheds new light on general assumptions. Pg90
Contractors Coping with cutbacks
Poorly kept public spaces can be linked to increased anti- social behaviour, crime and fear of crime, and that lack of access to green spaces results in poorer public health and well-being. So, is a partnering approach to groundcare services the way forward? Pg112
Fit for a Queen
McNab Sports was established in 1985. The company is proud that it is one of the few companies within the industry that has been awarded a Royal Warrant by Her Majesty the Queen, for the maintenance work on the golf course at Balmoral. Pg124
Arwyn Morgan, Ffos Las Technical How did it get to this?
How does a new grass seed come to market?Laurence Gale MSc follows the trail from collecting initial species to harvesting the final plant. Pg128
The Anatomy of a Golf Course
In this article, Andy Watson of Andy Watson Golf Design looks at what the golf course architect has to consider in designing a successful golf teeing ground. Pg132
Equestrian Meantime in Greenwich...
One of the most ambitious developments for the 2012 Olympics has been the preparation of an equestrian cross country course in Greenwich Park. Pg96
Polo in the Park
Polo in the Park, now in its third year and already winner of London Sport Attraction of the Year, is attracting large crowds to the former home of the sport. Pg102
It’s all mine!
Britain’s newest racecourse is enjoying the enthusiastic support of trainers from as far afield as Newmarket and the Republic of Ireland. Pg106
General A Capital Investment
As grass-roots sport struggles to survive in the face of austerity, Tom James visits a centre that has developed a model for success in its community. Pg116
Funding Grassroots
In a Q&A session, Alex Welsh, Chief Executive of the London Playing Fields Foundation discusses the Olympic legacy and suggests that professional sportsmen and women have a duty to support grassroots facilities. Pg122
Pitchcare Tenth Anniversary .... 4 News ............................................ 8 Talking Point ............................ 36 Forking around ........................ 94 Variety the spice of life ........ 126 Training .................................. 134 Frank Newberry .................... 136 End of season renovations .. 138 Roy gets in the rootzone ...... 140 The future of fertilisers ........ 142 Sowing the seeds of love .... 144 Choosing sand correctly ...... 146 Return of the worm .............. 148 Biomass trip to Belfast ........ 150 I don’t believe it .................... 152
MANAGING DIRECTOR: David Saltman
OPERATIONS DIRECTOR: John Richards
Telephone: 01952 897 910 Fax: 01952 247 369 Email:
editor@pitchcare.com
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ADVERTISING & PRODUCTION: Peter Britton Pitchcare Magazine, 3 Kingsbere Lane, Shaftesbury, Dorset SP7 8RR Tel: 01952 898 516 Email:
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dan@pitchcare.com
IT & WEBSITE: Alastair Battrick Tel: 01902 440 255 Email:
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Pitchcare.com Ltd Units 2&3 Allscott Telford Shropshire TF6 5DY
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wonderful few days with granddaughter Charlotte, including a cinema trip, swimming and making papier mache models. At eight years old (Charlotte, not Chris - our
memories are not that long!), she’s just a bit too young to start hitting the shops - but it won’t be long!
Training Coordinator Recently spent a
CHRIS JOHNSON Company Accountant
Sharon has sensibly realised, not before time, that six horses is far too many for one person to handle, especially when you are a slip of a lass, so she has sold one of her star jumpers. However, she is looking to
offload one or two more, so get in touch if you’re interested - in the horses, not Sharon!
SHARON TAYLOR
JULIE ROBINSON Sales Administrator
love their trips away; had to make a quick change of plans recently when the hotel they had booked went up in
weekend in Bournemouth instead. I suppose the amber nectar tastes nice anywhere!
rearranged and spent a very pleasant, long
flames (before they arrived), so they
Julie and husband Dave
KIRAN CONTRACTOR Sales Administrator
players. We don’t know if that is true, but it’s always good to wind him up before the season gets under way!
defeat by Dan H (and numerous others! Ed.) in last year’s Pitchcare Fantasy Football League, Kiran has loaded this season’s team with Arsenal, Spurs and Liverpool
Keen to avenge his
STUART BURTON Web Designer
quiet man has, though, injured his knee. It’s just as well that the new IT offices are on the ground level. With his V Festival tickets purchased he was off to see the Arctic Monkeys, M&Ms and the Dave Clark 5 - or have I got that wrong?
Another member of the team currently on a fitness regime, the
DAN BURTON Web Developer
Pitchcare Deutschland gearbeitet ... sorry, Dan has been working on the translation and launch of the Pitchcare Germany website in his usual quiet and efficient manner. Considerable concentration was required - not difficult in an office that is more akin to a library!
Dan hat sich auf die Einführung des
No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior permission of the publisher. All rights reserved. Views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. Editorial
contributions are published entirely at the editor’s discretion and may be shortened if space is limited. Pitchcare make every effort to ensure the accuracy of the contents but accepts no liability for its consequences. Images are presumed copyright of the author or Pitchcare unless otherwise stated. Pitchcare Magazine is printed by the Gemini Press, Dolphin Way, Shoreham-by- Sea, West Sussex BN43 6NZ
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