Winter Sports - Football
“If everything you can’t see is healthy, then everything you can see will naturally look great without too much effort”
leaving school. He is in a great position to learn all the knowledge Charlie and I have acquired over the years.” Additionally, Clive and his team are helped out by an enthusiastic band of volunteers, some of whom are now undertaking specific tasks. “Firstly, there’s John Fox,” offers Clive. “He has helped at the club in one form or another for countless years and presently helps with the stadium rubbish and keeping the changing rooms clean.” “And there’s the Colonel - Ken Sanders. He gives an outstanding amount of time, helping out on the pitch on matchdays and with numerous maintenance projects around the stadium and training ground. Also Kevin Burne, Exeter University’s head groundsman [featured in issue 50] volunteers for match day pitch work.” “Then there is Dennis, John, Chris, Alan, Ian, Jon and Eric, all volunteers who give up a bit of their time each week to fix and mend for me.”
“Between us, we cover most of the stadium work, but also rely on additional help from electricians, plumbers and other trades. In true groundsman fashion though, we will have a go first, then call someone in if we can’t fix it ourselves.” “There is also a very large party of fans
who walk the stands after every game picking up the rubbish, for which we are truly grateful as this allows us to concentrate on the more important parts of the job.”
It is clear that there is enormous loyalty within and for the club, perhaps because it is owned by the fans. It has known difficult times in recent years, including a spell in the Football Conference, but a return to Football League status in season 2008-9 has seen better days return. At the time of writing, the club were sitting mid- table, six points ahead of west country rivals Torquay and four behind Plymouth. Clive joined the club whilst they were still in the Football Conference and was instantly aware that he would not have the budget he might like. But, his promotion, or should that be ‘inclusion’, two years ago, to the role of Stadium Manager, now means that he controls the budgets for both the grounds and the stadium. “I formulate both, which then go to the
board and accounts to be given the rubber stamp (or not, as is often the case) and then manage both during the year to make sure we don’t overspend,” he explains. “We are still an original soil pitch which, unfortunately, has a high sand content. I
see is healthy, then everything you can see will naturally look great without too much effort. Presentation is often a psychological tool to get the very best from your team’s performance. Everybody likes playing on a pitch they perceive to look good. From a groundsman’s perspective, I love it when any of my surfaces look great.” Clive is supported by three full time staff. Charlie Woolnough is Deputy Estates Manager. “He was in the golf industry as a course manager and joined about two years ago when I took on the stadium manager’s duties. He’s very dynamic; no job’s too big and he’s a great team player.” “Dave Richards (Big Dave) is part of the furniture. He’s been with the club for about twelve years.” Why ‘Big Dave’? “Because he’s 6’ 7” tall and built like a brick ..... !” “Joe Southcott joined us nearly four years ago from Cannington College, where he had been studying since
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014 PC 41
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