Winter Sports - Football
GETTING Personal...
Mikey Ellis - as cooperative as a groundsman can be, especially downwind!
Who are you? Mikey Ellis, 43 years old. I’ve been a groundsman for just over ten years now. Before that, I worked for thirteen years as an HGV/plant mechanic for West Lothian Council, which I left at the end of 2000 to work in Holland at DAF trucks. I returned in 2001 to look after my boys. I then went back to helping out at my local golf club when I could. Enjoyed it so much, I went to college and took my SVQ3 in greenkeeping and sports turf management, whilst juggling it between being a single parent, and with a lot of help from my parents.
Family status? In a relationship with Deborah and have three boys, Dean, Mike and Sean, from a previous relationship.
Who’s your hero and why ? Henrik Larson, best Celt ever.
What would you change about yourself? A head of hair.
What’s your guilty pleasure? Anything sweet.
What do you drop everything for? My pitch.
What's been the highlight of your career so far? It’s hard to pick just one - it’s between winning the Scottish Groundsman of the Year Division 3 in 2006 at Stenhousemuir FC, becoming Head Groundsman here at Motherwell FC and working for Celtic. I grew up dreaming of playing on Celtic Park so, as that never happened, helping to prepare the pitch for the guys that did make it, is the next best thing, I think.
Glass half full or half empty? Half full.
Climate change - fact or fiction? Fact.
What’s your favourite season? Summer; keeps us busy on the pitch.
What are your pet peeves? Ripped up halftime draw tickets blowing about the pitch after a game, it’s like confetti.
If you could go anywhere right now, where would it be? Anywhere warm.
What’s the best part of your job? Seeing the pitch looking good set up for game.
… and the worst? Rain sodden pitch set up for game.
Do you have a lifetime ambition? No, just to enjoy what I have and see what happens in life.
Who wouldn’t you like to be? A matchday steward.
50 PC FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014
Favourite record, and why? Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here, just an amazing tune.
Who would you choose to spend a romantic evening with? My partner Debbie.
If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would do? Treat us all to a month long relaxing break somewhere warm and quiet.
What’s the best advice you have ever been given? Always pee downwind!
What’s your favourite smell? Not got a favourite, but I like the smell of freshly ground coffee.
What do you do in your spare time? Spend time with the family, try to play golf, fishing trips and camping overnight.
What’s the daftest work related question you have ever been asked? What kind of car do you drive? - from a primary pupil in for a site visit during questions and answers on our work.
What’s your favourite piece of kit? Got to be between the Toro ProCore and the Wiedenmann G160.
What three words would you use to describe yourself? Reliable, trustworthy and as cooperative as a groundsman can be, lol.
What talent would you like to have? To have made it as a footballer.
What law/legislation would you like to see introduced? Pitch use considered by leagues when making up fixture dates, so you don’t have three games in succession, especially during periods of expected poor conditions, like over the mid-winter period when the pitches (and groundstaff) are already under stress.
Souter Sports carry out the renovations ...
adjusted depending on the playing schedule ahead. “In the run up to a game, I cut daily but, if we have a couple of weeks break, I’m a big believer in giving the grass a rest from the constant mowing and traffic. I stringline the cutting stripes in the week running up to a game. I don’t very often have time to cut on match days, so 26mm and a night’s growth is ideal for me.” “We have two Dennis G860s, with verticutting and brushing cassettes, which we use regularly, alternating when used. We also have two John Deere rotary mowers which we also use for cleaning the surface after a game. By alternate with the
brushing and verticutting, I find that this also helps to keep weeds down and saves on spraying.” “Aeration is carried out
on a regular basis, or when I think it is required, depending on the amount of play on the pitch and the rainfall it has received. For this, we have a Toro Procore 648 and a new Weidenmann Greens TerraSpike G160 operated with a Kubota STV32 tractor. All were purchased in the last two years, except for the two Dennis mowers which we got back in 2009.” “Pitch marking is done with a transfer wheel linemarker using ten litres of Regal Paint mixed with five litres of water, always using a stringline.” “Overseeding is done after each game. We use one or two bags for heavily worn areas on the pitch - mainly warm up areas and goalmouths - or wherever else it is looking thin. We pre-germinate the seed for
the goalmouths and cover to help it on,”Mikey explains. “The truth is though that you can never plan too far ahead; we are constantly having to cancel everything from spraying and feeding as it’s either too windy, too rainy, or both!”
This year’s end of season renovation window will be curtailed by a Scottish Women’s World Cup qualifier in June. “Renovation will be light and quick,” states Mikey. “Usually, we would koro off the surface, at least. Last year, we just vertidrained and topdressed after fraise mowing, just skimming the surface to clean it. We power harrowed the top 150mm in 2012 and that is something I would like to do every other year or so, but time and budgets control this.” “I control my own budgets, but work closely with the stadium manager and chief executive to finalise just what is available. They have been very supportive and I think that the improvement in the playing surface has been welcomed by all.” “Renovations and
irrigation are the only work we outsource now, using Souter Sports for renovations, who I’ve worked with for the past six years, so I know I can trust them. Applied Irrigation, whom I’ve only worked with since coming here, undertake our irrigation work and, so far, I have been impressed with their work and service.”
As well as the stadium pitch, Mikey also looks
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