Winter Sports - Football
GETTING Personal...
Nathan Chapman - walk on his pitch at your peril!
Pitch installation was carried out by Souters Sports
Who are you? Nathan Chapman, Head Groundsman at Charlton Athletic.
Family status? Engaged - due to marry my beautiful fiancé, Sharron, on the 16th May in Grenada.
Who’s your hero and why? Ian Wright - his background - how he grew up - to score that many goals and come from nowhere is amazing.
What would you change about yourself? Try and become a little bit healthier and save a bit more money!
What’s your guilty pleasure? My guilty pleasure is Eastenders. I'm a bit of a fan of soaps.
What’s been the highlight of your career so far? Working for the Queen at her Presentation of Colours and becoming head groundsman at Charlton.
If you could be anyone for a day, who would it be and why? Maybe Roman Abramovich - to spend a day in the life of a multi-millionaire. I’d sit in a yacht, spend money and relax.
Do you have any bad habits? Smoking unfortunately.
... or any good ones? I clean my car once a week without fail!
Do you go to bed worrying about the next day’s workload? I did last year, but now I don't. Having a new pitch is a massive stress relief.
What are you reading at the moment? I’m reading The History of London at the moment - it’s really interesting.
What are your pet peeves? People on a bus playing their music too loud, or speaking on their phones too loud. People walking on the pitch when they are not invited. Away teams warming up in the goalmouths longer than they should … the list could go on!
If you could go anywhere right now, where would it be? The Caribbean - nice and hot.
What’s the best part of your job? Waking up in the morning knowing I’m not wallowing in mud, water and knowing that I can just get on, get my equipment out and start my day as I mean to go on.
62 I PC APRIL/MAY 2015
… and the worst? Divoting on my own - very long and tedious.
Do you have a lifetime ambition? To become a Premier League groundsman.
Who would you choose to spend a romantic evening with? Rihanna - sorry Sharron!
If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would do? Sit down with Sharron and make sure that the family side of things is all sorted and then probably buy a house in the Caribbean.
If you were to describe yourself as a musical instrument, what would you be and why? A big bass drum, because I like people to hear me. If you don’t listen to your groundsman then your pitch will go into disrepair. You need to be heard as a groundsman.
What’s your favourite smell? My fiancé’s Jerk Chicken cooking away.
What do you do in your spare time? I’d like to say that I go to the gym, but I don’t. I go and watch Arsenal when I can, play golf and football and generally enjoy myself.
What’s the daftest work related question you have ever been asked? How many times have you cut the pitch since you’ve been here?
What’s your favourite piece of kit? The Toro ProCore.
What three words would you use to describe yourself? Motivated, funny, joyful.
What talent would you like to have? I’d like to have Rory Mcilroy’s talent so I could go and play golf all over the world.
What law/legislation would you like to see introduced? I’d like to see racism wiped out completely. It’s not right in any country.
feather in his cap, Nathan managed to get that step closer to his beloved football after landing the head groundsman position at Barnet FC. His experience here paved the way for a role as an assistant groundsman at Charlton Athletic FC a year later. Nathan’s dedication to the
industry and the sport soon paid off. He began working under the head groundsman at the time, Paul Geary, and quickly worked his way up to the position of deputy head groundsman. After continuing to excel in the role, the position of head groundsman became available, and his predecessor was adamant that Nathan was the only man for the job. Paul put Nathan’s name forward and he hasn’t looked back since. “I’ve now been at Charlton
for nine years - next year will be my tenth season. It’s brilliant working here; it’s a massive family club and everyone pulls together. The new owners are also fantastic; they let me get on and do what I need to do. They never really question anything that I’m doing and they always back me. I’ve never needed to want for anything - I can’t have a bad word said about them.”
In those nine years, Nathan
has experienced highs and lows, but feels that the industry has changed for the better. “The sports turf industry
has changed; the new equipment that’s available for us and the learning side of things. There are a lot of knowledgeable people out there now to speak to on a regular basis - it all makes my life a lot easier.”
“It’s the kind of industry
where you can just pick up the phone to perhaps someone at another club and it’s good to pick other people’s brains.” Up until recently, and perhaps testament to his ability, Nathan has tended to The Valley without any assistants or deputies. “I’ve got an assistant now
called Jonathan Jones, who has just finished his apprenticeship at the training ground and now he has moved over to join me here full time. He’s very good at what he does, very methodical and just gets the job done. He’s still learning and is only twenty years old. I’ve been pretty much on my own, so it’s great to have him here.” At just thirty-six years old, it
is as though Nathan is already a seasoned professional and he is keen to offer valuable advice to aspiring groundsmen like Jonathan. “My advice is to listen
carefully and go on as many courses as you can possibly go on. You’ve got to love the job that you’re in and you’ve got to be willing to put the hours in. As long as you have that attitude and gain the experience that you need, then the world is your oyster and you will reap the rewards.” Nathan has worked his way
up from apprentice to mentor and now Jonathan helps him with his weekly regimes and preparations for match day. “We will start by watering
three days prior to a game to get the moisture content right, then it’s a case of touching, marking, string cutting, putting the goals in and the practice nets up.” “On a Thursday, I will use a Dennis G860 to cut width
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