Winter Sports - Football GETTING Personal...
Shane Moon - a passion for groundcare and, um ...
Who are you? Shane Moon, Grounds Supervisor at Footes Lane Stadium, Guernsey.
Family status? Married; I have five children and two step children.
Who’s your hero and why? Corny, I know, but that was my mum, what a lady. I am a big Elvis fan though.
What would you change about yourself? I would grow my hair back, get rid of the grey and be sixteen again
What’s your guilty pleasure? I think I answered that in the family status (lol) - I do love a pint though.
What’s been the highlight of your career so far? There have been many …. but being with Dave Roberts at St Marys and Wayne at Wolves were great experiences, if only just for a weekend at a time. The Wolves game was funny, they were playing Manchester United; there were friends in the stadium from Guernsey and they started singing Mooney and Rooney on the pitch. Great.
What are your pet peeves? People that do the job but don’t care, litter louts, my ex- partner.
If you could go anywhere right now, where would it be? To the Captains, my local pub.
What’s the best part of your job? I just love what I do, and making people happy, I hope, by providing the best surface I can.
… and the worst? Not being paid enough.
Do you have a lifetime ambition? I would love to travel the world one day, or possibly take over the England manager’s job as no one else seems to be able to do it, but to produce the best pitch ever would be amazing.
Favourite record, and why? He’ll have to go by Jim Reeves; my mother loved him. She sadly died of Alzheimers and its one record that I will always think of her.
Who would you choose to spend a romantic evening with? Elton John, no, not really; Nicole Kidman would be great.
If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would do? Make sure all my family were secure.
If you were to describe yourself as a musical instrument, what would you be and why? This is difficult ... saxophone, because I’m cool, sophisticated and live for the day.
Which three people, living or dead, would you invite to a dinner party? John Wayne, Marilyn Munroe and Elvis.
If you could be anyone for a day, who would it be and why? It would have to be Elvis, because I would like to know what was in his mind to throw his life away like he did.
92 I PC AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2016
Do you have any bad habits? Yeah, I like a pint too much.
... or any good ones? I love what I do and I’m very fussy; it has to be my way.
Do you go to bed worrying about the next day’s workload? I have done many a time, especially when we had serious problems with the pitch.
What are you reading at the moment? - Hard copy or online? I don't really read as much as I should, but I have started to read Siamese twins.
What’s the best advice you have ever been given? Believe in yourself and always listen, you never stop learning.
What’s your favourite smell? I know the worst one but, bless him, he's dead now. Harvest time I guess.
What do you do in your spare time? I think I answered that above as well! I just like to chill when I can, sit in the sun and maybe take a walk.
What’s the daftest work related question you have ever been asked? Not sure about this one. A women did ask me once in a shop why she had to wash her son’s kit three times. This was quite strange as, at the time, my pitch was unplayable.
I’m still not sure what she meant, but maybe because he had to play somewhere worse, it was a dig at me for not providing a good pitch to play on.
What’s your favourite piece of kit? My shorts in the summer. And now, my new topdresser.
What three words would you use to describe yourself? Kind, caring, humorous.
What talent would you like to have? I wanted to be a footballer and was about to sign for Pompey when I was young, but lost sight in one eye in a car crash; but it would still be a footballer.
What law/legislation would you like to see introduced? Let no one be able to hurt another, and life be special for all. Also keep grass pitches alive and groundsmen thriving.
We should get out there more and show off. People should sit up and take notice of our industry
” Asked whether he is considering employing
an apprentice, Shane’s answer is forthright: “I would have loved to be able to train up an apprentice as this is a marvellous job to be in, but the opportunity has not been offered, as yet.” Even though Shane has undertaken health
and safety and first aid courses, a safety officer is on duty on match days and, at some events, ambulances are also on site. “But, as we are just two minutes away from St Johns and five minutes from the hospital, things are dealt with very quickly,” confirms Shane It is clear that Shane is passionate about the
industry he works in and wants to ‘spread the word’. “We should get out there more and show off. People should sit up and take notice of our industry; there are so many very special groundsmen all over the world, and many who do the jobs for the love of the club and deserve special praise too.” “Whilst I would say our industry is in a good place right now, it could be so much better.”
What’s in the shed? Charterhouse Verti-Drain Sisis Maxislit slitter Redexim Rink DS1200 Topdresser Kilworth hopper fertiliser spreader John Deere 2520 tractor Kubota BX2350 cutting deck and box Light Roller (rarely used) Trimax 190 Toro Reelmaster 2000 triples Pedestrian linemarkers Pedestrian mower
“We generally purchase machinery from new. I do purchase locally, but also direct as the mark up here is way too much!
We always have to get quotes for purchases, but do like, where possible, to stick to who and what we know.
The Rink DS1200 topdresser has been a godsend - so much better than what we had previously.
A local company does our major servicing, but we carry out routine maintenance ourselves.
We do hire machinery, but I do like to do as much as we can in-house.
What would my wish list include? A brand new irrigation system, lighting rigs ... oh, I could go on and on!”
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