RUGBY LEAGUE What’s in the shed


New Holland TC27 tractor Ford 1210 tractor Dennis G860 x 2 Dennis Premier Toro ProCore 648  Landquip sprayer 400lts 2mt Dimple Seeder  Trimax Procut 210


Various brushes and rake tractor 


Mark and Ryan: “We don’t really do job titles,” he said. “Everybody does everything.” Before his head groundsman role at the AJ Bell, Dan had been at The Willows, the previous Salford Red Devils and, briefly, Swinton RLFC stadium. Before that, he also had spells at Stockport County FC, The Kendal Club, a Stretford-based sport club, and a couple of independent schools. I asked him whether he’d been inspired by colleagues: “No specific person. Looking around the industry, there’s a lot of good people doing really good work under all kinds of budgets and circumstances.” “I’ve worked in a few, and can appreciate those working under restrictions, as well as the pressure faced by those who have millions of people counting on them.” “I have a set budget. We’re trying to make money, so it’s balanced. It is, therefore, a decent budget when compared with what some people are up against.”


“The budget is there to tick a box. That is: we do what we need to do, and the board who tweak it are very approachable if any problems arise.”


“We tend to do major work via running


repairs rather than renovate, but that’s due to timings. I keep deciding I’ll do a renovation, but it’s a matter of finding time in the schedule.”


These ‘running repairs’ can include, as they did in May, seeding the week before a game, plus topdressing and surface cleaning, in addition to the sorts of maintenance work they usually couldn’t squeeze in between matches.


“As well as the time constraints, we also allow for not doing these things if they aren’t needed. We’ll have a look at the plant health after the next match and decide at the time.” “And, in our industry, most of the people are very helpful and there’s a good camaraderie resulting in exchange of information and solutions to problems.” “We don’t have an agronomist as such, but get help with the samples and the like from ICL, Johnsons and other producers.” “Naturally, that’s aimed towards nutritional needs, seed types and requirement for additional products beyond the expected.” Over the last eighteen months, Dan has been introducing three SGL LU440 rigs into his regimes, for which the club is currently


I’m also in the early stages of setting up something similar for rugby league; just a group which can have talks with the RFL to set guidelines and request help and infrastructure


84


PC August/September 2018


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