FOOTBALL
I believe more clubs should be looking at investing in lighting rigs as they are more affordable than most people think; the benefits are huge
The club manages to fund the work on the pitch as, next to the ground, they have a full-size 3G pitch which is hired out throughout the week and at the weekends. Around 1,000 children a weekend play their league games with their parents watching, plus the first team, ladies’ team and disabled team use it for training.
Extra revenue is brought in by having the bar open and, alongside this, they have a café selling hot/cold drinks, snacks and hot food. Then, at the end of the season, the East Manchester Junior football league have all their finals on the main pitch, which last about five weeks.
Nick still likes to keep up the high standards, even though the pitch is taking a battering as the children expect to play on the same quality pitch they have seen the first team play on all season. This gives Nick a tighter renovation window but, without it, he wouldn’t have the funds to do the relevant work he requires.
Finally, I asked Nick what his thoughts on the industry are as he can answer from
both sides of the coin. “Golf, as an industry, is in decline. Golfing members and numbers are still dropping off from ten years ago. It’s getting more and more difficult, you have got to ensure you are producing a product that people want to use, and that is where the pressure lies. It has got to be good all the time.”
He recalls that, when he first started in greenkeeping, it was a summer game, with only some people playing in winter. Now it’s non-stop. The golfers want the same quality greens throughout the whole year; the pressure of trying to produce that means improving the surfaces. “Greens are definitely improving; if you have dry firm greens in Manchester, you are doing alright.”
When it comes to the football side of the industry, Nick believes that, at the top-level, investment is great but, as you come down into lower end football league and non- league clubs, they are struggling. “As I have said before, we are really fortunate with the support we get. Investment in the pitch is what makes it a success, alongside what me and my team have done with the pitch, but this would not have happened without that investment.” They have made the most of the grants that have been made available to them which has helped with the drainage works. Nick believes more investment needs to be made available for grassroots football and what the clubs do receive has to be spent wisely
and maintained.
“I know of non-league lower level clubs that have had a grant, gone out and bought a tractor or a cutting machine, but don’t know how to look after them. That investment is great but, if you end up with a mower that has not been maintained properly, then it’s pointless. As a groundsman at non-league level, we should have to meet criteria and maybe go on courses that give you access to grants.” “Even I would do it, if it was required. Ideally, this would be a course that went through the maintenance of machinery, how you put it on cut, how you set the height of cut and daily checks etc. Then, once you complete the course and get your certificate, that opens the door for grants to be given.”
“What’s happening at the minute is that money is being invested, and there are grants out there for draining football pitches, for example, but then there’s no real maintenance afterwards. Then clubs are going back after three years and saying the drains aren’t working. The funding isn’t too bad, but it could be better. At this level and lower, it needs some kind of qualification gained and understanding to be able to use a tractor, verti-drain and things like that, combined with a general knowledge of turf.
This can only help everyone improve their skills going forward and help provide better surfaces around the country.”
It was a case of getting a spade out and having a dig around to see what we were working with as the water certainly was getting away
86 PC December/January 2019
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