FOOTBALL


What’s in the ‘new’ shed


 


        


 


    


Happy in their work from left to right: Oliver Makin, Luke Russell and Kevin Marotta


Level 3 in Sports Turf Management, and currently holds an NVQ Level 2 Sports Turf, PA1 PA2 and PA6 spraying certificates and First Aid certificates.


On a weekly basis, Oli reports to John Ledwidge, to discuss the playing surfaces, budgets and fertiliser programmes. “We are


regularly in contact via text messages and phone calls, just to keep each other updated with what is going on. I send him pictures every now and then to keep him in the loop with how everything is looking. John leaves us to get on with our work and do what we see necessary to keep the pitches to as high a quality standard as possible.” Oli’s team includes Deputy Head Groundsman Luke Russell (25), and junior grounds person Kevin Marotta (21); both joined a little over seven months ago. “We also have Leon and Chile, two volunteers who are permanently based at the training ground. They are a great help to us. We also use a local contractor, Wim Fluyt. His knowledge of Belgian regulations is a great help when it comes to knowing what products we are allowed to use here in Belgium.”


Together, they look after the stadium pitch, which is a Desso PlayMaster carpet on top of a few sand bands into a clay soil. At the training ground, there is a Mixto carpet pitch which is constructed entirely on a substructure, with a full drainage system and undersoil heating. There is also a brand- new Fibresand constructed pitch which is fully drained, and two grass surfaces which


66 PC February/March 2019


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