FOOTBALL
Grasscutter
A bloomin’ good read
Our anonymous, and somewhat grumpy groundsman, Mr AKA Grasscutter, sings the praises of Pitchcare, Andy Murray and revenue earners
‘new man’ Lee Williams experienced whilst at Oldham Athletic, but to see the plight of four of my colleagues recognised in print was somewhat consoling.
I
Of course, this is nothing new for Pitchcare; they have been ‘championing’ causes for as long as I can remember - goalpost safety, the health and environmental concerns surrounding artificial grass, and the usage of agricultural fertilisers spring to mind... if only they could do something about our wages!
What struck me about this series of articles was the dedication all the lads show in the face of considerable financial restraints, staffing levels and basic equipment (at best), regardless of age; the two lads at Tranmere Rovers deserve special praise, in my opinion.
And then there’s the UK’s weather to contend with. As I write this article, we have just come out of a period of snow, hard frosts and minus temperatures to, literally overnight, heavy rain and an upward surge to plus 8O
C - a swing of
over 10 degrees Celsius - or 50 degrees Fahrenheit in old money!
The weather in my area is currently mild and dreary. I am expecting a disease outbreak at any moment. The pitch is already struggling and this is the last thing I need right now. The only saving grace is that the frost covers are not needed; a thankless task at the best of times. My small team of volunteers still turn up to help where possible. Spiking the goalmouths in an ongoing effort to keep some grass has been important this winter especially.
With only a few weeks to go until the end of the season, I think I might just get through, as long as Mother Nature plays ball. This time last year the ‘Beast from the East’ had yet to arrive. If she’s reading this, perhaps she could provide a ‘normal’ spring; whatever that might be these days!
86 PC February/March 2019
have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed reading the ‘NorthWest Powerhouse’ series of articles in the last issue of Pitchcare’s excellent magazine. I think it was born out of the frustrations that their
Mind you, the weather has always been our biggest challenge for as long as I can remember. The forecasters remind us, at every event, about where it stands in the record books, so no weather event is actually as unusual as some would have us believe; there just appears to be more of them!
”
Mind you, the weather has always been our biggest challenge for as long as I can remember. The forecasters remind us, at every event, about where it stands in the record books, so no weather event is actually as unusual as some would have us believe; there just appears to be more of them!
And I’ve got worms; not me personally, but the pitch. More specifically, worm casts are an issue at the moment. I’d hoped that the cold snap would have sent the critters down, but they are back casting again. I’m torn between finding something to rid me of the problem and accepting the benefits they bring to the soil.
Reading the extensive thread on the Pitchcare website, and also those on social media, it is clearly a problem we are facing across the industry. I must say I’ve enjoyed some of the more ‘off the wall’ control suggestions; and I thought mustard was to put in my ham sandwiches!
The management here have been very understanding about the challenges I am facing and have kept pitch use to a minimum in recent weeks, which has been helpful, but it still cuts up at the drop of a hat in wet conditions. Once I’ve tidied up post-match, it doesn’t look too bad though, if I’m honest.
I’ve been promised a decent budget for renovations, and I’ll decide nearer the time how
far that will stretch and I what I will be able to achieve. More than the minimum is required this summer.
The corporate events that follow the end of the season are a bit of a pain, but the revenue generated helps with my budget allocation, so it’s a double-edged sward (pun intended).
One final comment. As you may know, Mrs Grasscutter and myself enjoy tennis and we were both saddened to hear of the impending retirement of Andy Murray. I for one hope he can do so at Wimbledon but, if not, we should remember that the ‘Surly Scot, as he is often referred to, has been one on the UK’s greatest sportsmen of the 21st century.
He has won forty-five titles, including three Grand Slams - and been the losing finalist in another eight - and won two Olympic gold medals, all the time wearing his heart on his sleeve.
That level of commitment deserves our deepest respect and certainly not some of the tripe spouted on social media platforms ... probably from the comfort of the sofa in front of the television.
Keep the faith, and keep cutting the grass. After all, that’s all we do!
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