RUGBY LEAGUE Getting Personal
Steve Dutton - he’s not the son of God, he’s Danny DeVito!
Who are you? Steve Dutton, Head Groundsman at Wakefield Trinity Rugby League Football Club.
Family status? In a relationship.
Who’s your hero and why? Not really got one.
What’s been the highlight of your grounds career so far? I won the Unibond Premier Division North Groundsman of the Year twice and Rugby League Groundsman of the Year once.
If your younger self saw you now, what would they think? God, is that really what I’m going to look like - where’s my hair gone?
Which famous people wind you up? Piers Morgan.
What job would you love, other than your own? Lollipop man. When I was younger, they didn’t start work till they had retired. So I wouldn’t start work until I was 65.
What was the most embarrassing moment in your life? When they filmed a scene from A T
What is your favourite sport? Rugby League.
What would you cast into Room 101? Politicians.
Which three people, living or dead, would you invite to a dinner party? Norman Hunter, Jason Statham and Pink.
What’s the best advice you have ever been given? My late father used to say if you’re not in bed by 12 then come home.
What’s your favourite piece of trivia? What member of Band Aid gets mentioned in the song “Do they know its Christmas”? Sting ... ‘the bitter sting of tears' haha.
What’s your favourite smell? Fresh bread.
ouch of Frostat
the ground, I was flicking through a book about David Jason that someone asked me to get signed. I saw a picture of David Jason and said he looked like Gene Pitney, but realised he was standing right behind me when I said it. I never got the book signed.
Brexit or Remain? I’m sick of hearing about it.
What is your favourite film? Life of Brian.
What would your
autobiography be called… and who would play you in the film? One man went to mow (cos there’s only me). Jason Statham - I would like to see them train on the pitch without his permission - but would end up with Danny DeVito as he looks more like me!
68 PC October/November 2019
Which three albums would you take to a desert island? Bat out of Hell by Meatloaf; Greatest Hits ... So Far!!! by Pink, The Biggest Hits of the 60s.
What’s the daftest work- related question you have ever been asked? What two different types of grass do you use to get the different coloured stripes?
What’s your favourite piece of kit? Dennis G860 mower.
What three words would you use to describe yourself? Short, fat, bald.
What is the single most useful thing you could tell a 16-year-old groundsperson? You never stop learning, don’t be afraid to ask.
What talent would you like to have? I want to play guitar or drums.
This year, we just verti-drained and seeded; that was it, as we only had a two-week period for the pitch to recover, but that turned out to be just two days when the first team were back training on it again!
”
I would expect, with this amount of play on the pitch, Steve must have a substantial renovation programme in place and be given enough time to help nurse the pitch back; unfortunately, this is not the case.
“This year, we just verti- drained and seeded; that was it, as we only had a two-week period for the pitch to recover, but that turned out to be just two days when the first team were back training on it again! In the past, we have scarified, verti-drained, applied 100 tonnes of sand and
overseeded, but that level of work has got a little bit out of reach in the last few years.” Steve’s maintenance regime is very basic, but you can understand that when you see what he must work with and around; it can’t be easy. “I cut the pitch with the Dennis G860, with the box on, at a height of 32mm, which I keep the same all year round. I like to cut as often as I can to help tidy up the pitch after use as I don’t have any rotaries or a brush cassette for the G860
to pick up any debris. When I get the chance, I will go around the pitch and take the bigger divots out with a fork. If I’m lucky, we will have a contractor come in and verti- drain the pitch twice a year, once at either end of the season. I do have a SISIS Multitiner which I try and get on as much as possible, but it is currently in a state of disrepair with half the tines lying flat. I will go around the perimeter once a week with a little rotary to tidy up next to the boards.” Steve’s fertiliser programme is minimal. He will get soil samples taken at the start of the season - if he can get it done for free - but tells me that, with a limited budget, he is not able to keep to any set regime. “To be honest, it's a matter of when it needs a feed I just get a granular fertiliser down, and any weedkiller for the perimeters I will get from the local garden centre. The club has recently done a deal with one of the corporate box owners who has a company
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