Guardians of the Turf!

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Hipper
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Guardians of the Turf!

Post by Hipper » Sat Jun 19, 2021 3:03 pm

https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... ball-pitch

I used to work as a groundsman but not at this level. Whilst the article is good it is a little bit pro British. The Dutch and Germans, and some in the U.S., have done much innovative work too.

The article mentions Steve Braddock who was groundsman at Highbury before taking over at Arsenal's training ground. I knew him and he told me how he got the Highbury job. He is a keen Arsenal fan and he was working as a head groundsman at the veterinary college near Brookmans Park (indeed he got my job there as assistant groundsman after I left) and there was a football tournament there. George Graham, the then Arsenal manager came to present the trophies so Steve made an extra effort to make the place look and play well. He basically said to Graham 'gis a job' ....... and he did!

Anyway, some of the pitches at the Euros have cut up a bit. Of course that may be the weather.

I've also notice players are falling over even more then usual and appearing to suffer badly (although admittedly making astonishingly quick recoveries). I'm not sure this is a pitch quality issue though. :-)
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elwaclaret
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Re: Guardians of the Turf!

Post by elwaclaret » Sat Jun 19, 2021 3:13 pm

Hipper wrote:
Sat Jun 19, 2021 3:03 pm
https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... ball-pitch

I used to work as a groundsman but not at this level. Whilst the article is good it is a little bit pro British. The Dutch and Germans, and some in the U.S., have done much innovative work too.

The article mentions Steve Braddock who was groundsman at Highbury before taking over at Arsenal's training ground. I knew him and he told me how he got the Highbury job. He is a keen Arsenal fan and he was working as a head groundsman at the veterinary college near Brookmans Park (indeed he got my job there as assistant groundsman after I left) and there was a football tournament there. George Graham, the then Arsenal manager came to present the trophies so Steve made an extra effort to make the place look and play well. He basically said to Graham 'gis a job' ....... and he did!

Anyway, some of the pitches at the Euros have cut up a bit. Of course that may be the weather.

I've also notice players are falling over even more then usual and appearing to suffer badly (although admittedly making astonishingly quick recoveries). I'm not sure this is a pitch quality issue though. :-)
The Braddock story is not dissimilar to our own Roy Oldfield. He was working in the park department of Burnley council when (I think Harry Potts, but possibly Jimmy Adamson) spotted him while walking in one of his parks and asked Roy to help out… he was groundsman until Arther Bellamy took over in the 90’s

minnieclaret
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Re: Guardians of the Turf!

Post by minnieclaret » Sat Jun 19, 2021 3:26 pm

elwaclaret wrote:
Sat Jun 19, 2021 3:13 pm
The Braddock story is not dissimilar to our own Roy Oldfield. He was working in the park department of Burnley council when (I think Harry Potts, but possibly Jimmy Adamson) spotted him while walking in one of his parks and asked Roy to help out… he was groundsman until Arther Bellamy took over in the 90’s
If it was Jimmy Adamson Roy was possibly looking after the bowling green.

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Re: Guardians of the Turf!

Post by elwaclaret » Sat Jun 19, 2021 3:35 pm

minnieclaret wrote:
Sat Jun 19, 2021 3:26 pm
If it was Jimmy Adamson Roy was possibly looking after the bowling green.
Haha… I think I remember Roy telling me it was Harry Potts and Jimmy confirmed it later as a full time appointment, but it was a long time ago. I’ve got Roy’s book, but have not had time to read it yet. But Jimmy was a regular in Scott’s park too, which I think was where Roy was working.

ClaretTony
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Re: Guardians of the Turf!

Post by ClaretTony » Sat Jun 19, 2021 3:36 pm

elwaclaret wrote:
Sat Jun 19, 2021 3:35 pm
Haha… I think I remember Roy telling me it was Harry Potts and Jimmy confirmed it later as a full time appointment, but it was a long time ago. I’ve got Roy’s book, but have not had time to read it yet. But Jimmy was a regular in Scott’s park too, which I think was where Roy was working.
Jimmy Adamson lived facing Scott Park. I knew Roy well. Good bloke but loved to tell a tale or two.

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Re: Guardians of the Turf!

Post by elwaclaret » Sat Jun 19, 2021 3:41 pm

ClaretTony wrote:
Sat Jun 19, 2021 3:36 pm
Jimmy Adamson lived facing Scott Park. I knew Roy well. Good bloke but loved to tell a tale or two.
Never met Jimmy personally, it was Roy that related the tale…. I spent many a happy hour chatting to Roy in his brew room under the Cricketfield on my afternoons off while at college. A really great guy he was too, but liked a moan lol

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Re: Guardians of the Turf!

Post by ClaretTony » Sat Jun 19, 2021 3:47 pm

elwaclaret wrote:
Sat Jun 19, 2021 3:41 pm
Never met Jimmy personally, it was Roy that related the tale…. I spent many a happy hour chatting to Roy in his brew room under the Cricketfield on my afternoons off while at college. A really great guy he was too, but liked a moan lol
Only met Adamson once. Roy I did know well but I bet there are a few tongue in cheek untruths in his book. That’s how he was but a good bloke.
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Re: Guardians of the Turf!

Post by Clarets4me » Sat Jun 19, 2021 10:27 pm

I'm sure the groundsman at the San Siro used to be a Claret, am I remembering correctly ?

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Re: Guardians of the Turf!

Post by elwaclaret » Sat Jun 19, 2021 10:31 pm

Clarets4me wrote:
Sat Jun 19, 2021 10:27 pm
I'm sure the groundsman at the San Siro used to be a Claret, am I remembering correctly ?
Yes, he famously used to mow in his Burnley bobble cap. Sure someone remembers more of the story than me but I think he first went over there as a golf green keeper.

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Re: Guardians of the Turf!

Post by ClaretTony » Sat Jun 19, 2021 11:11 pm

Clarets4me wrote:
Sat Jun 19, 2021 10:27 pm
I'm sure the groundsman at the San Siro used to be a Claret, am I remembering correctly ?
I think he was from Rawtenstall. He was called Steve Taylor I think.

IanMcL
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Re: Guardians of the Turf!

Post by IanMcL » Sun Jun 20, 2021 11:05 am

Above an enjoyable read!
Thanks all.

Stalbansclaret
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Re: Guardians of the Turf!

Post by Stalbansclaret » Sun Jun 20, 2021 11:49 am

I was lucky enough to attend the 2001 Champions League Final at the San Siro and at the time the groundsman being a Claret had attracted a fair bit of media interest. I just found the below from the Lancashire Evening Telegraph on Google :

"Lifelong Clarets fan Steve Taylor will be a key player in tonight's European Champions League final at the San Siro Stadium.
Taylor is head groundsman at the Milan venue which hosts the clash between Bayern Munich and last season's beaten finalists Valencia.
And the 45-year-old Lancastrian, who hails from Rossendale, will have the pitch in pristine condition for European club football's showpiece game.
Taylor, a Burnley supporter since the 1960s, has worked at the San Siro since 1993 after moving out to Italy from Bristol.
He has since graduated to the top job and transformed the state of the pitch which hosts both AC Milan and Inter in Serie A.
Taylor, who always wears the Clarets colours on match-days at the San Siro, had contemplated sleeping on the pitch last night and expected to be up at five o'clock this morning to begin putting the finishing touches to his final stage"


Sure enough at half time I saw a bloke wearing a Burnley shirt forking the pitch.

On that same trip I met Pele in the pre-match hospitality village but he was less impressive, not bothering to wear a Burnley shirt.
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AfloatinClaret
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Re: Guardians of the Turf!

Post by AfloatinClaret » Sun Jun 20, 2021 2:10 pm

Stalbansclaret wrote:
Sun Jun 20, 2021 11:49 am
...I met Pele in the pre-match hospitality village but he was less impressive, not bothering to wear a Burnley shirt...
Does he deserve to? Not a bad player I'll concede, but he was no Robbie Blake. ;)

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