Dan Sparks on dual-use pitches at Bristol Sport
Jayne Leyland inducted into GMA Hall of Fame
John Moverley shares eco action plan tips
KAREN MAXWELL Editor of Grounds Management magazine
COLIN HOSKINS Freelance writer and industry expert
IESTYN JOHN GMA regional pitch advisor (Cricket – Wales)
JACK LANGLEY Deputy head groundsman, Ashton Gate Stadium
PROF JOHN MOVERLEY OBE Consultant specialising in sustainable practices
DAVID HEMSTOCK Agronomist, and soil and water engineer
Exporting UK expertise
I write this editorial from the US, where I attended the Professional Soccer Field Managers Symposium, amid the terrible fires in Los Angeles, before moving on to the Sports Field Management Association (SFMA) Conference, both of which highlighted sportsturf management challenges very similar to those we experience in the UK.
At the symposium, where I was invited to speak and fly the GMA flag, UK expert and FIFA pitch maintenance manager Alan Ferguson gave an informative presentation on FIFA Club World Cup 2025 and World Cup 2026 pitch preparations where lay-andplay hybrids will be the preferred surface – something we are used to here in the UK but that are a significant challenge for local grounds management practices. The tournaments’ climate challenges span Canada, the US and Mexico, and it is evident that UK suppliers are critical to their successful delivery – from machinery, lighting and aggregates to consultancy services – supported by US university-led research. Climate change is necessitating an increase in skill sets across the world, and my discussions with international SFMA delegates revealed that grounds managers are facing similar sustainability and adaptability challenges to their UK counterparts. It was also clear that there is a global need to broaden the profession’s appeal to the broadest demographic, regardless of gender or background, to remain current and to thrive.
THERE IS A GLOBAL NEED TO BROADEN THE PROFESSION’S APPEAL TO THE BROADEST DEMOGRAPHIC
The fact that soccer will feature positively in the US offers an exciting opportunity for UK expertise to be a successful export while we drive progress and create the surfaces demanded by today’s professional athletes.
Geoff Webb, GMA CEO
GROUNDS MANAGEMENT
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7 INDUSTRY NEWS
The latest developments from across the groundscare sector
9 GMA UPDATE
GMA Awards set to honour industry stars at Anfield; #GroundsWeek 2025 celebrates making sport possible; six new directors join the Board; GMA reveals bold new branding; report on first industrywide Educationalists’ Summit
27 NGB UPDATE
Rugby Football League funding guidance and how Ashton Bears ARFLC reaped the benefits of it
31 PITCH ADVISORY SERVICE UPDATE
Education is key for Welsh cricket ground volunteers, says Iestyn John
16 BEST PRACTICE
John Ledwidge has his eye on the future at Manchester City FC
33 SUSTAINABILITY IN PRACTICE
The principles of creating an action plan for sustainability
20 GUEST INTERVIEW
GMA NextGen co-chair Jack Langley talks industry trends with his boss, Dan Sparks, at Bristol Sport
24 GMA HALL OF FAME
How Jayne Leyland’s commitment to grass seed technology has secured her the GMA’s highest accolade
50 60 SECONDS WITH…
Sportsturf tutor Jack Rank on his learning journey and encouraging young people into the sector
36 SPORTS FIELD DRAINAGE: A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
From earthworms to sand, soil and compaction, a look at drainage techniques over the years
40 IN ACTION
Products and services used by St Mary’s University, Cutting Edge Grounds Maintenance, Edgmond Bowling Club, Eton College and CJ Ashby Forestry
43 MAINTENANCE TIPS
Spring operations
47 PRODUCT NEWS
Product news and launches from Foley Company, Makita, DLF Seeds, Origin Amenity Solutions, Redexim and Syngenta
John Ledwidge is ensuring continual improvements across the Manchester City FC estate as well as the development of the people who are charged with its maintenance and management
BY COLIN HOSKINS, FREELANCE WRITER AND INDUSTRY EXPERT
John Ledwidge’s appointment in 2023 as head of grounds and landscaping at Manchester City FC (MCFC) signalled a step change for him in the groundscare sector.
“It was an irresistible challenge to be able to play a key role in helping the club to deliver its strategic aims,” John says. “This involves improving the pitch quality and performance, plus sustainability and biodiversity values at the Etihad Stadium and the City Football Academy (CFA) campus. This remit extends to the City Football Group clubs that span the globe, and I also act as a subject-matter expert offering advice and support for any groundsrelated projects.’’
Twenty-four people maintain the Etihad Stadium pitch plus 17 other pitches, three of which are artificial surfaces at the CFA. There’s also a team of seven, via contractor idverde UK, focused on landscaping tasks.
John says: “I knew that the MCFC grounds and landscaping team was effectively a ‘sleeping giant’ that deserved to be reawakened. We are working on developing the department so it is increasingly recognised both internally and externally, while at the same time playing a prominent role in
WE HAVE FOUND THAT BY SIMPLIFYING MAINTENANCE REGIMES WE HAVE OFTEN MADE GAINS – EVEN A ONE PER CENT IMPROVEMENT IN TURF PERFORMANCE IS WORTH ACHIEVING
promoting MCFC globally by building on our work with other clubs and, for example, by challenging for awards [see ‘Creating a legacy’, right] to reinforce our industry-wide reputation for high-class groundscare.”
After nine successful years at Leicester City FC, where he established an awardwinning grounds team, John highlights how his management of the MCFC grounds team demanded a completely different approach.
“The dynamics of the two clubs’ grounds teams are polar opposites,” he says. “When building the Leicester team, I was able to interview and select every person personally, but in Manchester I inherited an established – and, I must say, very able – team. I’ve always been a people-centric person, so it was about getting to know and understand each member, overcoming any possible misconceptions and perhaps even exposing vulnerabilities (on both sides) to break down any likely barriers. Every team member recognises that we are all
working towards the same cause and it’s an ongoing journey that we all share.”
John is adamant that, as with any club, the quality of the pitches always reflects whether or not the team members are happy with their jobs. That said, he also knows that, while capable groundspeople expertly manage the MCFC pitches, there are signs that “pitch replacement, in one form or another, will be high on the agenda at a venue that is 10 years old and is probably the busiest training ground in Europe”. That high level of use is understandable, as the CFA hosts myriad squads – men’s and women’s, boys’ and girls’, youth, community and academy, as well as the professional teams.
“We are always looking at what level of usage we can accommodate on every pitch at the CFA, constantly organising and, where necessary, reorganising slots and reconfiguring areas to maximise capacity to meet the coaches’ needs. And we have found that by simplifying maintenance regimes we
have often made gains – even a one per cent improvement (in playability/turf performance) is worth achieving,”
John says.
“One of my key decisions was to simplify the fertiliser programme across our pitches so we can determine the benefits arising from specific products. We do this through on-site trials, which enable us to make more informed decisions on adding products to our stable programme.
“We approach pitch management with our coaches by explaining that the pitches belong to them; our role is to balance the quality of playability with usage levels.”
John has also reviewed the use and maintenance of ageing machinery and equipment, and it’s no surprise that the ongoing quest for improved sustainability levels has prompted the switch to electric-powered pedestrian equipment at both the stadium and the CFA. Electric equipment and LED lights are just the start of the sustainability story, though, and John says he is constantly in touch with machinery
suppliers about their potential forthcoming developments “because we want to stay at the forefront of innovation in everything we do”.
One of John’s initial tasks on joining MCFC was to take a holistic view of the complete grounds team structure, which included reviewing staff numbers as well as plotting career pathways for team members. The fact that he holds a Master’s degree in Business Management demonstrates his fervour for education and personal development, and this underpins his desire to offer realistic and progressive paths for everyone, if required.
“MCFC works closely with Myerscough College to deliver its core sportsturf qualifications, mainly NVQ Level 2 and 3 courses,” John explains. “But we also have an ‘informal’ education strand that is based on gaining perspectives rather than qualifications. This involves a diary of opportunities created for the staff, where staff members can perhaps
John has publicly championed the industry, especially to the younger generation, ever since he was appointed as the inaugural chairman of the GMA’s NextGen initiative. He was also heavily involved with setting up the Sports Turf Academy at Leicester City FC’s training ground. John was recently presented with his pioneer mark (#001) as part of the GMA’s new Pioneer Legacy initiative.
“I’ve always enjoyed talking to young people about my industry development path, how I went from being an aspirational footballer to taking a job in groundscare and why, in my eyes, being on the pitch in a maintenance role is the next best thing to playing on it,” he says.
“People are fascinated about ‘our world’, and if we can continue to influence and inspire people to join this industry, that would be a legacy we could all be proud of.
“We are a niche sector in relative terms, but there are fantastic opportunities if you are prepared to go the extra mile.”
choose to visit other sporting venues or manufacturers to inspect/investigate areas of their operations. They can also have equipment providers visit our site to demonstrate the best way to efficiently and safely use their products.
“Likewise, our fertiliser suppliers, for example, are also invited to show us how to optimise their products. Initiatives such as these help team members develop in an informal way as many of them will become the decisionmakers of the future.”
And it is with an eye on the future – the ever-increasing improvements across the complete MCFC estate and the development of the people who are charged with its maintenance and management – that is at the heart of the John Ledwidge philosophy, which everyone around him finds so appealing.
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to tell your own story to a wider audience by engaging with #GroundsWeek from 17 to 23 March