EXCELLENCE
CONTRIBUTORS
KAREN MAXWELL Editor of Grounds Management magazine
DR ANDY CARMICHAEL Freelance writer and sports-turf academic
DR RICHARD COLLINS Amenity division manager, Envirofield
TODD HARRISON GMA regional pitch advisor (RFU – Midlands)
COLIN HOSKINS Freelance writer and industry expert
DR CHRISTIAN SPRING STRI Group principal scientist
WELCOME
A journey of gratitude and growth I recently announced that I will be stepping down as CEO of the GMA in March 2027 (see article on page 28). After more than 20 years with the organisation, formerly the Institute of Groundsmanship, I remain an unwavering advocate for our sector and will continue to support my successor in every way I can.
Over the years, I have had the privilege of working with four exceptional chairs. Alex Millar, a proud Scotsman and former St Mirren and Milton Keynes Council member, welcomed me warmly and set a strong foundation during his time. He was followed by David Teasdale, a progressive thinker with a sharp political mind and a deep passion for sport. David Carpenter then took the helm and his leadership was instrumental in building the most comprehensive body of research in our sector. His background at Sport England and his role in establishing the National Lottery brought invaluable insight, driving major organisational growth and investment in our people.
Our current chair, Martyn Ward, has brought fresh energy and strategic clarity, drawing on his extensive experience in retail and beyond to help us manage change and plan for sustainable growth.
I’ve also been fortunate to work alongside incredible Board members and staff – each of whom has contributed their time, expertise and commitment to continual improvement.
I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE GROUNDS STAFF AND COMMUNITY WHO MAKE SPORT POSSIBLE. THEIR DEDICATION HAS SHAPED EVERYTHING WE’VE ACHIEVED
Most importantly, I want to acknowledge the grounds staff and community. Their dedication and belief in what we do have shaped everything we’ve achieved together.
It’s been a true privilege to serve such a great industry. Together we’re ‘making sport possible’.
Geoff Webb, GMA CEO
GROUNDS MANAGEMENT
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BRIEFING FEATURES
7 INDUSTRY NEWS
The latest developments from across the grounds-care sector
9 GMA UPDATE
GMA Industry Awards 2026 winners announced; Fair Work Strategy to strengthen the workforce; Membership Assistance Programme offers expert support and guidance; free student membership enhances learning; #GroundsWeek 2026 expands reach through creative partnerships
19 PAS UPDATE
Targeted funding and expert support helped transform playing conditions and boost participation at Nottingham Casuals RFC
20 BEST PRACTICE: WARWICK UNIVERSITY
Charlie Yeomans on how his team produces top-quality playing surfaces that withstand extended use
24 BEST PRACTICE: COUNTY CRICKET
Andy Mackay explains how datadriven innovation is reshaping how cricket pitches are prepared
28 INTERVIEW: GEOFF WEBB
As the GMA’s CEO prepares to step down from the role, he reflects on the achievements, challenges and progress that have defined his tenure
32 SPECIAL REPORT: JOHN COLEMAN
ATT’s founder on how INFINICUT® became a global success story and his plans for the company now that he is back in control
50 60 SECONDS WITH…
George Legg on winning the GMA Newcomer of the Year award and his passion for the industry
TECHNICAL
35 WATER MANAGEMENT TO ENSURE THE GOING IS GOOD STRI’s best practice guide to understanding racecourse water requirements and challenges
39 HOW TO OPTIMISE SOIL HEALTH FOR STRONG, SAFER SURFACES
Understanding soil composition and structure is essential to creating high-quality surfaces
42 IN ACTION
Products and services used by Leicester Tigers, Cutting Edge Grounds Maintenance, Hednesford Town FC, Walsham Le Willows Sports Club, Guards Polo Club and Bournemouth University
45 MAINTENANCE TIPS
Summer operations
48 PRODUCT NEWS
Product launches from STIHL, Bionema and KAR UK. Plus partnership announcements by Redexim and Russells Groundcare, Replay Maintenance and Origin Amenity Solutions, and TP Woodchippers and RT Machinery
“IF YOU DON’T TRY YOU’LL NEVER SUCCEED”
As Geoff Webb approaches his retirement after 21 years at the GMA, we look back on his outstanding achievements as CEO
BY COLIN HOSKINS
As Geoff Webb steps down from the GMA after 21 years as CEO, the industry can justifiably acknowledge a long list of achievements through the introduction of a series of innovative, strategic initiatives. These have not only reshaped and refocused the membership organisation and the services it offers, but have also propelled both the GMA and the industry as a whole to new heights, enhancing the perception of both by an increasingly wider public – and even political – audience.
Geoff approaches his retirement from the post in March 2027 – which
coincides with his 65th birthday – and, true to character, he modestly rejects any suggestion that his strategic foresight and having the courage of his convictions should receive a standing ovation. Rather, he says: “I’d like to think that I have continually striven to make what I believed were the right choices for the GMA and for the betterment of the industry.”
OUTSTANDING SUPPORT
In an attempt to deflect attention from his own individual talents – incidentally, many in his company would undoubtedly have witnessed his dry humour and his knack for occasionally interspersing what could be very serious discussions with a witty one-liner – Geoff highlights how over the years he has “been fortunate to be able to surround myself with people [staff and Board members] who have the appropriate mix of expertise and determination to bring my ideas to fruition”. He adds: “Together we have collectively overhauled, reshaped and ‘retuned’ the GMA and the benefits it offers. Going forwards, I’m confident that they – and my successor – will continue to make progress.”
There’s no denying that what has been achieved by the GMA, spearheaded by
with all profits being ploughed back into its services.
IMPROVEMENTS GALORE
Geoff during his tenure, is nothing short of miraculous, despite the frustrations he faced during the early years of his appointment. For instance, he spent many hours discussing proposals (that eventually failed) for the establishment of one universal membership organisation for all groundspeople and one annual industry show.
With a steady flow of initiatives –including a major rebrand in 2020, during which the organisation changed its name and outlook – GMA staff numbers have grown from seven people when he took over to today’s 44 employees. Membership categories and benefits have been enhanced, and the total number of members has grown steadily over the years. Revenues have doubled, which is a great achievement considering the GMA is a not-for-profit organisation
There are other jewels in the GMA’s crown that should also be attributed to Geoff’s steely determination to constantly seek improvements. Here are just a few.
GMA education services have grown exponentially from just five training courses to today’s tally, which now embraces 17 different qualifications attainable via 11 online and 20 face-toface training courses.
Then there’s the GMA-inspired Pitch Improvement Programme (from the Football Foundation) and the Pitch Advisory Service (PAS) – formerly the Grounds & Natural Turf Improvement Programme – that, over the years, have benefitted thousands of grassroots cricket, football and rugby pitches, and resulted in tens of millions of pounds of investment into these facilities. Indeed, more than 50,000 PAS pitch inspections have led to over 12,500 clubs and 14,500 volunteers gaining grants to improve playing surfaces.
SHOWCASING EXCELLENCE
Geoff reflects that the GMA’s annual SALTEX exhibition is another primary area of progress, with the show having weathered a number of storms over the years – not least the furore surrounding the decision in 2015 to move the event to the NEC Birmingham exhibition halls, overcoming the incumbent argument “that an outdoor industry such as ours should have an outdoor trade show”.
“SALTEX has faced other potential barriers to success,” he continues, “including the damaging financial effects [to GMA income] of having no show for two years due to COVID-19 restrictions, plus the arrival of a competitive outdoor show. However, SALTEX continues to hold its own, with year-on-year improved features, and it consistently maintains an attendance figure of 7,000–7,500 visitors including key decision-makers. The fact is our trade stand holders wouldn’t
Left: Geoff continues to champion the sector
Main image, from left to right: GMA COO Jason Booth; Geoff; Andy Jackson, head groundsman, Stoke City FC; Gareth Thomas, Staffordshire FA; and former GMA regional pitch advisor Kevin Duffill
Right: Geoff recognises the very best in the sector at the 2025 GMA Awards
continue to support us if we didn’t attract the right type of visitor and we’ve done that by continually improving the show.”
PROFILE RAISING
The establishment of the NextGen Board (formerly the GMA’s Young Board) of inspirational younger groundspeople is another initiative that Geoff knew would not only highlight the achievements of the sector’s youth, but would also be a vehicle – via the Schools Into Stadia education days, for instance – to attract and encourage the younger generation into the industry.
Raising the profile of the sector and the expertise of those within it is annually addressed by both the GMA Industry Awards and the #GroundsWeek awareness campaign, the latter celebrating the expertise of those who manage and maintain playing surfaces by spreading the grounds-care word to at least 20 million people worldwide.
Geoff can look back at all these – and more – with great pride, and he says he has always preached that “if you don’t try, you’ll never succeed”.
GOVERNING BODY SUPPORT
Interestingly, Geoff uses the word ‘pioneering’ to explain how he was involved in convincing the governing bodies – starting with the England and Wales Cricket Board, then the Football Foundation and the Rugby Football Union – that the GMA was ‘the ideal vehicle’ for investing in improvements to grassroots pitches and the volunteers who manage them via the PAS.
“Each four-year PAS scheme cycle now attracts backing from sport governing bodies and the Football Foundation valued at around £5m, and the GMA
has 18 advisers dedicated to improving pitches up and down the country as well as the skill sets of the army of people who maintain them,” he says. “Also, of course, the recommended pitch improvements include invaluable revenues for the supply industry in terms of the suggested equipment and consumables that would bring improvements.”
HIGHLIGHTING CHALLENGES
Over the years, Geoff has strived to establish stronger links between the grounds industry and the wider public, as well as politicians, to elevate how others perceive and recognise the industry.
The GMA’s industry surveys (Grounds Management: The Hidden Profession in 2008/2009, then Grounds Management: Sport’s Vital Profession in 2019) were the first to highlight the value of the industry, which is currently estimated at £580m per year to the economy.
The surveys also pinpointed the sector’s ageing workforce, its lack of diversity, relatively low salaries, and uncoordinated skills pathways and
“I’M LUCKY TO BE ALIVE”
After the trauma of a heart attack five years ago, Geoff acknowledges that he’s now grateful for every day, and says his recovery and gradual return to work was due to a supportive, loving family, as well as a capable team that competently piloted the GMA ship during his recovery. Today, he expounds a mantra based around the B2B acronym, saying he prefers to call it BtoB – “always striving to Be the Best version of yourself every day”.
I’D LIKE TO THINK THAT I HAVE CONTINUALLY STRIVED TO MAKE WHAT I BELIEVED WERE THE RIGHT CHOICES FOR THE GMA AND FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE INDUSTRY
personal development. “The GMA is continually developing strategies in response to those survey messages,” Geoff says, “including the formation of the Grounds Management Framework that effectively matches supply (playing surface requirements) with demand (the skills needed to maintain those surfaces and the accompanying, progressive career pathways).
“Establishing the framework meant we had to effectively speak the language of sports’ decision-makers so that they would realise what’s needed to build and maintain quality pitches. The framework does that by offering insights into, for example, pitch analysis and the necessary maintenance skills along with appropriate rates of pay, seeking to ensure a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work.”
Now, he says, the GMA’s focus is also on the main pillars of workforce development: people and culture, services and support, industry representation, data and digitisation, and funding and investment.
“There’s so much more that can be done to firmly cement the role and value of the industry in the minds of those who are not involved in the sector on a regular basis,” he says. “Who knows, perhaps one answer could be an all-party grounds industry group to achieve regular faceto-face contact with decision-makers at every level.”
That may well be one of the projects on his bucket list when he ‘retires’, along with finding the time to attend more Chelsea FC games, to undertake a muchawaited around-the-world trip with his wife and to establish a consultancy specialising in strategic management.
An interesting future certainly awaits Geoff Webb.
Geoff presents Mr SALTEX Derek Walder and his wife, Gloria, with a retirement gift
Geoff gives ICL’s Ed Carter a 2024 SALTEX Stand Winner award
