Earning his Spurs - Pitchcare

“I’m relying on a retired farmer for
help - at least he can drive a tractor!”
stunt the growth of the existing sward
and allow the new seeds through, and I
don’t apply a pre-seed.”
After a week, the covers were removed
and, after two weeks, the pitch was ready
for a light mow with a Hayter rotary.
“Terralift TX10 organic fertiliser gives
the turf body at this point and, at the
end of June, I add Scotts Sierrablen slow
release. Just before the season starts,
Scotts Greenmaster goes on to improve
the colour,” explains Paul. “I like to use a
pedestrian sprayer to apply biostimulants
rather than take a tractor on the pitch,
and Floratine really gets into the plant.
Sand based rootzones need a lot of
feeding, and it’s a way of improving
nutrition while getting the right balance
between foliar feeding and granular
applications.”
Equipment is one area where the club
is well blessed. After success in Europe a
few years back, the chief executive
provided the cash to upgrade the fleet
from an old Ransomes Mastiff and a
spiker.
“We have the machinery to do most
maintenance and renovation work inhouse,
except when I’m short staffed like
this year. The Rotoknife is one of the
most valuable items of kit, as it does a
great job of rolling, and the discs can be
used to keep the surface open. I also like
my Hayter rotaries, as it is good to be
able to use such a lightweight mower on
the young grass. In July, we move onto
the Dennis cylinder mowers and then the
Toro cuts the pitch at the end of the
season, although I’ll use it before the
match as it allows me to get it mowed on
my own.”
Groundsman, Nigel MacRae, is a
trained mechanic which, Paul says, is
enormously helpful, as equipment can be
maintained economically and in a timely
fashion.
“Nigel even takes the mower blades to
a local golf club to use their grinder and,
if we have a breakdown, we don’t have to
wait until a dealer can fit the machine in,
he simply fetches the required part and
fixes it. It’s ideal for a club on a tight
budget!”
After more than 100 years at Pittodrie,
Aberdeen FC is preparing to move on. A
planning application for a new stadium
at Loirston is to be submitted this
summer, after a lengthy consultation
process which was generally well
received. The new Aberdeen Arena is
likely to host concerts and rugby matches
as well as being the club’s home, and will
incorporate training facilities for the first
time.
Picture this!
“It is very early days,” says Paul, “but I
have visited a number of other clubs to
study their facilities, right down to
machinery storage - currently much of
our equipment is kept outside. As it will
be multi-purpose, the pitch will have to
be constructed of Fibresand or a similar
material. Rangers have Mansfield
Fibrelastic which looks excellent.”
Relocating the training pitches to a
main stadium will also end one logistical
nightmare. Currently machinery has to
be transported through the main roads
of Aberdeen to the training grounds.
“It is an exciting prospect - the current
stadium is getting old, so it is definitely
the right thing to do. It’s important to
get the new pitch right from the start
and make sure that it can cope with its
multi-use role,” Paul comments.
Whilst he admits to being envious of
his well funded southern counterparts,
Paul says that he is unlikely to be
tempted by a job offer in a more
temperate climate.
“It is a huge challenge to produce
good pitches in these conditions, and the
long hours can be tough. But, like most
football groundsmen, I’m here
because of my love of the club.
As a big Aberdeen FC fan, it’s
my ideal job.”
SPORTS PITCH
PERFECTION
When it comes to winter
sports nothing should be left
to chance - that’s why we are
confident that you and MM60
will create the perfect pitch.
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GRASS SEED MIXTURE
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professional mixtures in
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copy of the new catalogue
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