In this newest market interview, conducted back in late December, SVB’s Katie McIntyre caught up with Jamie Honeyman, Head Groundsman at Vanarama national league side, Dagenham & Redbridge FC, as well as heard about the particular difficulties when it concerns pitch administration as well as maintenance at lower league clubs.
Jamie, you ended up being Head Groundsman at EFL side Dagenham & Redbridge FC – your very first HGM setting – back in January 2017. With much more than 12 months experience now under your belt, what would you state have been the primary difficulties you’ve faced?
The primary difficulty I deal with right here at the Chigwell building Stadium, particularly at this time around of the year, is losing ground temperature. This is compounded as we likewise experience from a lack of contemporary equipment. We don’t have the budgets like the huge clubs, so we have to make finish with what we have, and, if I’m completely honest, many of it has seen much better days.
Another major difficulty would are available in terms of usage, as the stadium pitch is not only utilized by Dagenham Camiseta AC Milan & Redbridge’s players however likewise by West Ham’s U-23’s, who utilize it for their Premier league 2 fixtures, as well as certainly they, like our board, expect a great high quality pitch, year-round, no matter the weather.
West Ham’s Head Groundsman, Dougie Robertson, makes routine site sees to the ground as well as advises if there are any type of issues, however the maintenance as well as upkeep is delegated ourselves.
This truly is a vocation, not a job, you have to like what you do, not least when you’re having a hard time with bit or no budgets, however are still expected to provide a top high quality pitch.
Having started off at Hadlow college doing an NVQ level 2 in sports Turf, complying with my previous functions in greenkeeping, there have been some considerable modifications for me over the last 4-5 years.
Chigwell building stadium is utilized not only by Dagenham & Redbridge FC however likewise by West Ham United’s U-23’s, who utilize it for their Premier league 2 fixtures
Despite it being your very first year with the club, you were a finalist for the 2017 Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG) market awards. exactly how essential is it to be recognised by both your peers as well as such awards?
It was excellent for the Club as well as our board, as well as certainly myself, to get this type of market recognition. The IOG congratulated me on being a finalist as well as stated I was a credit rating to the industry, which was a fantastic achievement.
I learnt a great deal as a trainee at Fulham FC, under Greg Bolton, Richard Haines as well as Rory Ferguson, in addition to from Gary Williams at Bearsted Gold Club as well as Lee Sayers at Mid Kent Golf Course, who showed me exactly how to cut straights lines when I was in greenkeeping there, all of which I’ve been able to give my function right here at Dagenham & Redbridge, so I ought to likewise be saying thanks to them for assisting me to ended up being a finalist for this award.
When it concerns Camiseta Selección de fútbol de Argentina Pitch administration as well as Maintenance, what are the essential factors?
You requirement a versatile plan, very first as well as foremost. And, you requirement to keep a close eye on the weather condition whatsoever times, however particularly if there’s a frost expected as well as you have a huge game coming up.
We had a friendly just before Christmas, as well as we understood the temperature was going to drop, so we had the frost sheets prepared as well as waiting to be deployed. Obviously, putting frost sheets down takes manpower – i.e. it takes a minimum of 3 guy to put them down, 7-8 if it’s wet – which is something else you have to plan as well as budget plan for.
As a lower league club, we don’t have the benefit of stadium grow lights or undersoil heating, so a great deal much more planning as well as preparation is required.
How essential is knowledge-sharing between market peers?
I’ve certainly learnt a great deal in my past roles, which have been both in football (soccer) as well as golf, in addition to from my peers, particularly while at Fulham’s Craven Cottage, where we had stadium grow lights as well as undersoil heating to keep the turf in ideal condition.
I’ve even taken nuggets of wisdom from fertiliser representatives. It’s all about knowledge-sharing as well as listening to what’s worked, as well as what hasn’t, for other Head Groundsmen.
What type of advancements would you ideally like to see over the next 3-5 years?
Obviously, if the club were to go up a league, then we’d have bigger budgets, to ensure that would be a significant benefit. With an enhanced budget, I would look to get a appropriate fertiliser programme in place, I’d likewise invest in stadium grow lights as well as certainlyirrigation – perhaps a Verti Drain or a new sprinkler system – in addition to new frost sheets; ours have certainly seen much better days!
A new tractor would be on my wish-list too.
On a personal level, I would make sure to get an NVQ level 3 as well as spray licence, so we wouldn’t requirement to utilize contractors, I might do everything myself.
Thanks to Jamie Honeyman for taking the time to do this interview.
Images, courtesy: Camiseta Selección de fútbol de Brasil Jamie Honeyman/Dagenham & Redbridge FC
#SportsVenueBusiness – keeping you in the know!
Share This Article