Realising the potential -...

26 the Groundsman July 2015

n addition to a life-long interest insport, Steve Winterburn studied over afour-year period at Plumpton

Horticultural college where he gained aninterest in the creative science behind howgrass grows and what is required toidentify and introduce flexible programmesthat match the plant’s needs and theclimatic conditions under which it isgrowing. He spent 15 years involved in civilengineering, golf course and landscapingwork and some consulting – a period hebelieves gave him a wide range of skillsand a level of understanding when workingon different grass surfaces and theirmanagement needs.

Prior to joining Brighton and HoveAlbion FC, Steve was head groundsman atthe club’s training ground pitches basedand hired from the University of Sussexsports ground. On joining the club, Stevebecame head groundsman based atWithdean Stadium in Brighton, a multisports and athletics ground rented from thelocal council after the club left its Goldstoneground. He was there for 10 years beforemoving in 2011 to the then new AmericanExpress Community Stadium.

Lancing sports facilitiesConstruction of the club’s new trainingground started in 2012 on a 20-hectaregreenfield site in Lancing. This complexincludes training and teaching facilities

I

Realising the potential

Richard speaks to Steve Winterburn who outlines how he and his team atBrighton and Hove Albion FC consistently present high-class playingsurfaces at the club’s Amex stadium and training complex

By: Richard Fry

designed to meet the Premier League’sElite Player Performance Plan. The facilityhas 10 natural turf pitches; seven full-sizeand three are three-quarters size. Two arebuilt using fibre elastic sand and arereplicas of the main stadium pitch. Stevesays: “It’s important that when the firstteam comes to train, the players ‘feel’ thesame surface conditions as when theyplay in the main stadium. The samebounce, the same give in the ground, thesame run of the ball.”

In addition to the natural turf pitches,the training complex has a trio of 3Gpitches; two for the academy and acommunity pitch. There is also a three-quarter size indoor pitch featuring a 45mmmonofilament pile with an incorporatedrubber crumb. This indoor facility ensuresthere will always be a pitch accessible andplayable, regardless of the weather.

Ready to renovateWhen the season comes to an end in May,Steve and his team of 14 are ready to getto work renovating both the main stadiumand the training ground pitches for the nextseason. Before this happens, the stadiumis hired out for commercial/corporateevents. A day is also set aside for theacademy teams to play matches and theSussex County FA to play its Sussex seniorcup final. At the end May, renovation startsand the stadium team has an eight-week

window before the start of the nextseason. (The team is also responsible forassociated landscaping at the stadium.)

The stadium’s rootzone is tested and,if required, the fibre elastic surface isreinstated to full specification. During therenovation works, an R14 seed mix issown to make up part of the grass swardcomposition. “We get a rapid germinationwith R14,” says Steve “and this is followedby good strong root growth, sward densityand excellent colour.”

Like most modern stadia, shade is anissue. “Despite a seemingly translucentroof we have to provide supplementarylighting,” Steve continues. “We usuallystart in early October on the west side ofthe pitch and by mid-December, when allthe pitch is in shade, we apply lighting to

Steve Winterburn (right) and Rigby Taylor'sMike Ring discuss pitch quality

27the Groundsman July 2015

the complete surface. This will continue onthe west side up to around late March.”There are four MLR 100 rigs and they cantravel across the whole pitch in just threemoves, if required. A smaller rig is used forareas such as the goalmouths.

RWC2015 standardA very busy and intensive use of the pitchwill take place this September as the AmexStadium is selected to host two World CupRugby games featuring sides from SouthAfrica, Samoa, Japan and the USA. Thesegames will require different pitchlinemarking and Steve and his team areready for the challenge. “We will use thesame machines and paints as agreed withthe Rugby World Cup organisers,” saysSteve. “The stadium pitch is marked outfor football matches using a transfer wheelmachine and Duraline Stadia and Standardpaints. These give us an excellent brightline and the lasting qualities we require. Forthe training grounds however, where wehave multiple pitches, we have four iGOmachines that apply Impact XP ready-to-use spray marker paint. All our staff likethese machines; they are easy to use andallow us to apply lines very quickly.”

At the training complex, a BLECCombinator removes waste organic mattersuch as dead/damaged grass tissue buildup from the natural turf surfaces.Topdressing is undertaken using MansfieldMM45 and Redhill45 sand at between20/40 tonnes per pitch. Aeration is byWiedenmann and Toro machines withsolid/hollow tines as required, and thesurface is drag matted and overseeded,again including R14 over the whole siteusing a BLEC Multiseeder This is followedby an 8-12-8 pre-seeder fertiliser.

The complex features a drainagesystem that collects rainwater from all thepitches, which is stored to irrigate thecomplex and eliminates any riskassociated with building on a vulnerableflood plain. The water is recycled throughreed beds that cleanse the water,which is held in twoirrigation

tanks with a capacity of 1,400m3. In thesummer, as much as 600,000 litres ofwater per day can be used to irrigate thetraining pitches.

Nutrition of the pitches is undertakenthroughout the summer using a multi-phased release programme based partlyon a 14-2-7 granular fertiliser. This isapplied at fortnightly intervals. Activate isincorporated into this programme to assistin the retention of nutrients within therootzone. In the Autumn, a 10-2-20granular fertiliser programme is used andpart of this is supplemented byapplications of Amino-FormXL and the liquid ironMagnet Rapide forenhanced colour.

Turf disease is not amajor problem but as fibre-lastic surfaces can be proneto Leaf Spot, Steve appliesRazor and Eland as part of

a preventative spray programme.Applications are applied using a Hardi 8mboom equipped with Bubble Jets, whichreduce drift and ensure a more accuratetargeting of the products being used.

Steve has the usual headachescommon to most groundsmen; changingweather patterns and the balance of pitchmaintenance versus pitch usage but hehas an excellent working relationship withthe club’s manager and coaches. He alsoreceives good advice and reports asrequired from Richard Gibbs, the STRI’shead of stadia design.

The Amex card’s catchline of ‘Realisethe Potential’ does, indeed, sum up theachievements of Steve and hisgroundscare team. l

The Amex Stadium pitch needs supplementary lights in shaded areas

Richard Fry is marketing director atRigby Taylor (www.rigbytaylor.com)

About the Author