{"id":1519,"date":"2025-05-26T18:54:47","date_gmt":"2025-05-26T17:54:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sidelinesmag.co.uk\/?p=1519"},"modified":"2025-06-06T14:20:09","modified_gmt":"2025-06-06T13:20:09","slug":"premier-league-groundsman","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jusmedia.co.uk\/sidelines\/2025\/05\/26\/premier-league-groundsman\/","title":{"rendered":"Pitch perfect: the life of a football groundsman"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

You can often get an idea of the level of football about to be played on a pitch before a single ball is kicked. When there are haphazard tufts of grass and rabbit holes offering extra hazards, a net hastily strung to a crossbar with some fraying twine, or someone\u2019s dad is using a broom to sweep excess water from by the corner flag, it\u2019s probably not about to be a classic. More likely you\u2019re at a grassroots game with just as much spirit and character as the pitch, but probably also about as much quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when the pitch is a shimmering carpet of crisp green squares and sharp white lines, without a divot or blade of grass out of place, a show is about to begin. The players are the actors and will take the applause, but the stage has been set by people like Lee Jackson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Image courtesy of Lee Jackson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jackson worked at Manchester City for 33 years, and was Head Groundsman at the Etihad Stadium for the final 15 years of his tenure before departing in 2024. His time there coincided with the most successful period of the club\u2019s history, which included eight Premier League titles from 2011-2024 and the second-ever treble by an English side. He now works at Sheffield Wednesday, where he looks after the pitch at Hillsborough as well as their training ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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