Groundsman

Groundsman of the Year awards open for 2019/20 nominations

The awards are back for the 2019/20 season offering the opportunity to recognise the unsung heroes of grassroots football.

Nominations are now open (they close on Friday 28th February) and you can put forward your favourite groundsmen in Derbyshire, giving them the chance to potentially win some fantastic prizes.

Last year’s Derbyshire winner, Roger Kerry, was provided with some great rewards via the DCFA’s partnership with Rigby Taylor Ltd, along with an invitation to the Derbyshire FA Awards Event later in the season.

Roger Kerry then went on to eventual win the national prize for groundsmen at Step 7 and below.

The national awards ceremony took place at St. George’s Park, and he was given a guided tour of the site as well as an insightful presentation from Karl Standley (Head Groundsman at Wembley Stadium) and Scott Brooks (Head Groundsman St George’s Park).

Guests were also treated to a question and answer workshop with professional groundsmen from Southampton and Manchester City.

The winners were then invited as special guests for the England v Montenegro Euro 2020 qualifier in November, enjoying the hospitality on offer before being treated to an opportunity to join the Wembley Ground Staff on the pitch at half time.

Each County FA will be collating nominations over the next couple of months and will then submit their top three applications to The FA, for independent judging as part of The FA national awards.

Groundsmen at this level of football are nearly all volunteers who give up hours of their time to provide the best pitches possible using very few resources.

This competition is a great way for these volunteers to get recognised on a local and national level whilst also having the opportunity to meet and talk with the professional groundsmen who conduct the judging.

If you would like to nominate your groundsman please click here. 

Please note that clubs at Levels 1-4 and 5-6 will be able to access nomination forms and further information via their leagues.