Module 3:

3.1 Introduction

3   You might also have put ‘Renovation work’ which is also correct. We haven’t identified that as a stand-alone activity because it is really a group of different activities. These might include, for example, a blend of some of the following: raking, chain harrowing with tines down, scarification, surface removal, aeration, decompaction, applying grass seed, fertiliser application, top-dressing etc. typically carried out at the end of the playing season. The actual activities that might be carried out would be determined by the condition of the pitch and what is required to achieve the desired standard for the start of the next playing season. However, that’s fine if you have included renovation work because it is a very important aggregated activity.

4   In addition, you might also have made some activities distinct, where we have just grouped some similar activities into one work area. For example, applying fertilisers, biostimulants or soil conditioners, all of which have three different activity outcomes. So, these might be three different activities on your list, which is also fine.

Whilst chain harrowing is one piece of equipment, we have included it as two different activities due to the significant difference of the outcome depending on whether the smooth side or tine side is used.

If you have included other activities, then that’s also fine. They may or may not be relevant for the sorts of pitches we are looking at here, but either way let us focus on the eighteen activity areas we have identified above.

5   We have now been able to identify what might be called core maintenance activities for looking after a football pitch, although you might find that some groundskeepers don’t carry out all of the activities, especially surface removal, whilst others do some additional ones.

There is no ideal answer to the activity you have just done, nor for our list, but rather a range of probabilities and possibilities for grounds maintenance activities depending on the specific context.

6   There can be numerous reasons for any differences in activities that are carried out in practice on a football pitch, and these can include the following:

1. Budgets can be very limited for some pitches, so the maintenance inputs of the pitches have to be reduced to a minimum that is still a fit for purpose requirement.
2. Equipment, machinery or materials are just not available.
3. Some of the activities will often be a substitute for other ones. A good example is chain harrowing as a substitute for scarification or verticutting where equipment is not available for the latter two activities.
4. Higher quality pitches, especially pitches for professional clubs, will often have more specialist activities carried out as well.