FA GROUNDSMAN OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2007.

 

Congratulations go to Skelmersdale United Football Club’s Groundsman Peter McGee who won the Groundsman of the Year Award for the Northern Premier League, and was voted Runner-up in the National Awards for clubs at step 3 & 4. (United being a step 4 club)

 

The awards ceremony took place at Winsdor Racecourse on Wednesday September 5^th 2007 - and was compered by BBC’s Ray Stubbs and attended by The Football Associations Director of Football Development, Sir Trevor Brooking.

 

Ormskirk based Peter McGee coming up to his 66^th birthday has been looking after the Ashley Travel Stadium pitch since it opened prior to the 2004/05 season and spent a couple of years tending to Whitemoss Park.

 

“We had a lot of problems with the pitch initially and if anything it was a learning curve for me.

 

“A lot of people would think a new pitch is easy to look after but it’s the opposite way round because they have to be nurtured like a new born baby and then you have to wait for them to mature.”

 

Peter won the regional award for Lancashire at step 5 & 6 in United’s last season in the North West Counties, and this latest win is back to back after United’s 1^st season back in the Northern Premier League.

 

“To be voted the best Groundsman in the Northern Premier League gives me immense pride, but to be voted runner-up nationally is an unbelievable feat because I’m self taught and have had to learn the job as I’ve gone along.

 

“It’s also good to see that the FA is prepared to honour the unsung heroes as well as the Premiership giants.”

 

McGee, a Director of the club volunteered to do the groundsman’s job back at Whitemoss Park, and has never looked back since.

 

“If a job is worth doing it is worth doing right, and I’m passionate about giving the lads the best surface for them to play on, and I think that reflects well with the quality of football people have witnessed over the last few years.

 

“Many of the away teams think they’ve come to play on an artificial pitch when they walk into the ground and that gives me a great buzz, and it makes my job so much more satisfying, especially as I’m out in all weathers and the pressure can be quite tough when we have two or three games a week.”

 

As for the day out itself; a swanky champagne reception followed by a three course meal fit for a King, Peter remarked;

 

“It was a great day out and the camaraderie between groundsmen was great.

 

“I also managed to pick up so many tips especially from the head groundsman of Nottingham Forsest, Ewan Hunter who took the League One title and was sitting on the same table as me, although the cost of implementing them managed to raise an eyebrow of concern from my Chairman, Frank Hughes who was sitting alongside me!”

 

Peter can be seen celebrating his award by having a chat with Sir Trevor Brooking.