Derby County have been named as the 2022/23 Grounds Team of the Season in Sky Bet League One.
Grounds Teams throughout the EFL work tirelessly to make sure pitch surfaces are of a high quality through all weather and conditions, and the Grounds Teams of the Season awards celebrate staff who have produced the best quality playing surfaces in each division.
Pitch marks are provided by the referee and away team manager for all EFL League matches. The top Clubs from each division with the highest divisional average are then visited by Neil Rodger, from STRI (Sports Turf Research Institute), where further assessments are carried out, which cover pitch quality, environmental conditions and usage, resources, management and sustainability.
Once all club visits have taken place, in-depth reports and recommendations are submitted to the Playing Surfaces Committee, at which point winners are determined. The winners of each division will receive a trophy and certificate.
Derby County’s Grounds Team is led by Head Groundsman Paul Thompson and he is supported by a number of members of staff across both Pride Park Stadium and Moor Farm Training Ground.
Commenting on the news, Derby County’s Chief Executive Officer Stephen Pearce said: “This news is fantastic recognition for the excellent work of Paul Thompson and his dedicated support staff.
“Paul and his team put in a large number of hours, which at times can be extremely unsociable, across both Pride Park and Moor Farm and we are delighted to see them rewarded with the Grounds Team of the Season accolade in League One.”
He added: “Our playing surface at Pride Park has been excellent all season and we are proud of this achievement.
“It is actually a greater achievement when you consider
that Paul and his team didn’t have a normal summer to get everything prepared
for the start of this season. The takeover of the club didn’t go through until
the start of July last year and the league campaign started at the end of the very
same month, which was a very tight timeframe.”
