Lee Jackson Head Groundsman Leaving

jrb said:
turfbusiness.co.uk

Job Vacancy: Grounds Supervisor- Manchester City Academy - Turf Business

Location: Manchester, GB Opening Date: 7 Feb 2025 Full Time / Part Time: Full Time...
turfbusiness.co.uk turfbusiness.co.uk
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Interesting I saw a academy game in January and the pitch was like Leyton Orient. The worst I've ever seen at our academy, it was clear than that something wasn't right
All seems a it strange. To an outside it seem like City have employed some bod out of university with little hands on experience, no man management skills and thinks he is bill big bollocks.

I don't know but it seems to be very similar to alot of sport turf rolls. Get rid of the bloke who worked his way up knows the place inside out. Bring in a university bod because it looks good
 
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give it to gordon said:
Interesting I saw a academy game in January and the pitch was like Leyton Orient. The worst I've ever seen at our academy, it was clear than that something wasn't right
All seems a it strange. To an outside it seem like City have employed some bod out of university with little hands on experience, no man management skills and thinks he is bill big bollocks.

I don't know but it seems to be very similar to alot of sport turf rolls. Get rid of the bloke who worked his way up knows the place inside out. Bring in a university bod because it looks good
Click to expand...
Are we still talking about the groundsman here?
 
give it to gordon said:
Interesting I saw a academy game in January and the pitch was like Leyton Orient. The worst I've ever seen at our academy, it was clear than that something wasn't right
All seems a it strange. To an outside it seem like City have employed some bod out of university with little hands on experience, no man management skills and thinks he is bill big bollocks.

I don't know but it seems to be very similar to alot of sport turf rolls. Get rid of the bloke who worked his way up knows the place inside out. Bring in a university bod because it looks good
Click to expand...
Thats Grass roots football for you
 
give it to gordon said:
Interesting I saw a academy game in January and the pitch was like Leyton Orient. The worst I've ever seen at our academy, it was clear than that something wasn't right
All seems a it strange. To an outside it seem like City have employed some bod out of university with little hands on experience, no man management skills and thinks he is bill big bollocks.

I don't know but it seems to be very similar to alot of sport turf rolls. Get rid of the bloke who worked his way up knows the place inside out. Bring in a university bod because it looks good
Click to expand...
Just out of interest, did you see the game we played at Leicester over Xmas? Did you see how poor their pitch was in comparison with previous years? Trust me, the bloke we have now is the best in the business.

The academy pitches are getting more and more use which is why they look a little tired currently. They also don't have undersoil heating that doesn't help.
 
jrb said:
If you go on his Linkedin page there are pictures of the Etihad pitch and CFA pitches.

When I say the pitches are like snooker table cloths, I mean they are like snooker table cloths. The pitches are unbelievably good.

John Ledwidge

Head of Grounds and Landscapes at Manchester City Football Club

John Ledwidge is an elite Sports Turf Manager, with specialitise in multi-million pound turf-management and development projects at some of the most advanced sporting facilities and events around the world. He has extensive industry knowledge and a depth of experience from ground to board level.

John has ascertained a Masters in Football Business management covering all aspects of the structural operations within a professionals Football environment.

John has a proven track record of delivering precision management and supervisory projects to achieve objectives on time and on budget.

From reconstruction, redevelopment, training and team building, to designing operations and management systems, John has achieved the kind of industry resilience, efficiencies and strategic advantages that contributed to the remarkable global success story of former Premier League Champions Leicester City FC.

He is driven, ambitious and motivated by a personal pride in developing people which represents one of his strongest motivations.

John formed an integral part of the team that has developed Leicester City’s new £100m training facility, where he delivered the management and development of the 180 acre site. This included 24 turf pitches, synthetic pitches, a nine hole golf course and the worlds first dedicated Sports Turf Academy.

John developed and implemented the concept for the worlds first dedicated Sports Turf Academy that was supported by the club, by the development of a purpose built building containing educational space, cutting edge technology and without doubt will be a leader in the training, education and recruitment in the current and next generation of Sports Turf decision makers.

John’s experience at international level includes preperation of surfaces for UEFA Champuons League, directing pitch preparations for the London 2012 Olympics at the City of Coventry Stadium and the planning and management of various music concerts within stadiums including P!nk, Kings Of Leon and Coldplay

John possesses a clear, calm and focused approach to leadership with an ability to instil confidence and competency between staff and management. He takes pride in advising and presenting at board level, Creation and implementation of structured management approaches for turf and workforces in all aspects of turf management and budgetary management.
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Now... this fella might well be a great success in this job but...
I fucking hate this sort of corporate bullshit. I work in technology and it's fucking rife.
All these types are "leaders" and it's all "leadership" this "directing" that and the other. Usually not much "doing"...
Load of shite... real "Leaders" would never actually come out with any of this nonsense.
In my experience if you have to say that you are a "Leader" then you're not one...
 
ShedDweller said:
Now... this fella might well be a great success in this job but...
I fucking hate this sort of corporate bullshit. I work in technology and it's fucking rife.
All these types are "leaders" and it's all "leadership" this "directing" that and the other. Usually not much "doing"...
Load of shite... real "Leaders" would never actually come out with any of this nonsense.
In my experience if you have to say that you are a "Leader" then you're not one...
Click to expand...
Chapeau. Exactement.
 
give it to gordon said:
Interesting I saw a academy game in January and the pitch was like Leyton Orient. The worst I've ever seen at our academy, it was clear than that something wasn't right
All seems a it strange. To an outside it seem like City have employed some bod out of university with little hands on experience, no man management skills and thinks he is bill big bollocks.

I don't know but it seems to be very similar to alot of sport turf rolls. Get rid of the bloke who worked his way up knows the place inside out. Bring in a university bod because it looks good
Click to expand...
I was just thinking that the other day. The pitches look terrible.
 
wolfie1988 said:
Just out of interest, did you see the game we played at Leicester over Xmas? Did you see how poor their pitch was in comparison with previous years? Trust me, the bloke we have now is the best in the business.

The academy pitches are getting more and more use which is why they look a little tired currently. They also don't have undersoil heating that doesn't help.
Click to expand...
Are they? Why are we playing more games on these pitches now. As far as I know we have multiple pitches and the fixtures have not increased. In the past we had the same number of games, same number of teams all playing on these surfaces and the pitches were immaculate, through all weathers. Unless you know something different and there are suddenly far more competitive games played. I will let my eyes make a judgement until I'm convinced otherwise. Those pitches have never looked so bad before. I'd say there were more comatose than tired when you compare them to the past.
 
wolfie1988 said:
Just out of interest, did you see the game we played at Leicester over Xmas? Did you see how poor their pitch was in comparison with previous years? Trust me, the bloke we have now is the best in the business.

The academy pitches are getting more and more use which is why they look a little tired currently. They also don't have undersoil heating that doesn't help.
Click to expand...

I don't know much about the new bloke but have seen this type of thing in other sport turf industry. Blokes out of university never got their hands dirty, haven't a clue how to manage but get the top jobs......just saying. The academy pitch was shocking.

Plus these university normally can speak for England to people not in the profession and are very good at blaming the minions when it starts going wrong.
 
ShedDweller said:
Now... this fella might well be a great success in this job but...
I fucking hate this sort of corporate bullshit. I work in technology and it's fucking rife.
All these types are "leaders" and it's all "leadership" this "directing" that and the other. Usually not much "doing"...
Load of shite... real "Leaders" would never actually come out with any of this nonsense.
In my experience if you have to say that you are a "Leader" then you're not one...
Click to expand...
Hear you. I wonder if you start developing some allergy to this b..it after a certain age, say 50...
 
give it to gordon said:
Interesting I saw a academy game in January and the pitch was like Leyton Orient. The worst I've ever seen at our academy, it was clear than that something wasn't right
All seems a it strange. To an outside it seem like City have employed some bod out of university with little hands on experience, no man management skills and thinks he is bill big bollocks.

I don't know but it seems to be very similar to alot of sport turf rolls. Get rid of the bloke who worked his way up knows the place inside out. Bring in a university bod because it looks good
Click to expand...
Well I am happy to see that the quality of the playing surface has not effected the performance of the team’s playing on them :0)

The EDS and the Under 18’s, seem to be performing very well on them :0)

Apart from that I am not expert on Grass or Turf,etc ???

So can add no more to this issue !!
 
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