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By Editor in Football on 27th Apr 2007 14:30
There was some good news for ground staff at White Hart Lane this week when Grounds Manager
Darren Baldwin was voted Barclays Premiership Groundsman of the Year.
The award is the top honour for playing surfaces in the Barclays Premiership and is recognition for all the hard work that Darren and his team have put in week after week this season to provide the first team with a top quality pitch. The award is part of the Barclays Premiership end of season awards, Player of the Season Manager of the Season, Golden Boot and Golden Gloves.
It was a case of third time lucky for Darren as this was the third time in as many years that Tottenham have been shortlisted for the award. This season he won it ahead of Middlesbrough and Arsenal.
Darren said: "A great pitch requires a dedicated set of ground staff and it's a terrific honour for James Buttar, Adam Singleton, Wayne Billing and all the team at the Lane. It's recognition of having the top playing surface in the division and all the hard work put in this season to make that possible, especially as we've played 12 games more than we did last year."
Darren added: "The award is down to the professionalism of the team. I've been on the judging panel for the FA for the non-league equivalent of the Groundsman of the Year awards and it's been beneficial for me to see what goes on across the country and even pick up some tips. So being able to bring all that together and for us to finally win this award is terrific."
Darren will be presented with the award and a cheque for £1,000 from Barclays at the penultimate game of this season against Blackburn Rovers. Darren intends to spend the money on a rally driving day out for his team in celebration of their achievements.
Read more articles in Football,
by Editor
or from April 2007.
There are 12 comments on this article
27 Apr 2007 by chucky
Well done Darren and your team.
It's nice to see someone who has been named Groundsman Of The Year mention his staff by name.
That's just a gripe I've always had!
All the best.
No wonder I'm Mr Grumpy!
27 Apr 2007 by mattrainey
well done, darren and team
blimey i was only talking to you yesterday, you could of told me?
matt11
29 Apr 2007 by Louis Smith
Well done Darran I have said all season that your pitch was excellent and the best.
30 Apr 2007 by Yetanotherdave
Well Done Darren, and staff you've done a great job.
However I still think that the New Arsenal pitch was by far the best pitch in the Premiership and in Europe this season.
Yes Paul has 10 Lighting Riggs. But as most would now agree the Lighting Rigg areas still need to be managed and managed differently.
Paul has 4 staff and they are there to assist in speeding up of repairs and preparing the surface for a game. They would have very little to do with the Chemical etc.
All the Chemical applications and timings of fertilizer would be done by Paul. And in this profession we all know that timing of applications is the most important part.
I do agree that Arsenal has fewer games than most, and maybe the whole scoring structure should change.
As an example why should Reading lose points if on a Friday night he gets a game of rugby, and then the following day he gets a game of football. What chance does Bruce at Reading have of getting top marks. Reading is only an example I know of a few other Dual usage pitches that’s had several double headers this Season. None of which were even considered. Yet can still maintain a Very high standard of playing surface. Also look at Old Trafford, Tony has done a fantastic job up there this year, with over 60 games, again not even considered.
The whole GROUNDSMAN of the year should be reviewed.
2 May 2007 by andy2110
Congrats Darren, was good to meet you and get drunk with you before xmas lol
Andy
Keepmoat Stadium Doncaster
2 May 2007 by adzetec
well done Darren and your team it is a great surface you got down there, like chucky said its nice that you mentioned all your ground staff by name and gave them a lot of credit!
all the best
(ps get your staff down the pub for a drink lol )
Adam
Ipswich town fc
9 May 2007 by MilesO
Congratulations to the team at Tottenham although I think we would all agree that Tottenham do not really have the best pitch in the Premiership by a long way.
The pitch at Emirates has been amazing all season and whilst it is understandable that the guy there has won for the last couple of years or so and therefore they probably thought it best to give somebody else a chance I can't help but feel that it kind of defeats the whole object of the award and lessens its value somewhat.
I'm sure that Darren himself would prefer to win it for actually having the best playing surface in the league and not by default because the person that has the best playing surface won the award last year.
Conratulations anyway Darren, I'm in no doubt that you have worked hard this year.
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There was some good news for ground staff at White Hart Lane this week when Grounds Manager Darren Baldwin was voted Barclays Premiership Groundsman of the Year.
