Working through the challenges of turfcare at Colchester United FC
In October 2024, Brad Jefferies became Head Groundsman at Colchester United Football Club. From day one, he faced a pitch with long-standing problems and immediately set to work improving it.
Brad describes his appointment as ‘out of the blue’: “The standard of the pitch at Colchester had struggled for a long time. We had a lot of work to do, but I think we are nearly there.”
Though the stadium is relatively new at seventeen years old, its pitch was poorly constructed. Heavy clay, large stones and poor drainage had caused problems for years. The club invested in a new drainage system in summer 2024. Brad continued: “The heavy clay which makes up a lot of the lower root zone of the pitch is the main issue. Four years ago, the club invested heavily in the pitch due to some of the issues they had been encountering. Unfortunately, the changes to a fibresand pitch didn’t help much.”
“Two years ago, three/four games were called off in one season due to poor drainage - even the first league game. I’d never seen that before.”
New role, new challenges, new plan
Despite the significant investment, Brad faced additional issues when he arrived and describes it as the most challenging ten months of his career: “The chairman likes to keep jobs in-house. We still had bare areas on the drainage lines. The pitch hadn’t been renovated the previous season and I think it was 95% Poa Annua, which isn’t ideal. We managed to turn that around within two weeks, throwing everything we had at it. By October 2024, everyone seemed confident due to the colour, but by January the pitch started to deteriorate.”
Upgrading machinery was also a priority. “We had the equipment, but much of it was outdated. On my second day, I arranged a meeting to discuss improvements. After that, I knew the club wanted to support me. We signed off on two Dennis G760 mowers, a verticutter, a Dennis Pro34R rotary mower, and other essential machinery.”
Brad anticipated that the pitch would struggle under heavy footfall due to its poor foundation, so he began planning for renovations in January: “The original plan was a hard turnover focusing on the whole pitch. You can’t remove Poa from the middle without addressing the wide edges. We added 116 tonnes of fibresand, which helped eliminate the black layer problem.”
Before the final game of the season, the club approved a stitched pitch system to cope with increased usage, including Ipswich Women’s Team playing at the stadium:
“With sixty games scheduled for the season, we needed hybrid technology. We ended up using the stitched system, which required 250 tonnes of Mansfield Sand. We raised the pitch
by 25mm and grew it in grew with 75% Johnsons Premier Pitch and 25% Johnsons J 100 seed. We added sand bands, which significantly improved drainage.”
“There were some initial issues with stitching; SIS Pitches weren’t comfortable with our approach, so we stitched to 110mm. The first game was less than 24 hours after stitching, and the feedback has been excellent.”
The anxiety of turfcare
“I didn’t enjoy watching football last year; I watched games with my hands over my face, praying for a win. When the team won, the pitch helped; when we lost, it felt like the pitch let us down.”
He stressed the importance of building confidence in his work: “This year, the growing has gone really well. We’ve prepared meticulously. I can now sit back and enjoy the games, focusing on the finer details rather than fixing the entire surface.”
“I’ve always worked with low budgets, but at Colchester I’m fortunate the chairman listens to me. He’s my line manager, and we speak
most days about the pitch. Showing the board that you’ve done your research and have a solid plan builds trust - they understand that you’re the expert.”
A career that builds resilience
Brad’s path in turfcare has always involved hard work and self-challenge. “I took on a head groundsman role in non-league football at a very young age. I wanted to challenge myself and faced tough questions in board meetings early on. Working my way up the football ladder has given me a unique perspective on industry challenges.”
“The harder route can pay off. If you can create a great playing surface on a shoestring budget, imagine what you could achieve at a Premier League club. Expectations rise at elite clubs, but experience gives you confidence.”
Turfcare is a lifestyle! “I’m the type of person who will work seventy-hour weeks to ensure the pitch is top quality for match day. We’re constantly ticking and it’s why the job is often underappreciated. I answer emails at 10pm because I want to be on the pitch during daylight hours.”
Despite the demands, Brad wouldn’t change his career. “When I was eighteen, I worked at Tesco stacking shelves. I never thought I’d showcase baked beans, but now I love showcasing the pitches I produce.”
“Turfcare has given me opportunities I never imagined. I’ve worked with cricket idols, travelled the world and built a career through passion and dedi-cation. The industry offers so much if you take the chances yourself.”