A new Grounds Team is now in place at Taunton Town in what has been a period of reorganisation behind the scenes. Chairman and Head Groundsman Kevin Sturmey will now be assisted by two new recruits in addition to existing members of the team.
Kevin told tauntontown.com:” It has been a tough couple of months for me and I’ve been indebted to young Ben Walker who was able to help me through August before starting College. Ben, for 16 years old, has matured incredibly and without him in August I would have struggled with one good knee and one that needs replacing! I managed to recruit John Salter in August to do the line marking as John used to do this valuable role in the past so is a great acquisition to the team.”
John remarked: ” I’m delighted to join the Team and having done the lines in the past it’s been great to come back and help Kevin and TTFC keep moving forward with pitch preparation.”
The newest recruit is Rob Hake who is very well known in cricketing circles and is highly regarded, being a multi award- winning Groundsman. He will add a huge amount of expertise to what is now a very driven and respected Grounds Team. Rob joins this week and will be with the club until the end of March so the role can fit around his other important Groundsman commitments at Bridgwater Cricket Club, having previously spent 15 years at Somerset CCC.
Rob commented:” I am a Somerset man with a passion for sport, having worked as a groundsman for nearly two decades. I am delighted to take up the opportunity to work with Taunton Town Football Club this coming season. I set myself high standards in my work and have every intention to bring my skills in groundsmanship to do the best job I can at the Cygnet Health Care Stadium. I look forward to meeting everyone very soon.”
Richard Medland will continue to help on match days along with Ben Walker who will also assist at other times dependent upon his college and football commitments as he plays in goal for the Development Team at U18 level.
The Chairman continued:” As a club we never stand still, and I will continue to try to push boundaries and use skill and innovation to keep improving the pitch and Stadium. The trees have caused and are still causing issues with roots under the pitch and around the Stadium, and until these are removed maintenance of the pitch is made harder. However, we will continue to work out how and when to curtail the undulations and problems caused by these roots and look at innovative machinery if we feel this will add value to our good range of equipment we have built up over the last few years.
We now have a team to cover all bases and I really look forward to working with Rob and John who have a great deal of experience, and who will use their knowledge and skills to keep improving the sward and try to improve the substructure of the soil. There are more exciting times ahead and I will be delighted to help where I can and as part of a team to move the pitch to the next level.”
The great photo of the pitch taken by 360 South West