Top Groundsman Rejuvenates Professional Training Pitch

July 22, 2010 - PRLog -- It is believed that this is the first time air rejuvenation has been used on a full-size professional training pitch, but Calderwood is used to setting standards. As both IOG Groundsman’s Groundman of the Year and the Premier League Groundsman of the Year, Jonathan has built an unrivalled reputation for creating and maintaining some of the best football pitches in the UK. Not only does he and his team manage the Villa Park pitch full-time but they oversee the first-team and academy team practice pitches. It was one of these pitches that underwent Replay Rejuvenation®.

Jonathan Calderwood explains “We were looking at a pitch replacement for the nine year old 3G surface at Bodymoor Heath due to heavy compaction of the fill. This was having an impact on play and during the wetter months water would hold on the surface for prolonged periods. My staff and I had carried out an intensive maintenance regime over the lifespan of the pitch, but we felt due to the surface’s age it was now time to replace it.

“However, I decided to do some research and discovered there was an alternative to replacing the pitch. Replay Rejuvenation® utilises compressed air to safely remove infill from synthetic surfaces - restoring the play dynamic and solving porosity issues. Replay’s Garry Martin came out to see me and we put together a proposal to present to our financial director, which represented a healthy saving against replacement without compromising on quality.

“A programme of works was set up, which fitted around our end of season maintenance regimen, and we placed the order for Replay Rejuvenation®. Replay carried out the work and completed it within a week, including extraction of the existing fill and replacement with new!”

Calderwood continues “I am absolutely amazed at the transformation of our surface due to the Replay Rejuvenation® process. The pitch is now fluid and mobile with absolutely no sign of compaction. One of the lads who has played on the Rejuvenated surface would not believe me when I told him it was not new!”

Praise has also come from ex-Aston Villa and England player, Gordon Cowans, now an academy coach at Aston Villa, who has said that the Rejuvenated surface plays and feels better than any other at the training facility.

It is estimated that Replay Rejuvenation®  can double the playing life of a synthetic pitch at a quarter of the cost of replacement and can be completed in a fraction of the time. For more information, contact Replay on 01636 640506 or visit www.replay.uk.com

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Replay Maintenance supplies maintenance services for synthetic sports pitches, athletics tracks and tennis courts.