Our groundstaff have been highly commended by the EFL for their excellent maintenance of the Meadow Lane playing surface in 2023-24.
We were one of only three clubs to receive special recognition in League Two, with Harrogate Town also being highly commended and Stockport County winning Grounds Team of the Season.
Pitches are assessed by the referee at all league matches, with the top clubs from each division then being visited by the Sports Turf Research Institute to conduct further assessments covering pitch quality, environmental conditions and usage, resources, management and sustainability.
Head groundsman, Matt Hallam, said: "I want to say a massive thank you to Jay Hearne, Martin Kavanagh and Sean Rodulson for the amazing work they’ve done throughout the season.
"I’d definitely say it’s been the most challenging season we’ve had due to the incredible amount of rain since October and the poor current drainage system.
"While everyone sees the top of the surface, it's underneath where the massive problems lie and we're all looking forward to the new construction and seeing what we can achieve.
"Our mindset is that we want to win Grounds Team of the Year in 2024-25 and do all we can to provide the best surface all year round."
