For our latest Fleet Customer Spotlight, we're heading to Huish Park to meet Matt Howell, Head Groundsman at Yeovil Town.
From beginning his career as an apprentice to becoming a Head Groundsman at just 26, Matt has progressed quickly through the sports turf industry. Today, alongside Liam Breaden and a dedicated matchday team, he's responsible for maintaining Huish Park, the club's 3G surface and an impressive 25 acres of surrounding grass.
We caught up with Matt to find out more about his career, the machinery he relies on, what goes into preparing Huish Park for matchday and, of course, a few of the important things in life away from the pitch.
The Basics
What's your role?
Head Groundsman at Yeovil Town.
How many people are in your grounds team?
There's myself and Liam Breaden.
How many people are involved on a matchday?
Generally between four and six. We've got a great atmosphere among the lads who work matchdays. They're all Yeovil fans and go above and beyond every matchday. Although, according to Matt, they always want new kit!
How much ground are you responsible for?
Huish Park, the 3G outside and around 25 acres of surrounding grass.
What type of pitch is Huish Park?
It's an all-natural, soil-based pitch.
The Kit
Like most grounds teams, having the right machinery for the surface is essential. Matt and the team currently have:
- Three Weibang rotary mowers
- John Deere 2653 cylinder mower
- Redexim Verti-Drain
- Tractor-mounted boom sprayer
- John Deere 4720
- John Deere 3036
- Wessex surrounds cutter
- Quadraplay
- Fleet line marker "with the big discs!"
What's your favourite piece of kit?
The Weibang mowers.
Changing from their previous Dennis rotary mowers has made a significant difference for Matt and the team. Matt found the Dennis machines too heavy for their soil-based pitch, particularly when all three were being used to clean up the stadium after matches.
As Matt explains, the previous setup meant nearly half a tonne of machinery travelling over the surface, whereas the three Weibangs together come in at under 200kg.
What's on the machinery wish list?
Verti-Cut units.
From Apprentice to Head Groundsman
Matt's career began at King's School Bruton, where he worked as an apprentice alongside Ade Davis.
After achieving his Level 2 qualification in sports turf, Matt moved on to Wincanton Racecourse. His career progressed quickly and, at just 24, he became Deputy Head Groundsman.
While working at Wincanton, Matt was also part of the matchday staff at Yeovil Town. That eventually led to the opportunity to take on the role of Head Groundsman at the club at just 26 years old.
It's a career path that has taken him from apprentice to responsibility for the pitch at the club he supports.
Matchday at Huish Park
For Matt and the team, a typical matchday starts with dew brushing the pitch before cutting.
The lines are marked where needed, before the pitch is fully set up and prepared for the game.
Once the final whistle has blown, the job isn't finished. As Matt puts it: ‘Hoover up after the game and enjoy a cold refreshment with the matchday staff.’
That matchday team clearly means a lot to Matt. With everyone involved being Yeovil supporters themselves, there's a shared pride in getting Huish Park looking its best.
The Fun Stuff
We couldn't let Matt escape without putting him through the Fleet quick-fire questions.
Favourite meal?
Roast dinner.
Tea or coffee?
Coffee in the morning, tea in the afternoon.
Favourite football team?
Yeovil Town.
What are you watching at the moment?
Ted Lasso.
Favourite takeaway?
Indian.
Dog or cat?
Dog/Cat
What do you enjoy away from work?
Travelling up and down the country watching the Glovers.
What time does the alarm go off?
6:30am
What's the first thing you do when you arrive at work?
Coffee with Liam and the Chef.
A Few Final Questions
What advice would you give someone thinking about a career in grounds management?
Matt doesn't hesitate:
"Do it, best and most satisfying job in the world."
Who are your heroes?
The 2003 Conference-winning Yeovil Town team.
And if you could invite three people to dinner?
Simon Moore, Liam Breaden and Joe Hendy.
Thanks, Matt!
From starting out as an apprentice to taking charge of the pitch at the club he supports, Matt's career is a great example of where hard work and a passion for the industry can lead.
There's also a real sense of team behind the work at Huish Park. From Liam working alongside Matt day-to-day to the Yeovil-supporting matchday team who go above and beyond, preparing the ground is clearly about more than simply getting the pitch ready for kick-off.
A huge thank you to Matt Howell for taking the time to give us an insight into life behind the scenes at Yeovil Town.
And we'll leave the final word to Matt:
"Best and most satisfying job in the world."
