The Grounds Management Association (GMA) in the UK expanded its highly successful Pitch Advisory Service into Wales.
The expansion, backed by the Cymru Football Foundation (CFF) with funding from the Football Association of Wales (FAW), aims to elevate the quality of grass football pitches across Wales by providing local clubs with essential guidance and resources needed to maintain top-level playing surfaces.
Craig Bellamy, head coach of the Cymru Men’s National Team said, “The Pitch Advisory Service Wales will make a huge positive difference to football clubs across Wales – it’s a great tool to tackle an ongoing issue across the country and hopefully we’ll start to see grass pitches improving and less games being called off as a result.”
Building on a decade of success in England, where the Pitch Advisory Service has transformed grassroots sports, GMA is set to bring its expertise to Welsh football clubs. Since its launch in 2014, the service has supported over 12,500 clubs, helping to assess almost 50,000 playing surfaces across football, cricket, rugby league and rugby union.
Now, Welsh clubs will benefit from the same model, supported by the GMA’s dedicated pitch advisors Daniel Bradley (key account manager – North Wales) and John Sullivan (regional pitch advisor – South Wales).
“Over the past 10 years, the GMA’s Pitch Advisory Service has demonstrated just how critical quality pitch maintenance is to the success of grassroots sports,” said GMA COO Jason Booth. “We’ve helped countless clubs across England to reduce match postponements and enhance the overall playing experience. By expanding into Wales, we’re excited to bring these same benefits to Welsh clubs and communities.”
Currently, only 21% of grass pitches in Wales are rated as “good” against the GMA’s Grounds Management Framework, but with the launch of the Pitch Advisory Service in Wales, the GMA aims to raise that standard. The initiative will work in tandem with the CFF’s Equipment Fund – a grant scheme that supports grassroots football clubs that reopens on November 18 – offering Welsh clubs not only financial support for equipment but also expert guidance on maintaining their pitches to the highest standards.
With the guidance of the Pitch Advisory Service Wales, local clubs will be better equipped to maintain playing surfaces that are both resilient and sustainable, ensuring more people than ever can enjoy the game.
