Credit: Twitter
John Ledwidge, the famous groundsman at Leicester City’s King Power Stadium, has decided to part ways with the Foxes, after more than years with the club. He has been signed by the current English treble winners Manchester City as Head of Grounds.
John Ledwidge is an elite sports turf manager who specializes in multi-million dollar turf maintenance and development projects at some of the most cutting-edge sporting venues and events worldwide. He possesses an in-depth understanding of the sector and experience at all levels, from entry-level to board level. In order to cover all facets of the structural operations in a professional football context, John has obtained a Master's in Football Business Management.
The groundskeeper signed from Coventry City to Leicester and quickly gained popularity for the elaborate pitch designs utilised both during and before Leicester's 2016 Premier League-winning campaign. He became well-known during the Premier League's 2016–17 season when he and his team mowed the Foxes logo into the turf at the King Power stadium for their season-ending matches.
Announcing his departure on social media, Ledgwidge wrote a long heartfelt message on Twitter. He wrote, “After nearly 10 years my time at Leicester City FC is nearly at an end and a new chapter awaits at Manchester City FC. What a special place this is and will forever hold a place in my heart! We’ve built something truly special here and that’s thanks to every one of my team 🦊💙”
He also thanked the owners and fans for showing faith in him for so many years. He stated that he had made the decision of leaving the club quite early, but he waited for the official news of the relegation to be confirmed before announcing his departure. Ledgwidge congratulated his rival Simon Gibson, who would be taking over his position at King Power Stadium.
This is how his daily schedule was when he was associated with Leicester City according to iNews UK, Mr. Ledwidge used to arrive at the venue at 6.30 am to prepare the pitch before the 3:00 P.M start time. He prepared the ground alongside a group of 14 other people.
The pitch needs to be brushed that morning to get rid of the dew that overnight settled on it. Every day, grounds staff check the moisture levels. After that, a pedestrian mower is used to trim the grass to a 22mm height for a superior, level finish. Every groundskeeper maintains their fitness by walking 25,000 steps per day on average and 35,000 steps per day the day before a game. The pitch is watered one last time after the referee test is finished and finally, Ledwidge informs the coaching staff and sports scientists himself of the test results and conditions before the start of the game so that the players are aware of what to expect.
