Chris Parry overview

Chris Parry - Head Groundsman,Leicester City Football Club

After leaving school at 16 in 1980, I joined the Local Authority as an Apprentice gardener/groundsman. I spent 7 years with the authority gaining qualifications and experience in groundcare. After leaving the authority I worked for myself in the industry, and the opportunity to join Leicester City came along. I am now in my Sixth season with the club as their Head Groundsman.

I oversee a team of six groundsmen who maintain the main stadium pitch at Filbert Street and nine other pitches and playing surfaces at our training ground and satellite sites.

We are in the process of building a new 32,000 all seater stadium just across the road from Filbert Street. This should be ready for the start of the 2002/2003 season. Also, at the training ground, we will soon be starting the construction of an indoor synthetic playing surface for our Academy.

I believe it is going to be an exciting time for the Pitchcare.com concept. It is something that the industry has needed for some time, and hopefully my colleagues and I can share our knowledge and experience with others. Every day is a learning curve for all of us in the industry.

Good luck, Dave, in this venture.