Weekly Pitch Update

[petermcgee]

Due to the recent weather conditions, today I only managed to cut the lines, ready to mark out tomorrow, then the rain poured down. I will require help all day Tuesday to cut the playing surface, unfortunately my main "sit on" mower is out of action, therefore will have to use the two 56cm cut Hayters, so please come down if possible, there is no way I will be able to complete this task without assistance ( a lot to do just in one day ) for our home League fixture V. Coalville Town KO 7.45pm.

The weather forecast is for a cloudy/sunny day with a 20% chance of rain.

[petermcgee]

Good week down at the ground, the weather has been in our favour, with a further application of fertiliser, and the assistance of Bob, George, and Tony who have all been toiling in the heat !! managed to cut the playing surface this afternoon, and just as I was finishing at 4pm, guess what ? Gary, from Mallinson's,direct from Tranmere Rovers turned up to apply the weedkiller !! his timing was perfect, I could not have asked for a better ending to the week.

On a lighter side ( after the injury to the Coalville Town player, who thankfully has made a complete recovery) when the Paramedic arrived in his car, he asked me if he could do a "wheelie" on the pitch, to which I replied : " I am the groundsman here, and if you do a wheelie on the pitch, you will end up in the ambulance alongside the injured player " to which he responded by laughing his head off, and driving across the pitch with great care !! so as I said before, a great week.

[petermcgee]

Playing surface looking good for our home League fixture V. Corby Town today ko 3pm, weedkiller has worked very well, with the weeds disappearing rapidly, thank you to Tony (who is keeping the grass banking tidy) and Dave for his assistance all week.

After a long day mowing on Friday, I began the marking out at 5pm, when my battery operated line marking/sprayer machine broke down !! so I got out the "old faithful" wheel to wheel line marker, (which I used to use at White Moss Park} and managed to complete the job without laying down the strings, lines not quite true, but ended up ok.

Could I just mention to the Youth Team Management, could you please ensure that all the debris ( blood-soaked bandages, flip flops, cans and litter, are all removed from the dugout areas, after each game, I have enough to do without having to clear up after these games, your co-operation would be most helpful, thank you.

[petermcgee]

After a visit to Vitax this morning, I called into the ground just to make sure everything was ok ( after 16 hours of mowing / divoting on Monday/Tuesday) and to my amazement found the pitch had been used for a full scale/match/ training session, on Tuesday night !!!

The surface was immaculate when I left on Tuesday evening, if I had been asked on Sat/Sun, would it be ok to train on Tuesday with a full scale match, I would have had no problem with that arrangement, and would have left the surface as it was after the game on Saturday, but no, I spent all that unnecessary time through a lack of communication, I do not have the time and energy to double up on the workload to maintain the playing surface, so all I request is that I am kept fully informed of any training sessions well in advance please.

After I came down from the roof of the stand, and my blood pressure was back to normal, I heard the sound of a hedge strimmer being used at the rear of the main stand, and then a figure emerged dripping with perspiration, and almost on his knees, it was Neville !! he had to sit down in the stand, in the shade, because he was knackered !! I took him home to recover, and told him to leave it all, till the Sunday session to remove all the bramble, with the help of the other volunteers.

So I will return on Thursday / Friday to once again to repeat what I did on Mon/Tue, please do not take me for granted, my patience is wearing thin.

[petermcgee]

After a long discussion with my wife Ann, (who paid her first visit home to Ormskirk in three weeks) I have decided, on family/health reasons, to relinquish my position as Head Groundsman at the football club.

Twelve seasons later ( and now entering our thirteenth) I have enjoyed every working day tending the playing surface, with the assistance of many volunteers over this period of time, and during this Summer of hard graft we have returned (I hope) a surface to be proud of to carry us through the Winter period.

This decision has not been taken lightly, after an early morning phone call to Paul, he fully understood my reasons, and quite rightly said "your family and health come before the football club" I will always be available for any advice regards the maintenance of the pitch, and any artwork/signs that may be required, so I am off to park my tractor for the last time, and a huge THANK YOU to all of the loyal volunteers over the years who have made my job a lot easier, without your help it would not have been possible.

Best wishes, and thank you for following my "Weekly Pitch Update" Peter.

[Kev Panther]

Happy Retirement Peter, You shall be missed

[griffo]

That is an understatement Kev.
I could write a long statement full of platitudes, but no matter what I write, no matter how many thank you's I say it would not be enough.
I am proud to call Peter McGee my friend, but our friendship has not always been a smooth road, we haven't always seen eye to eye on several things club related, but we always worked through that, and I know that our friendship has come out stronger, and no matter what our differences I always knew I could rely on Peter, he is a tremendous person and a tremendous friend, so mate THANKS.
Now go take care of yourself and your family, If you need anything we are always here.
You will forever be a part of Skelmersdale United and it's history.
Just because you have parked the tractor don't think you are getting away that easy!!!!!
Who am I going to turn to now and say stuff it lets do it.
CHEERS PETER.
Your mate Paul.

[petermcgee]

Thank you Paul & Kev for your comments, they mean a lot to me after all these years ( I have only just logged in to the forum at noon today ) after looking at the 4 pages of the "To Do List" provided by Ann, regarding all the outstanding jobs that need to be attended to at home !! what have I let myself in for !!

Oh, for the smell of cut grass, and the satisfaction after mowing and marking out the pitch, and having a "ciggy" up in the stands, and thinking "well, that's not a bad day's work, let's hope they play well on that surface" and going home with a smile on my face, but now my mind is saying "It's ok, carry on, but my body is saying "what the hell are you doing, please stop"

Paul is quite right, our friendship has not always been smooth, and we have had our disagreements, but that's life, we have shaken hands, and been man enough to get on with it, the Football Club is bigger than any of us, and will remain so.

Yes, I remember the day's when Paul & I would be standing with our lump hammers in our hands, safety helmets on, ready in the fading light to decide whether or not to start another construction job !! and the answer was always "Yeah, stuff it , let's do it" great times, good laughs, good mates, and we got on with it.

Cheers Paul,

Peter.

[petermcgee]

Myself and Ann, would like to thank everyone at Skelmersdale United Football Club, for their kind thoughts, cards, and flowers, upon the passing away of her Mother Eileen last Friday, at the age of 101 years, R.I.P. Eileen.