Whilst the footballing action has been put on hold for the time being, it’s almost a case of ‘business as usual’ for one member of the Plainmoor staff.
Although it’s not yet known when matches will resume at Torquay United, groundsman Julian Gouldthorpe continues to take on the task of ensuring that the Plainmoor turf is ready for play as soon as it is safe to resume.
“The pitch is doing fine,” reports Julian.
“I fertilised it yesterday [Saturday], but at the minute with all the dry weather, I’m starting to water it again… after all that rain we had!
“My routine has been divot-mixing, knocking back – which is like pulling the grass back over the scuff-marks, and cutting twice a week. I’ve also been using the tractor to brush the grass up and keeping it clean. At the minute, it’s looking well maintained, and you can even smell the seaweed I’ve put down!
“It’s important to maintain the pitch and make sure the grass doesn’t get too long. When football does start again, we don’t want to be spending weeks trying to get the pitch back.
“It’s all about being ready to go!”