WORK is well underway on preparing The New Lawn pitch for next season, with improvements being made to the drainage system.

With the memories of the final game of the season barely a day old, head groundsman Adam Witchell was already busy digging up the playing surface on Sunday.

Despite having double the average UK rainfall this winter, Forest Green Rovers were able to fulfil their home fixtures in League Two without disruption.

“It was very difficult,” said Adam.

“With that weather, it was absolutely horrendous. I don’t know how we didn’t manage to lose any games but fair play to the volunteers that helped me get games on, especially the Easter Bank Holiday.

“It’s the hardest I’ve known. We had snow, heavy frost, a mild winter and then a very heavy rain period that dragged on into March and it wasn’t easy.”

FGR continue to lead the way with their pitch at The New Lawn with Adam scooping the Environmental/Innovative Project of the Year award at the Institute of Groundsmanship awards.

The club beat off competition from the likes of Premier League giants Arsenal to claim the gong as it continues to make strides with the world’s first 100 percent organic playing surface.

This summer, Adam is installing primary drains in the wetter areas behind the goals and has connected those into the mains which goes into the recycled water tanks.

The secondary drainage, GKB top drain, is going in today and will take channels out, replace it with sand and should help the water filtrate into the primary drains a lot quicker.

“At the moment I am doing some drains myself behind both of the goals,” added Adam.

“There were areas during the season, because it was so wet, I couldn’t do anything about fixing; I’m sure fans saw the middle of the pitch going out to the sides.

“Now I can fix those problems so hopefully we won’t have those sort of problems and the water holding.”

Nominations are now open for the next Institute of Groundsmen awards, you can nominate yourself, colleagues and others, for one or more awards HERE.