The Audio Long Read: ‘The Silicon Valley of turf’ – how the UK’s pursuit of the perfect pitch changed football

Jun 18, 2025 31 min

About this episode

They used to look like quagmires, ice rinks or dustbowls, depending on the time of year. But as big money entered football, pristine pitches became crucial to the sport’s image – and groundskeepers became stars. By William Ralston. Help support our independent journalism at <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/footballweeklypod">theguardian.com/footballweeklypod</a>. Watch us on YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@FootballWeeklyPodcast">https://www.youtube.com/@FootballWeeklyPodcast</a>

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