Paul Burgess pioneers through his career
Redefining standards and leading sustainable practices in pitch management
Many young boys dream of becoming professional footballers: reaching the Premier League, winning trophies, securing a transfer to a world-class club, and proving themselves in another top competition. For Paul Burgess, this dream came true, although not as a player, but as a groundsman. He certainly made a name for himself in that role, but today, his responsibilities go far beyond the pitch. He is now the Director of Global Playing Surfaces and Landscaping at Chelsea F.C.
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Paul’s career has taken him to many incredible places, working with prestigious clubs such as Arsenal F.C., Real Madrid C.F., and AS Monaco, before ultimately joining Chelsea F.C. Along the way, he created lasting memories and was involved in groundbreaking projects. “At Arsenal, I was involved in the Emirates Stadium design project because they highly valued the quality of the pitch. I had input on the shape of the bowl, roof design, placement of the big screens, pitch access, storage for the grounds team, and, of course, the grow lights.” Paul’s efforts at Arsenal earned him the title Premier League Groundsman of the Year five times!
These accomplishment did not go unnoticed, leading Paul to Real Madrid, where he was appointed Director of Grounds and Environment. There, he oversaw the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, 12 pitches at Real Madrid City training centre, and 120.000 m² of gardens. In Spain, Paul, proved that he was capable of handling a pitch in a completely different environment from England. “In England, you experience 4 seasons in a day, making planning a bit more challenging than in sunny Madrid. I transformed the pitch at the Santiago Bernabéu into one of the best in Europe and the world, while also elevating the training facility to a very high standard.”
Paul’s influence extended beyond the club, he transformed the whole turf market in La Liga: “Those are the words of the professionals in Spain, but I massively changed the quality standards there regarding pitches. I talked La Liga in employing a full time pitch expert and I was on the board of directors at the Spanish Greenkeepers Association.”
After a relatively short time at AS Monaco, Paul is now back in the UK, where he works for Chelsea F.C.: “Out of the blue, I was given the opportunity to join Chelsea F.C. They sold me the dream of their future plans, with some exciting things on the horizon. So, here we are, back in the UK.”
The Director of Global Playing Surfaces and Landscaping
Paul is currently the Director of Global Playing Surfaces and Landscaping at Chelsea F.C., where he oversees Stamford Bridge (capacity: 40.341), Kingsmeadow stadium (capacity: 4.850), and the 38 (!) pitches at Cobham Training Centre, Europe’s largest training facility. Paul has made significant changes to the club: “We stopped using subcontractors and started doing everything in-house. This meant we had to hire an additional 21 people, increasing our staff to 46. We also invested in machinery and equipment and trained all our staff, but in the end, we’re actually saving money. So, it’s definitely worth the effort.”
And there was a big challenge awaiting for Paul’s new team. “The first big test came in March, April, and May of this year (2024) when we had to carry out all the pitch renovations ourselves. This included all 38 training pitches and both stadium pitches. Planning was critical since training sessions had to continue while we were renovating. Renovating pitches is a common task, but doing it on such a large scale adds a whole new layer of complexity. In the end, we did it, and we did it well, it was a massive team effort.”
Sustainability and environmentally conscious decisions are becoming increasingly important in the industry, and Paul has been a leader in this area since his time as Director of Grounds and Environment at Real Madrid. “I’m very focused on the environment and making the right choices. Currently, 95% of our grass-cutting machinery is electric, we use the UVC180 for disease prevention instead of chemicals, and we treat the pitch with LED grow lights. I believe it’s essential to do what’s right and to lead by example in demonstrating good practices.”
Pioneering
And leading by example is exactly what Paul has strived to do throughout his career. “In 2004, at Arsenal, we became the first club in the world to treat an entire pitch with grow lights, giving SGL its first paycheck. Now, we’re the first club in the UK to treat the entire pitch with LED grow lighting technology. I believe I was also the first customer of UVC technology for disease prevention, and the first to use portable spare goals during games. I always try to be a bit of a pioneer.”
But pioneering is not an easy thing, and ideas don’t just appear out of nowhere. Paul is someone who constantly chases perfection. “I always keep cooking in my head and keep looking for ways to improve things. I’m always chasing perfection, but real perfection doesn’t exist.” And after all these years, Paul’s determination to succeed is as strong as ever: “My desire to deliver is as strong now as it was 30 years ago. I won’t be giving anyone an easy ride anytime soon.”
The future of pitch management
Paul is recognised as an innovator in the industry, and he shares his expectations for the coming years with us. “I think we will see a significant increase in robotic technology, and the role of data will become even more crucial. Data helps us make more informed decisions, and people want justification for every euro they spend, so that’s going to be beneficial. However, the role of the groundsman will always be important because he ultimately makes the decisions. A pilot, for example, relies on instruments while flying but takes control before the final approach to landing.”
“Pesticides will be eliminated entirely, making it important to have alternatives prepared. Water management will also be a key issue, leading to changes in fertilizers and irrigation practices. I believe we should strive for a more sustainable, circular model. Right now, we waste a lot of water instead of capturing it. It would be beneficial to recover nutrients from drainage, although this presents some challenges. The water issue will be a crucial topic in drier countries, the UK generally receives enough from above.”
“I believe stadiums will become increasingly multi-use, as hosting more events means more revenue. We will see more hybrid returfing and retractable pitch systems. However, increased events could potentially lead to a slight decline in pitch quality. As a groundsman, I wouldn’t want that, but if I can maintain 90% quality instead of 95% while saving a lot of money, that’s an easy decision for the owners.”
“Another significant development is the growing popularity of women’s football. The sport is expanding rapidly, and we’ve outgrown our 4,500-capacity stadium. I anticipate more co-existing stadiums for men’s and women’s teams, which is a great advancement but also brings its own challenges.”
I’m very focused on the environment and making the right choices. Currently, 95% of our grass-cutting machinery is electric, we use the UVC180 for disease prevention instead of chemicals, and we treat the pitch with LED grow lights. I believe it’s essential to do what’s right and to lead by example in demonstrating good practices.
The future of LED grow lights
We are particularly curious about Paul’s vision for the future of grow lights. “I think the potential is enormous. With an increasing event schedule and the possibility of men’s and women’s teams sharing stadiums, there will be more pressure on the pitch. How do you deploy the lights when you have a game every three days? I foresee many more integrated grow light systems like those at Tottenham Hotspur, as well as innovative designs like the units hanging from the roof at AT&T Stadium.”
So, what are Paul’s own ambitions for the future? “I think the main goal is always to improve standards and on the side being more efficient while doing this.”
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