Football’s quiet revolution is on the pitch

When Chelsea take to the pitch in the FA Cup tonight, it will be a testament to one of the quietest revolutions in sport in recent times – pitch technology. Stamford Bridge will host its fourth football match in six days. Chelsea’s women played twice, and the men have already trotted out for the Carabao Cup. More games in bigger stadiums is good news for Chelsea Women, who played in front of 20,473 against Manchester United – their regular home of Kingsmeadow attracts barely 3,000. Pitch maintenance is serious business – the English grounds-management sector is valued at more than £1 billion and employs over 27,000 people. Maintaining a Premier League pitch is a seven day-a-week job. Fans keep air circulation consistent, huge lighting rigs help promote grass growth, while fertilisers and scarifiers are also used. It’s a far cry from two decades ago. In February 2003, after a match against Charlton – only their fourth in a month – Chelsea were fined £5,000 over the state of their pitch, dubbed “Stamford Beach”.