For over a decade, Arnie Ross has been the driving force behind the success of Urmston Meadowside Junior Football Club in Greater Manchester. His dedication to maintaining the club’s pitches has earned him the ‘Grassroots Grounds Team of The Year’ award for 2024, awarded by The Football Association (The FA).  

Arnie has been a vital part of Urmston Meadowside JFC for 11 years, managing every pitch across four different sites. His responsibilities don’t just include pitch maintenance, but referee assignments and clubhouse management, ensuring everything runs smoothly for the club’s 78 teams which range from age 5 to adults. 

Under his care, the club has flourished, now boasting over 1,150 registered players and 200 coaches and volunteers. The club has also achieved the England Football 3 Star Accreditation - one of the highest honours for grassroots football clubs. 

Adam Cooper, GMA Regional Pitch Advisor for the North West, praised Arnie’s exceptional work by saying: “Over the past 20 years, I have helped hundreds of sports clubs across the North West, and every club would be much better with their own 'Arnie.' 

“Producing good sports surfaces for the enjoyment of the club members and opposition is not easy, especially when it’s combined with many other club roles. To be recognised nationally as one of the best is a fantastic achievement.” 

Jimmy Khan, Vice Chair of Urmston Meadowside JFC, described Arnie as “the heartbeat of the club.” He added: “We have four major venues which are all large scale with multiple pitches. Officially, Arnie is the groundsman, but he's also the club manager and helps arrange fixtures and referees on top of cutting the grass and marking the lines.” 

Georgie Oliver, Facility Development Officer at Manchester FA, has said just how proud his local County FA are of his achievement: “Manchester FA are proud to have him under our banner and for him to champion the amazing work that grounds teams do which are quite often overlooked.

“Arnie goes above and beyond for his club. He's part of one of Manchester FA’s biggest clubs with teams spread across the area, meaning he has a lot of sites to maintain and keep on top of. He looks after four different sites, all with multiple pitches, and single-handedly manages to keep the wheels turning at all locations so that the club and its members can enjoy every game. The club are so lucky to have him.” 

GMA Industry Awards 

To further recognise the invaluable contributions of grounds teams, we encourage grassroots clubs to nominate your grounds team for the GMA Industry Awards, which will be held at Anfield Stadium on Thursday 13 March 2025. This prestigious event offers an opportunity to celebrate the dedication and hard work of those who maintain the very foundation of our football community. To submit a nomination, please visit: https://gmaindustryawards.uk/.