We find out a little bit more about the Club's Groundsman Dave Brown.

Where did you grow up?

I haven't! No, I grew up in Seaham Harbour which was good, a nice place to live.

What did you want to do when you were younger?

I wanted to be a footballer or a cricketer. I am pretty good at both but not quite good enough it seems!

How did you first get in to being Groundsman?

I was on a government scheme up in Dawdon and did a couple of weeks work experience on the bowling greens, cricket pitch and football pitch. I used to go up all the time and help out and then got a job with Spennymoor Town Council working on the parks. I started doing odd jobs around Victoria Park and then quickly got in the groundsman side of it and it went from there.

What's the best thing about being a Groundsman?

It gives me a lot of job satisfaction and I love it when I hear people saying how good the pitch looks. It's great when the players run out after we've spent time preparing the pitch for them - and it's even better when the game's on Sky Sports and a larger audience see the playing surface.

Do the players and manager comment to you about the pitch?

They never have a bad word to say really. Danny called me 'Green Grass' in the paper once and now people keep calling me it as a nickname! The players wind you up (Micky Barron mainly!) telling me the pitch is rubbish. Well, I think he's winding me up?

What's the secret to keeping such a good pitch?

It's down to dedication. We put in long hours to make sure the pitch looks as good as it does. That and keeping people off it!! I'd keep the players off it if I could!

How many awards have you won the Vic pitch now?

I've won three divisional Groundsman of the Year awards so far. I've been runner-up in that category four times as well, counting this season. I don't think we'll ever win the National award but we'll keep trying!

What are the plans for the summer?

We're going to fraise-mow, verti-drain, top dress and over-seed it. That removes all vegetation from the pitch as well as levelling the surface. Deep aeration can then take place along with sand top-dressing which all should take around two or three days.

This article was first published in the Club's Matchday Magazine 'Never Say Die'.