Keith Porter, Grounds Manager at Leigh Sports Village in Greater Manchester, is celebrating his 18th year at the helm of one of the UK\u2019s fastest-developing sporting venues \u2013 and with the installation of a new Hunter irrigation system supplied and supported by KAR UK, he’s now seeing the benefits of precision technology across every blade of grass.<\/p>\n
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The new system has delivered a game-changing level of control and consistency for Keith and his dedicated six-person grounds team. Installed by Irrigation Control as part of a major hybrid pitch redevelopment in June last year, the Hunter system includes GT-885 and I-80-ON sprinklers designed to deliver performance, reliability, total top serviceability, and full even coverage of the pitch. It is combined with the ACC2 controller and Centralus software.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019d seen the technology at the BTME event in Harrogate and knew it was a step up,\u201d says Keith. \u201cYou can access the heads without digging up the pitch \u2013 which is massive on a hybrid surface \u2013 and the throw from the heads is brilliant. With the I-80s, even the central sprinklers reach right out to the touchline. We\u2019ve now got 100% coverage, and that makes a huge difference.\u201d<\/p>\n
Previously, uneven watering created inconsistency in turf condition, with areas occasionally drying out and underperforming. The new system has eradicated that issue.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith the old irrigation system, it was hit and miss \u2013 now it\u2019s perfectly even. No dry patches, no burning off. It\u2019s not just about aesthetics, it\u2019s about performance and safety too. Even in windy conditions, the whole playing surface is getting what it needs. It\u2019s transformed our matchday prep.\u201d<\/p>\n
Leigh Sports Village \u2013 home to rugby league club Leigh Leopards and Manchester United\u2019s Women\u2019s and Development teams \u2013 has experienced a steady rise in profile and popularity, with regular games, training sessions, and even film shoots becoming part of the busy schedule.<\/p>\n
The small team manage far more than just the stadium pitch \u2013 the entire site includes additional grass and synthetic pitches, a leisure centre, hotel, supermarket, and even a college campus. Despite the workload, Keith credits the investment in technology and ongoing support as vital to keeping up with demand.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re left to manage things ourselves, and we\u2019ve always had the backing when we\u2019ve made a case for investment,\u201d he explains. \u201cThe irrigation system was another example of the council trusting us to choose the right tools for the job.\u201d<\/p>\n
Control and ease of use have also proven key benefits. With Hunter\u2019s Centralus control system, the team can operate the irrigation from anywhere \u2013 even at home \u2013 via smartphone, handheld remote, or laptop.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s really simple. Any of the lads can pick it up and use it,\u201d Keith adds. \u201cYou can run individual heads or sections for spot treatments or liquid feeding. You\u2019re not restricted to a one-size-fits-all cycle \u2013 it\u2019s totally flexible. That saves water, time, and effort.\u201d<\/p>\n
KAR UK, the UK\u2019s leading supplier of Hunter irrigation equipment, played a key role throughout the project. Their technical support and advice proved instrumental in the system\u2019s successful integration.<\/p>\n
\u201cLee Williams from KAR UK has been great,\u201d says Keith. \u201cHe was involved right from the start and has always been on the end of the phone. Any advice we needed, he was there. It\u2019s been a smooth process.\u201d<\/p>\n
With the stadium pitch now fully covered and performing better than ever, Keith is already looking at future upgrades. \u201cOur external pitches are older systems, but as heads start to go, we\u2019ll be replacing them with Hunter \u2013 it\u2019s the way forward.\u201d<\/p>\n
As Leigh Sports Village continues its impressive rise, Keith\u2019s team \u2013 and their irrigation \u2013 are keeping pace.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith the Hunter system in place, we\u2019ve got confidence in the coverage. It\u2019s made a big difference,\u201d Keith concludes.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Keith Porter, Grounds Manager at Leigh Sports Village in Greater Manchester, is celebrating his 18th year at the helm of one of the UK\u2019s fastest-developing sporting venues \u2013 and with the installation of a new Hunter irrigation system supplied and supported by KAR UK, he’s now seeing the benefits of precision technology across every blade […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4570,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4569","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n