The grounds team at London Stadium who manage the pitch for West Ham United have been named the Premier League Grounds Team of the Season for 2024/25.
The Grounds Team of the Season Award is determined by a number of factors, including amount of usage, environmental conditions, assessment of resources and management, marks given by the Referees and Match Delegates at each fixture, and a pitch-quality inspection conducted by independent sports turf experts.
An additional challenge to the team were having to manage and install the pitch as part of the summer 2024 transition from Major League Baseball, to concerts, to monster trucks and elite athletics, back to football in time for the first friendly fixture on 10 August.
James Williams, head groundsman at London Stadium, said: "I’ve been fortunate to win this accolade before at the Liberty Stadium, but receiving it this time is extra special. Not only is it the first time for London Stadium, but it’s also my first time winning it as head of the grounds team.
“When I was appointed eight years ago, my goal was to build a reputation for having one of the best pitches - and one of the best grounds teams - in the Premier League. Having been runners-up two years in a row before this, I feel we are well on our way to achieving that.
“I’m incredibly proud of the team’s effort throughout the season. They’ve put in an immense amount of hard work to produce this magnificent surface. It certainly makes all the early mornings and late nights worth it!"
Pictured top from the London Stadium grounds team are (from left): Alfie Gooch, Jack Barnard, Williams, Bailee Meadows, Aaron Stevenson.
Past Grounds Team of the Season winners
2014/15 Arsenal/Manchester United
2015/16 Aston Villa
2016/17 Manchester United
2017/18 Watford
2018/19 Manchester United
2019/20 -
2020/21 Manchester United
2021/22 Tottenham Hotspur
2022/23 Leicester City
2023/24 Aston Villa
