Manchester City FC’s groundscare team has collected two accolades at the Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG) Industry Awards at the Reebok Stadium, Bolton – for Best Professional Sports Grounds Management Team of the Year and for Best Professional Football Training Ground Team of the Year.

Grounds Manager Roy Rigby and colleagues collected the Awards in front of an audience of 350 of the UK’s and Europe’s leading groundscare experts, as well as dignitaries from the governing bodies of sport and influential sports administrators.

Both Awards were judged by an independent panel on criteria that included the team’s effective use of resources, budgetary control, presentation and housekeeping standards, as well as environmental considerations at the Etihad Stadium, the club’s Carrington training ground and its Platt Lane academy site. 

The Award for Best Professional Training Ground Team of the Year was presented by Harry Jurgens and Brian Dunn from category sponsors AFT Trenchers and Cleveland Land Services, respectively; and for Professional Sports Grounds Management Team of the Year by Simon Gumbrill of Campey Turf Care Systems and Hans De Kort of Imants BV, respectively, the joint sponsors.

Hosted by talkSPORT Radio personality Mark Saggers, the IOG Industry Awards 2011 acknowledge the high standards achieved by a wide range of volunteer and professional groundscare skills and facilities from grass roots to professional stadia level. The IOG is the leading membership organisation for everyone involved in the management of sports pitches, landscape and amenity facilities.