2 - TURNSTILES

Ensure all the turnstiles you require for your Grade are fully operational and not filled with junk. Often I hear "....we only use that one, so the others don't matter". The Grade determines how many are needed and that number must absolutely be fully functioning for the ground to pass its inspection (pic 1 ). This includes working foot pedals, electric lights, properly working mechanisms and security for the operator to include mesh payment grills and a bolt on the inside of the door. Pay windows and ticket offices (pic 2) are becoming common as we move to a more cashless society. All these along with electronic turnstiles are perfectly acceptable as long as they are configured correctly. Electronic turnstiles must still be able to admit entry in the event of a power failure. Segregation needs to be proven and so having at least one turnstile serving a different end or area of the ground is important. 8 turnstiles are required for Grade A, for Grade B it is 6. Pre-paid tickets cannot be collected by any steward or other club personnel loitering outside of a self propelled turnstile or entry. Unless a turnstile scanner admits the entry (ticket barcode or on a phone App) pre-paid for tickets have to be collected in the traditional turnstile way.

3 - EMERGENCY EXITS

These are commonly a fail at Ground Grading. For gates to qualify they must open outward and be approached from within the ground via a hardbound surface. Clear and proper Running Man signage must be displayed at qualifying gates, the higher placed and the bigger the better. Attaching the signs immediately adjacent to the gates means they are still visible when the gates are open (pic 3). Numbering exits is best practice to properly organise an emergency and evacuation plan that all grounds should have (pic 4). Exit gates opening onto the pitch again should be numbered and the gates painted a contrasting colour (Yellow is good) so they can be identified immediately. Proper Running Man signage around the ground will direct spectators to their nearest emergency exit. This again is often a grading fail as signs are sometimes non-existent, too few of them or pointing in the wrong direction. Signs should be placed high enough and smartly enough to ensure  they are visible when a ground is full of spectators (pic 5). Signs must be in the proper format and colour.  Exits must  not be blocked either inside the ground or outside and signage can assist with this or Yellow painted hatching on the ground. The siting of refreshments and WC's away from exits is expected.

4 - PITCH BARRIER

By the time clubs have reached Step 2 their barrier should be absolutely fit for purpose. But cheap or plastic mesh or flimsy material will not pass the Grade (pic 6). The 1.1m height of the barrier is important, but a lowered barrier or continuous 'A Frames' can also be used instead of a 1.1m high barrier in front of seated stands (pic 7). No barrier at all in front of seated areas is also possible but stewarding and no standing zones either sides are required.

5 - TECHNICAL AREA

The laws of the game stipulate how the area must be marked out around the dugouts.  However, this is often neglected or ignored, even at Football League level. I often also see brand new artificial surfaces  set out incorrectly (pic 8).  Incorrect markings are a fail but easy to rectify, less easy to rectify though are dugout problems. Care must be taken when placing dugouts (pic 9) and consider whose view you are blocking. Sightlines of the pitch from seats being  compromised results in those seats being removed from the required covered total. This can and has led to Grading fails.  Sometimes a team manager demands changes to technical area sizes or placement of the dugouts,  but clubs have to be aware of the potentially expensive consequences of wrong set out and poor placement. Signs clearly visible pitch side on the dugouts stating 'Home' or 'Away' are required and bench seating has to be properly fixed. Loose chairs cannot be in the dugouts or technical areas. This rule was relaxed for Covid distancing measures but is now enforced again. The two Technical Areas should be at the very least 3m apart from one another. For new build grounds, the Technical Areas are to be at least 3m apart, not the dugouts, this is often misread. For new entrants at Step 2 the change in dugout size must be complied with almost immediately and certainly before the first League fixture of the promotion season. For Grades 1 and 2, 11 seats are required as a minimum, equating to a 5.5m bench length. Fixed individual seats (pic 10) should have a minimum seat width of 500mm.

6 - PLAYERS SAFE WALKWAY

One of the most difficult and controversial elements of the Grading Document.  All grounds are different and so a one size fits all solution is not appropriate. It really  all comes down to common sense. The idea of the safe walkway is to ensure that players and match officials can enter and leave the field of play safely and unhindered. This includes through a seated stand where most problems arise. Space and sight-lines compromised by fences, cages or partially retracting structures are all common issues. Where space allows a safe zone walkway is a good solution, with minimum  1.1m high barriers and gates installed either side of a walkway of say 4m/5m wide. Where the walkway is narrower a retracting cage or concertina vinyl tunnel is a solution. If no sight-lines are compromised then a 1.8m high barrier or metal cage style can be used.  Gates to the pitch must be able to be fixed in both the open and closed positions. Pic 11 shows how a narrow players walkway down a terrace has been widened to create a safe zone. Pic 12 shows a typical retracting tunnel.

9 - OTHER GROUND REQUIREMENTS

WC FACILITIES

WC facilities are required within the ground and the these must be over and above what is provided in any clubhouse or function suite. They cannot be accessed via a licenced premises and the argument that I have plenty of WC's in the clubhouse for the ground as well, does not wash and is not acceptable. These WC's may be of a mobile/portacabin type connected to mains services (pic 29) or more permanent in structure. But Portaloos are not allowed (unless for one-off segregated matches). The laying of services in advance is always a worthwhile exercise and the provision of at least one Disabled WC in each section of the ground is clearly best practice whilst the club needs to be mindful of all of its obligations. A Disabled WC can also double up as a Women's OR Men's single WC (clear door signage needed) if there is a single shortage in a main facility. A baby change unit can also help to encourage families into the ground. When developing ground WC's the ability to segregate the ground properly has to be considered. For Grade 1, there must be WC facilities in each segregated area of the ground. For Grade 2, mobile units have to be brought in for segregated matches if permanent facilities are not available.

REFRESHMENT FACILITIES

New entrants to Step 1 must note the difference in requirements here. Refreshment facilities such as a Tea/Food bar are now needed in each segregated area of the ground. For Grade 2 this would be the ideal configuration too, but mobile refreshment outlets  can be brought in for segregated matches.

The BOARDROOM must be fit for purpose in size and be located as close as possible to the Directors seating area in the stand. There have been many fails for this over the years mainly due to the facility being far too small for purpose. Converted shipping containers or standard single width portacabins are likely to be insufficient (pic 30) for Grade 2 and certainly so for Grade 1 where the requirements are higher for providing reserved seats in the Directors box. Once clubs have enlarged their Boardroom facilities they have often found that the room can then beneficially double up for other uses on non-match days. The need for nearby lavatorial facilities (preferably dedicated ones) must also be borne in mind.

SEGREGATION

Clubs must understand that the Grading Document asks for evidence of how a ground can be segregated at Grade 2 and it must be structurally obvious at Grade 1. Many ground developers ignore this and do so at their cost as after build alterations are often more expensive than when it is dealt with at the outset. Proper structures and gates can help develop a workable segregation plan. (pics 36 & 37). Entrances and Exits in different parts of the ground are essential along with WC and refreshment facilities as all covered previously on this page. Clubs need to consider covered accommodation and how many seats and or standing capacity they will need for their segregated areas. I can help to design a segregated area for your ground, if required.

GENERAL HOUSEKEEPING

All areas within the ground must be maintained properly and kept tidy. Pitch machinery, hose pipes, training goals and nets, tractors and mowers should not be in spectator areas. Containers or fenced off compounds are required for keeping all of this safe and out of spectators' grasp. The ground boundary fence, aside from having to meet minimum height requirement (as measured from outside the ground) must also be in good condition (pic 45).

11 - DRESSING ROOMS

For Home and Away dressing rooms, 18 sq m is the MINIMUM size required, not an aspiration. For match officials rooms, 6 sq m is the minimum size. These sizes are net of shower areas and WC's. Fixed bench seating is required, extractor fans for the showers, heating and adequate lighting. Existing facilities must provide evidence of where a female match official may change. New build dressing rooms have to provide 2 fully compliant facilities. If your team manager asks for any alterations to your current dressing room configuration, ensure they will not result in a Grading fail at the next inspection. This happens regularly! We are no longer in the 70's or 80's and the incredibly poor practice of making Away dressing rooms cold, damp, with broken windows, cold showers, blocked WC's or moldy ceilings will not be Grading tolerated. Dressing Rooms found in this condition can lead to the Home side being made to use the Away Dressing Room until any problems are rectified. All dressing rooms must be clean, free from damp and mold and fitted out with heating and fixed seating (pics 39 & 40). Wash basins that can only be reached by passing close to a shower or showers will not be allowed, although sometimes the use of a vinyl curtain is acceptable (pic 41). All showers must be kept clean and have a working extractor to help dispel damp (pic 42). There is currently a County FA ground that was designed with the wash basins at the other end of the showers! They cannot be reached without walking through the showers and clearly this is unacceptable and a Grading fail at all NLS levels. Treatment tables are needed in both the Home and Away dressing rooms and need to be seen there when the ground is inspected. I often hear ..."we have a physio room up the corridor and don't need one". That will not pass the Grade. Treatment tables need to have a clean unbroken surface and will be failed if they are holed or ripped. There is often confusion about physio/treatment rooms and the need for a Medical Room....

12 - MEDICAL ROOM

This will be well signed (pic 43), self contained with its own entrance that is not through any dressing room or part of any dressing room or home dressing room facilities area. But it must be in the vicinity of both main dressing rooms. In this respect it is not practical or always a given that a physio room can double up as the required Medical facility. The Medical Room must have a working basin with running water and a comfortable chair, preferably a treatment table (pic 44).  A change in requirements new entrants at Step 2 must note is the provision for a second Medical Room for the use of spectators.

A proper First Aid sign on the door correctly designates what the room is for. Wherever the stretcher is located this should be noted clearly and visibly. I have witnessed a home club physio decline entrance to his Physio room to an opposition player who needed medical attention. If the home Physio room is officially doubling up as the Medical Room, then access MUST be made available at all times on match day to any player or spectator requiring medical attention. A MEAP (Medical Emergency Action Plan) posted on the dressing room corridor wall and a copy handed to the visiting side physio are best practice.