Ethan Reed - Nottingham Forest Football Club - Pitch Performance Manager - The City Ground

Ethan Reed’s journey into grounds management began long before his professional career, unknowingly sparked at the age of ten while mowing his parents’ lawn just a few miles from The City Ground. After a background in agriculture and horticulture, he formally entered the sports turf industry at 27 through an apprenticeship with the Sports Turf Academy at Leicester City Football Club. This decision, made despite the challenges of leaving self-employment and balancing financial pressures, proved transformative, giving Ethan the foundation to build a career defined by passion, purpose, and innovation.

Now serving as Pitch Performance Manager at Nottingham Forest Football Club, Ethan leads the strategy for pitch surfaces at The City Ground, ensuring they are managed as integral elements of player performance. By using agronomic metrics and performance data, including pitch moisture, firmness, traction, and ball speed, he ensures surfaces contribute directly to player safety, reduced injury risk, and on-field success. His collaborative work with the performance and medical teams reflects a modern, holistic approach to grounds management.

A key achievement has been the creation and development of a new stadium and match day team. Ethan has instilled structure, standards, and culture while opening doors for individuals from diverse backgrounds to begin careers in the industry. Several members of his team have since progressed into apprenticeships, a reflection of his commitment to mentoring and professional growth. At the Nottingham Forest Women’s training site, Ethan and his team have raised pitch quality despite limited resources, proving that innovation and collaboration can deliver meaningful results.

Ethan’s leadership style centres on communication, empowerment, and development, which has created a motivated and professional team environment. His work demonstrates how building strong culture and clear processes can raise standards across multiple sites, benefiting both the club and its wider community.

Looking to the future, Ethan is committed to advancing the industry through data-driven, sustainable practices, while continuing to mentor and inspire the next generation. He takes pride in giving people their first opportunities in the sector and hopes to expand these pathways further. Personally, he aspires to one day manage a stadium pitch abroad at a major international tournament, embracing the challenge of the highest standards while continuing to share knowledge and experience with others.

Working in the grounds management industry has given Ethan pride, purpose, and a platform to make a difference both within his club and across the wider industry. His vision is one of continuous improvement, sustainability, and opportunity, ensuring the profession grows stronger for the future.

I first met Ethan in January 2021 when he began his Level 2 Apprenticeship at LCFC’s Sports Turf Academy. At the time, he had no prior experience in sports turf. His background was in a small jobbing gardening business, but what stood out during his interview was his eagerness to learn and his clear ambition to build a career in the industry. From day one, Ethan brought maturity, enthusiasm, and a genuine passion for his new profession. It was not long before he became an indispensable member of the team. In just two years, Ethan progressed rapidly, taking on substantial responsibility for the match pitches and artificial surfaces at Seagrave Training Ground. He oversaw daily operations, led match preparation and post-match recovery, and managed a small team, all with an impressive level of professionalism and composure. While developing his own technical skills, Ethan also invested time in supporting others. He took a proactive role in mentoring junior apprentices, always generous with his knowledge and encouragement. Ethan was a standout contributor to our internal leadership initiative, Aspiring Leaders in Turf (ALIT). As part of this programme, he led an educational session for his peers, which he planned and delivered in his own time. His lecture on Pitch Construction and Grow In Management was not only technically detailed and insightful but also a testament to his commitment to learning and leadership. Although initially nervous about public speaking, Ethan met the challenge head-on, sought feedback, prepared thoroughly, and ultimately delivered a session that was highly praised by both peers and mentors alike. Ethan’s career trajectory since completing his apprenticeship has been nothing short of remarkable. Just months after finishing the programme, he was appointed Deputy Head Groundsman at Nottingham Forest. His leadership potential continued to shine, and he has since progressed to Pitch Performance Manager at the City Ground, where he now leads the grounds team and mentors his own apprentices, just as he was once mentored. Ethan’s journey is a powerful example of what can be achieved through hard work, humility, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. He is not only an outstanding role model for apprentices but also a rising star and future leader in the sports turf industry. His impact is already being felt, and the best is surely yet to come."

Jonathon Knowles, Head Of Sports Turf Academy - Leicester City Football Club