Jack Leather - Liverpool Football Club - Specialist Groundsperson
Jack is recognised for his expertise in sustainable and data-driven turf management. As part of Anfield’s grounds team, he applies advanced monitoring and analysis techniques - including moisture, infiltration and nutrient data - to optimise irrigation and fertiliser programmes. Jack collaborates with ICL to refine nutrient standards for sports turf, moving beyond traditional agricultural benchmarks and supporting the club’s commitment to high-performance, environmentally responsible pitch care.
A key aspect of Jack’s role involves the preparation of Anfield’s hybrid pitch, which is grown off-site each summer to accommodate stadium events. He spends several weeks at the turf farm maintaining and preparing the surface, ensuring it is fully match-ready when installed in the stadium. He leads pitch performance testing to maintain consistency across all club surfaces and supports the LFC Women’s team at their new St Helens home ground, applying the same elite standards.
Jack is also a dedicated advocate for the future of the grounds industry. As a member of the GMA NextGen team, he helps inspire young people through initiatives such as Schools into Stadia events and the use of social media to showcase career pathways. He also mentors apprentices, guiding their development and nurturing the next generation of turf professionals.
Among Jack’s achievements, he counts contributing to Anfield’s recognition as part of the GMA Elite Grounds Team of the Year and helping the team gain high commendations from the Premier League. He has also navigated key challenges, including the industry-wide push towards more sustainable practices and adapting to unpredictable weather patterns, developing resilience and forward-thinking problem-solving skills along the way.
Looking ahead, Jack aims to progress into a management role within LFC, continuing to innovate in sustainable pitch care. He is particularly focused on using data to enhance turf performance, reduce environmental impact and inform industry-wide nutrient practices. His broader vision includes attracting and retaining young people in the profession.
Jack has made a big impact to our Anfield Grounds Team which has resulted in our pitch being scored highly commended and our wider department as a whole winning the GMA Elite Grounds Team of the Year. He has also been great at mentoring our new apprentice through his first year in the trade and we have seen great progression because of this. Jack takes a lead role in all match day data collection, helping us to maintain an elite playing surface. Using all data collected, such as moisture, infiltration rates, leaf tissue and soil analysis, he has been a key part of our team taking a more sustainable approach to all working practices and the products applied to the pitch. He also regularly works at the turf farm to ensure that the pitch is ready for harvest and in the best possible condition to be installed at the stadium."
Dean Davies, Pitch Manager - Liverpool Football Club
