Matthew Noke - Bristol City FC - Groundsperson
Matthew Noke is a dedicated sports turf professional currently working at Bristol City FC, where he plays a key role in maintaining high-quality pitches across multiple sports, including football, rugby, cricket and athletics. After making a career change, Matthew quickly established himself in the industry, completing his Level 2 Sports Turf Apprenticeship with distinction and earning additional certifications including PA1, PA2, and PA6 spraying qualifications, as well as a winter sports turf course. His hands-on experience working across varied sites has allowed him to develop a deep understanding of the specific requirements of different sports, enhancing his technical skillset and adaptability.
Matthew is recognised for working closely with first-team and academy coaches to ensure pitch conditions meet exacting standards. His experience volunteering at Liverpool FC, a club he has long admired, provided him with insight into elite pitch management and inspired him to raise standards within his own team. At Bristol City, he has leveraged this knowledge to take on greater responsibility, mentoring newer staff, demonstrating best practices, and supporting the team in delivering exceptional playing surfaces.
Throughout his career, Matthew has demonstrated resilience and professionalism in navigating challenges such as adapting to new managers, integrating new staff, and managing updated equipment. By fostering strong communication and team cohesion, he has helped maintain high morale and an efficient, motivated workforce, contributing to the overall success of the grounds team.
Looking ahead, Matthew is committed to further professional development, with plans to complete his Level 3 Sports Turf qualification and progress into a senior grounds role. His long-term ambition is to work within a Premier League club or lead a team as head groundsman, contributing to the growth of Bristol City as a Category 1 training facility. He is also passionate about sustainability, implementing initiatives to reduce waste, grow on-site produce, and adopt environmentally friendly practices to ensure that pitches and operations are more sustainable.
Matthew’s combination of technical expertise, leadership potential, and commitment to sustainability positions him as a rising star in the sports turf industry. His vision focuses on achieving the highest standards of pitch performance while fostering the next generation of grounds professionals and promoting environmentally responsible practices across the sector.
Matt has been a revelation since he started at Bristol City. He decided to make a career move and try groundsmanship—and what a decision it has been. He has taken to it like a duck to water. Right from the off he got to grips with the machinery quickly, which was a massive help because we were slightly understaffed at the time. From then he enrolled in a Level 2 Sports Turf course, where he continued to show great promise as he moved through the qualification swiftly and with ease. He has now finished this qualification and is looking to further his knowledge by undertaking a Level 3 qualification, which I have no doubt he will complete in no time. Matt has become an integral part of the team at the HPC, showing a good eye for detail and an increasing amount of leadership. He has taken it upon himself to help with the training of new starters through what has been an extremely busy time for us. He has also been helping to identify jobs that need doing and allocating them to other staff members. I have no doubt that in time he will end up managing a team of his own. I believe that Matt would be a good addition to any team. He not only has the drive and determination to keep improving himself professionally, but he is also one of the main team members socially. Nobody has a bad word to say about him, and he has helped cultivate the strong team we have today with his calm and friendly nature."
Joe Berry, Head Groundsperson – Bristol City FC
