QPR Not a Winner....

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Football League THE GROUNDSMAN OF THE YEAR AWARDS

The winners of the annual Groundsman of the Year award have been announced and this season Southampton, Nottingham Forest and Shrewsbury Town have picked up the divisional awards. All visiting managers and referees mark a pitch out of five after each game and at the end of February those marks are averaged out and the top three receive a close inspection by The Playing Surfaces Committee. Under the guidance of Dr Stephen Baker they will then judge the best pitches in each League and the winners receive a certificate, an engraved glass trophy and a cheque for £250.

Southampton's Andrew Gray and Graeme Mills were the winners in the Championship, picking up the accolade for the second time in four years albeit for the first time since their relegation from the Premiership.
Click here for reaction from Southampton's official website

In League 1 Ewan Hunter's work on the pitch at the City Ground was rewarded for the second season running, as well as winning it twice now, he was also the runner-up the year before that in his first season as Groundsman at Nottingham Forest.
Click here for reaction from Nottingham Forest's official website

Shrewsbury Town's Richard Barnett got the nod from the Sports Turf Research Institute in League 2, after his hard work tending to the needs of the pitch at the Shrews' New Meadow stadium.
Click here for reaction from Shrewsbury Town's official website
There was one extra award in League 1 this year, with his retirement approaching, Cheltenham Town's Mike Heather was awarded a certificate recognising the consistent quality of the playing surface at Whaddon Road over the last nine years.

WINNERS
Championship - Andrew Gray and Graeme Mills (Southampton)
League 1 - Ewan Hunter (Nottingham Forest)
League 2 - Richard Barnett (Shrewsbury Town)

HIGHLY COMMENDED
Championship - Andy Jackson (Stoke City) and Rob Lane (West Bromwich Albion)
League 1 - Mike Heather (Cheltenham Town) and Dave Brown (Hartlepool United)
League Two - Joe Aylett (MK Dons) and Mark Mathers (Macclesfield)
Football League


Also: No QPR players in this week's "Championship Team of the Week"