Twenty of the country’s top grass roots ground staff have been nominated for The FA’s prestigious ‘Groundsman of the Year’ awards.

The national scheme, now in its third year, recognises the efforts and contribution that ground staff make to grass roots football in England.

The awards are open to clubs in the Nationwide Conference and its three feeder leagues – The Ryman Isthmian League, The Dr. Martens Southern League and The Unibond Northern League.

This year’s nominees are as follows: Ted Scraggs (Bishops Stortford); Barry Rowson (Reading); Peter Ash (Aylesbury United); Jonathan Wood (Gainsborough Trinity); Steve Dutton (Wakefield and Emley); Charlie Skachill (Hyde United); Colin James (Erith and Belvedere); Peter Allen (Moor Green) and Martin Pinner (Solihull Borough).

Joining them are Ian Manhood and George Tucker (Dagenham and Redbridge); Ron Sturgess (Barnet); Terry Turner (Morecambe); Adrian Smith (Tiptree United); Peter Smith (Watton United); Tommy Porter (Durham City); Derek Trafford (Stone Dominoes) and Neville Chard (Bisterne United).

Three local authorities have also been nominated. They are Wigan, Leisure and Culture Trust (Cliff Aspey); Needingworth Parish Council (John Gray) and Harrogate Borough Council.

Expressing his support for the awards, Sir Trevor Brooking, The FA’s Director of Football Development, said:

"All the ground staff who have been nominated contribute immeasurably to the improved quality and quantity of football played at grass roots level.

"The FA now re-invests 50 per cent of its operating profits into developing grass roots football and recognises the contributions that volunteers and ground staff make to the game. These awards demonstrate The FA’s recognition of people who are wonderful servants to our national game."

This year’s awards will be made at a ceremony on September 8 at Saltex, a trade fair at Windsor racecourse.

The awards are organised and run in conjunction with the Institute of Groundsmanship, with this year's category winners due to receive their trophies and a holiday for two worth £600 from last year's FA Cup Final referee Jeff Winter.

Alongside this award, The FA’s National Facilities Strategy will continue to identify key football sites for investment around the country. Through The FA’s partnership with the Football Foundation, 916 projects worth over £220 million have already been funded since 2001 throughout the country.