Groundsman Spotlight: Reviving Aylestone Park FC’s Synthetic Pitch with the SISIS OSCA 3

At just 34 years old, Aylestone Park Football Club’s head groundsman Nathan Cramp has already dedicated over half his life to the turf industry. His journey began at the very same club he now maintains -starting as an apprentice groundsman at the age of 16 while also playing for Aylestone Park. After leaving in 2016 to broaden his experience, he returned in May 2024 to take charge of the club’s extensive facilities and help restore the site to its full potential.

Today, Aylestone Park FC is a thriving community club with an impressive setup. The 15-acre site includes one full-size 3G synthetic pitch, two floodlit 11v11 grass pitches, another 11v11 grass pitch and dedicated mini soccer and 9v9 areas. The club is home to around 450 registered players ranging from under-6 teams to senior squads. In addition, Aylestone Park partners with Leicester City Ladies FC, who have around 300 registered players and also supports a vibrant inclusive football section with over 25 players. Altogether, the club welcomes between 2,000–3,000 players, coaches, parents and spectators each week making high-quality playing surfaces a vital part of the club’s success.

When Nathan returned to Aylestone Park, one of the first challenges he noticed was the condition of the synthetic pitch. “The pitch had become fairly neglected,” he explained. “The fibre was very flat and the rubber infill had become compacted, which meant teams weren’t enjoying playing on it.”

Determined to restore the 3G surface to its former quality, he began exploring options for maintenance equipment that could handle both regular brushing and deeper decompaction work.

Choosing the SISIS OSCA 3 Tractor Mounted Powered Brush was an easy decision for the club. “We’ve had a long-standing relationship with SISIS and our sales rep, Jason Briggs,” he said. “We already knew about the build quality of SISIS machines, so after a quick phone call we arranged a demo of the OSCA.”

The OSCA 3 is a dual-purpose brushing system that’s ideal for maintaining both sand and rubber-crumb infill surfaces. It features a pair of oscillating brush units, designed for aggressive brushing to agitate the upper infill layer - helping to reduce compaction, encourage fibres to stand upright and prevent contamination and surface water build-up.

When the PTO (power take-off) is switched off, the OSCA 3 can be used as a conventional drag brush for lighter, regular brushing. This helps keep the fibres upright, levels the infill and minimises the threat of moss and algae formation. The aggressive yet precise brushing action of the OSCA 3 keeps infill mobile, maintains consistent playing characteristics and helps prevent fibre damage caused by low infill levels - all with fewer passes than conventional brushes.

“Myself and the club immediately saw a difference in the fibres and could feel the reduction in compaction underfoot almost straight away,” he recalled. “We decided to purchase the machine there and then.”

Since introducing the OSCA 3, the difference has been remarkable. “The rubber infill is much less compact and the fibres are standing up better than before,” he said. Despite being 12 years old, the pitch has passed its latest FA inspection and remains on the FA register of 3G pitches for another three years.

“The difference in playability has also been noticed by players and managers,” he added - a testament to the improvement in surface quality, fibre resilience and consistency of play.

The OSCA 3 has also transformed the club’s maintenance efficiency. “It’s saving us time and effort compared to older methods,” he said. “We used to rely on a standard vari- brush for weekly brushing, then switch to a separate rake attachment for deeper decompaction.”

Now, thanks to the OSCA’s oscillating brush system, both operations can be completed seamlessly without swapping equipment. “Being able to use one machine for both tasks without removing it from the tractor saves a huge amount of time and space in the container,” he explained.

“It also gives me the flexibility to drag brush the whole pitch, then oscillate the high-wear areas like goal mouths, just by engaging the tractor PTO. It’s simple but makes a big difference.”

When asked if he would recommend the SISIS OSCA 3 to others managing synthetic sports surfaces, his answer was clear and confident:

“I would fully recommend the OSCA to others. The difference it’s made to our pitch has been remarkable. The fibres are standing up better than ever, the infill isn’t compacted and the playability has improved massively something our players and managers have all commented on. For any club dealing with compacted surfaces or struggling to keep fibres upright, the OSCA is a game-changer. It’s also saved us a lot of time and effort thanks to the versatility of the oscillating brush and the build quality gives you confidence that it will keep performing season after season. It’s an investment that pays off straight away.”

Through dedication, experience, and the right tools, the Aylestone Park grounds team has restored their 3G surface to top condition ensuring that thousands of players can continue to enjoy the game week after week. The SISIS OSCA 3 has proven to be more than just a machine - it’s a maintenance essential for any club serious about keeping its synthetic pitches performing at their best.