HE'S got perfect pitch and awards to prove it. But, he's not a performer, quite the reverse. He actually prepares the stage for the performances of others - displays which often attract audiences of millions worldwide.

For Steve Patrick, head groundsman with Premier League Blackburn Rovers, the job is demanding and yet he calls it a labour of love. Just as well, too, for along with assistant Trevor Wilkin, Steve reckons it's a seven-day week, all-year round commitment.

One or other of the 'Grass Act' has to be on call as the club's playing surfaces require constant nurturing and supervision.

Not a lot of people know this, but Blackburn Rovers earned a top-three finish in the Premier League last season.

Steve and Trevor were highly commended by the FA Premier League and the

Sports Turf Research Institute for their groundsmanship this season.

"We know Arsenal took the honours for top pitch, along with the Championship

and the FA Cup," explained Steve.

"But to be highly commended, you have to at least be in the top three, so naturally we were delighted."

The pair have been preparing pitches at Ewood Park - and beyond - for some years now. Blackburn-born Steve has been with Rovers for 15 years and Trevor, who hails from Oswaldtwistle, can reflect on more than 20 years' service.

Indeed, Steve was quick to credit Trevor with the award, for the responsibility of manicuring Ewood has been largely his in recent times: "Now we've got Brockhall and the Academy to look after, I spend a lot of my time away from Ewood. Trevor takes care of most of the daily jobs in the stadium."

It's a huge responsibility as football is big business, especially in the Premier League. And as Steve is quick to point out, if his team don't get their act together, then everything would grind to a halt.

"It's hard work and every day throws up a different challenge," said Steve, who commutes between the big stage at Ewood, the first team training ground at Brockhall and the multi-million-pound state-of-the-art youth academy nearby.

He started work as a groundsman with the local authority straight from school and has never looked back.

"They sent me to Myerscough College where I got all the qualifications. At the same time, I worked on Pleasington Playing Fields where Rovers used to train.

"When Kenny Dalglish was here, he practically plotted the winning of the Premier league on public park lands, it's amazing to think when you look at what we have today.

"In this job, no two weeks are ever the same, but you get different times of year when you are really busy. For example, when the season ends and holidays start, that's our busiest time.

"All pitches have to be renovated before the players are back at work in July, which doesn't give you a lot of time. The player close season is short, but the groundsman's is even shorter.

"It's a round-the-clock job, but that's what you have to do. On match days, we are among the first to be at the ground and probably the last to leave.

"The hours are very long, but we don't complain, we love the work otherwise we

wouldn't be here."

The job is very different now and Steve admits it has been a steep learning curve for himself and his team.

"The drainage, irrigation and sprinkler systems are all computer-operated. And today's turf technology is worlds apart from the 1980s when I started.

"I have to sort out under-soil heating and the stripping, re-seeding and preparation of all the playing surfaces - and on three sites, remember. And like the players, we have to take what ever the weather throws at us.

"We had just got over the wettest November I can remember - and we had a lot of games, including a first with a rugby league international - when we were suddenly covering pitches to protect them from frost.

"Our efforts constantly come under the scrutiny of thousands, if not millions, if you include television. Think about my mate at Chelsea recently and all the stick he's taken for the pitch highlighted on TV. I feel for him over that.

"Very often, the players train or even play on bank holidays, including Christmas Day. If they are in, then we are as well; there is no let-up as we are part of the team. Think about it: if we don't do our job, they can't do theirs."

And in this day and age, there is a whole lot more than a football match hanging on Steve, Trevor and the ground staff. "We have come close, notably the UEFA Cup tie with Celtic last November, but we haven't had a game postponed at Ewood Park since 1995. I have had many a sleepless night panicking about it happening again. At that time, thousands of pounds worth of food from the kiosks and the lounges was thrown away.

"Not only that, the club shop, ticket office, programme sellers and all the rest lost business. Stewards, police, officials, coaches, buses, local pubs, television, radio, newspapers, suppliers....the list is endless...all were affected...and just because our green rectangle was declared unplayable.

"Everyone knows there is a lot of money in football these days, but if we don't get our bit right the knock-on effect on others doesn't bear thinking about!"

A groundsman's lot is not always what it seems, but Steve is determined to make sure it's greener on his side of the fence!