Steve Speed is retiring on Sunday after a career of nearly five decades maintaining professional football pitches in Stoke-on-Trent.
Speed spent 43-and-a-half years at Port Vale before joining Stoke City four years ago. He turns 65 on Monday.
He said he would feel "a bit sad" to leave the job but that the "aches and pains" had increased in recent years. "I'm lucky though, I've done a job that I've really enjoyed," he said.
What he will miss most
Speed said he would miss match days most of all. "There's nothing better than working all week to get your pitch perfect and saying, 'yeah, I've done a good job'."
He explained that one of the worst parts of his job had been thinking a pitch was in good condition but then hearing a manager criticise the field in a post-match interview.
Tributes from the football world
Former Port Vale player Adam Yates said Speed was an "incredible advocate" for the club and "absolutely amazing in terms of his dedication".
"He lived and breathed, not only the work he was doing at the ground but the football club itself," Yates said. "Everyone thought he slept there and lived there, he was there non-stop, morning, noon and night."
Speed said he had fond memories of working at both of the city's clubs. "I don't think I've met one bad player – they've always been polite, they've always been chatty. I've always got on with managers."
