NEW Forest Green groundsman Matt Rainey is returning to his old roots at The New Lawn.

Rainey takes the reins from award-winning groundsman Stewart Ward.

He is set  to start his second spell at the club on Tuesday after a five-year tenure as deputy groundsman at Cheltenham Town.

He was the first groundsman at The New Lawn and was named Blue Square Premier League top groundsman in 2007.

He worked under Gary Owers and Jim Harvey during his time at Rovers and is now ready to produce winning results for current boss Ady Pennock.

Rainey said: “Forest Green is aiming to do things never before achieved, and that doesn’t stop at the football. “I am really looking forward to producing results at FGR that will make other groundsmen question their current way of doing things.”

Trevor Saunders, director of operations at Rovers said: “We are genuinely excited to have Matt back.

“He has an excellent pedigree, with awards for the quality of his football pitches, and he understands completely what we are seeking to achieve here, namely the best possible playing surface using the most sustainable methods.”

Meanwhile, assistant sports therapist Tim Grigg will add the role of kit man to his duties following the departure of Terry Brown.