Town’s ground staff has been highly commended by the EFL for the quality of the playing surface at Portman Road during 2021/22.
Bolton Wanderers won Grounds Team of the Season for League One with the Blues and Lincoln City both highly commended.
Pitches were marked by referees and away managers at all games with Neil Rodger from STRI (Sports Turf Research Institute) then visiting the top performers for further assessments on quality, environmental conditions and usage, resources, management and sustainability.
The Playing Surfaces Committee then determined the winners from their reports and recommendations.
Highly Commended clubs receive a certificate, while the winners get a trophy and a certificate.
Ben Connell, Town's grounds manager, told the club site: "The ground staff team take great pride in producing the best playing surface we can at Portman Road.
"Our ownership group have been fantastic in giving us the resources and funds we need to maintain the high standards of our surfaces at both Portman Road and Playford Road.
"I’d like to place on record my gratitude to all of my staff for their hard work throughout the season.”
Town's pitch is currently 100 per cent natural grass, something now unusual for a club of the Blues' size.
The installation of a new Desso surface [a hybrid natural grass artificial fibre pitch] was initially planned for this summer but will now take place in the close season ahead of 2023/24.
Sky Bet Championship
Grounds Team of the Season - AFC Bournemouth
Highly Commended - Middlesbrough
Highly Commended - Nottingham Forest
Sky Bet League One
Grounds Team of the Season - Bolton Wanderers
Highly Commended - Ipswich Town
Highly Commended - Lincoln City
Sky Bet League Two
Grounds Team of the Season - Newport County
Highly Commended - Bradford City
Highly Commended - Exeter City
Highly Commended - Tranmere Rovers