From Premier League Pitch to Perfect Lawn: The Unlikely Second Act of Henri Lansbury
In a remarkable career transition, former Arsenal midfielder Henri Lansbury has traded professional football for professional lawn care, now selling organic fertiliser and grass products to his old club through his company Grass Gains. The 35-year-old, who retired from playing in 2023, has built a thriving business that serves both elite sports venues and domestic gardeners.
Arsene Wenger's Prediction and a Career That Took Different Turns
Lansbury began his professional journey with Arsenal, where legendary manager Arsene Wenger once believed the talented midfielder would establish himself as a first-team regular at the Emirates Stadium. However, a combination of loan spells and persistent injuries prevented this prediction from materialising, leading Lansbury to depart for Nottingham Forest in 2012.
His subsequent career saw him represent Aston Villa, Bristol City, and finally Luton Town before hanging up his boots. Yet retirement has proven anything but quiet for the former Gunner, who has channeled his competitive spirit into an entirely new field.
The Pandemic Project That Grew Into a Flourishing Business
During the 2020 lockdown, Lansbury discovered a passion for gardening while training at home. "I had my mates come around, spray the grass for weeds and all that. But they were all toxic. A lot of it's been banned now," Lansbury explained during an appearance on the In The Mixer podcast.
Concerned about the safety of chemical products around his children and pets, Lansbury's wife inquired about organic alternatives. When industry contacts confirmed no suitable products existed on the market, the entrepreneurial spark ignited. "I was like, 'Can you make something?' After that we've found a product and it just took off," he recalled.
Teaming with two expert groundsmen, Lansbury developed a range of organic fertilisers that now supplies:
- Arsenal Football Club
- Other professional football clubs
- Golf course greenkeepers
- Garden centres nationwide
- Domestic customers
The Lawn Lad: A Viral Celebration and Social Media Presence
Beyond his business ventures, Lansbury has embraced lawn maintenance as a personal passion, operating under the social media handle The Lawn Lad. He regularly posts videos demonstrating his gardening expertise, from creating intricate stripe patterns to treating football ground turf.
"I first did it and just thought, 'Oh my God, this is unbelievable, cutting my grass.' It was the stripes to begin with and then I started doing patterns in it," Lansbury described his initial fascination with lawn care.
This enthusiasm even manifested during his playing days when, while at Luton Town, he celebrated a goal against Hull City with a now-viral lawn-mower celebration. "I think that's kind of what set it off a bit," he reflected. "Everyone was like, 'What was that about?' I was like 'Oh, I'm the Lawn Lad.'"
Building a Brand While Enjoying Retirement
Today, Lansbury divides his time between growing his business and enjoying golf, while actively promoting Grass Gains to sports venue managers across the country. His products bridge the gap between professional stadium maintenance and retail gardening, offering high-quality organic solutions previously unavailable to the public.
The former midfielder's story represents one of football's more unusual post-career transitions, demonstrating how pandemic-era hobbies can evolve into successful enterprises that maintain connections with former clubs and teammates. From Arsenal's youth academy to supplying the Emirates Stadium with fertiliser, Lansbury has cultivated a second act as distinctive as his first.
