SPFL clubs to vote on plastic pitch ban

[GeeSpot]

did Livingston not have games off due to weather?

They are not 'all weather' pitches and never have been.

 

[WLF]

Get them to %^*&. We can never even begin to improve this league as long as we’re playing a load of games on these terrible surfaces. It’s embarrassing that even still happens!

 

[Ally’s Golden Boot]

Raith have the best plastic pitch imo.

it looks horrendous. It looks like Livi’s pitch when it was first laid. It will only get worse.

Airdries pitch looks the best out of those plastic abominations.

 

[Chris Traeger]

I'll go against the grain. This is a backwards look. We should be aiming to raise the standard of both grass and artificial pitches rather than an outright ban that is inevitably going to be repealed in time. Pitches such as Livingston's should not be allowed in the top flight, but Raith and Airdrie have fantastic surfaces that players talk glowingly about playing on. Those clubs also shouldn't be made to spend £100,000's of pounds on a surface that might only be needed for a single season, it's reminiscent of the 10,000 seater debacle and could potentially lead to teams opting to keep their pitch rather than get promoted. Sport is played around the world on artificial surfaces at the top level, why not here?

On the flipside, we shouldn't have pitches like Dundee's this season, so it's not solely a plastic pitch issue. Scottish football has an opportunity to be at the front and centre of this, allow plastic surfaces but only of the highest standard. Set the tone gong forward.

These pitches have become a crutch for managers and fans to make excuses for poor performances from their teams, when the reality is it's not the pitch, it's bad team selection and tactics.

 

[GovanFront4]

If smaller clubs are worried about the cost of up keep and maintenance of grass pitches, there should be help for them from the SPFL or SFA.

Im sure Doncaster wouldnt mind giving a small donation each year out of his salary....

Or they could just give clubs with away supports a bigger allocation rather than cutting their nose to spite their face.

 

[Andy0Combs]

If smaller clubs are worried about the cost of up keep and maintenance of grass pitches, there should be help for them from the SPFL or SFA.

Im sure Doncaster wouldnt mind giving a small donation each year out of his salary....

Although they'll not have a vote the bigger concern for some of the smaller teams in particular Championship sides such as Airdrie and Falkirk is that they don't own their stadiums so may not be able to replace their 3G pitch should they be promoted.

 

[ForKingAndCountry]

Although they'll not have a vote the bigger concern for some of the smaller teams in particular Championship sides such as Airdrie and Falkirk is that they don't own their stadiums so may not be able to replace their 3G pitch should they be promoted.

Thats a good point, but i would think there are avenues these clubs could go down, maybe renting another clubs pitch, and the sfa or spfl could help with the cost.

 

[Cavin]

Although they'll not have a vote the bigger concern for some of the smaller teams in particular Championship sides such as Airdrie and Falkirk is that they don't own their stadiums so may not be able to replace their 3G pitch should they be promoted.

Awww, shame, tough luck!

 

[Alex Clelands Forehead]

The absolute tears and snotters from Falkirk fans about this is tremendous.

 

[govanite]

Would love to see how many injuries these pitches are responsible for.

 

[stonewall Jackson]

I remember one of the Amateur teams I managed used to get stick all the the time for playing our home games on 4G. ( Oak Road Abronhill )

Always made me chuckle as half the teams complaining were from areas that only had electricity, running water and colour television in recent times.

 

[rossgers]

Rodgers must want rid of them.

 

[A1bertz]

Pleasantly surprised with this. I was always under the impression that all clubs ( clubs outwith the SPL) also got a vote on this after the leagues aligned to stick the boot into us.

 

[GF1]

Pleasantly surprised with this. I was always under the impression that all clubs ( clubs outwith the SPL) also got a vote on this after the leagues aligned to stick the boot into us.

I am also delighted by this.
I thought the same as you so pleased we might see an end to them soon!

 

[Huckleberry]

Keep the pitches, get rid of plastic paddys, everyone's a winner.

 

[Super-Swally]

About f*cking time, embarrassing that a top tier professional league has clubs with these diddly pitches.

I seen Ian Murray on STV news trying to defend Raith Rovers plastic pitch. Saying if it's good for kids and woman's football then it's good enough for too flight professional. Mental stuff!

 

[BrooklynBlue]

I remember one of the Amateur teams I managed used to get stick all the the time for playing our home games on 4G. ( Oak Road Abronhill )

Always made me chuckle as half the teams complaining were from areas that only had electricity, running water and colour television in recent times.

Used up play at Oak Road back when it was red blaize. Did they redo the changing rooms as well?

 

[nobody]

How many votes in favour would it need to pass?

Just the bheasts

 

[stonewall Jackson]

Used up play at Oak Road back when it was red blaize. Did they redo the changing rooms as well?

No the changing rooms are the same.

Set on fire a couple of times but just painted them again.

 

[Captain_Buns]

I agree that we should have no plastic pitches in our top league. However the reason some clubs have them is to raise enough cash to keep them going. Plastic pitches can be used every night of the week by clubs renting the ground bringing in cash.
Now we dont have LIvi is a bonus as that in my view was the worst.
Vote will be interesting.

If a club can’t stay afloat in the top league of Scottish football without having a plastic pitch to rent out during the week, then they don’t deserve to be in the top league of Scottish football.

It’s tinpot enough ffs.

 

[Twosignals]

I would have said the worst pitch in all the leagues was Alloa’s looks like a stretched carpet!

 

[Killer Bob]

The SFA operate in such a secretive and backward way. They probably know the outcome of this vote before it happens. If it was not a goer I suspect they would not have held the vote.

 

[Slide Away]

Get them voted out and then work on a plan to implement the change quicker.

 

[Mexi]

Keep the pitches, get rid of plastic paddys, everyone's a winner.

Melt down the paddies to make more pitches

 

[SM™]

Should've been done the season Kilmarnock went down, but better late than never.

 

[Bluenose1979]

I'd love to see the back of them, but I have a feeling a good few of the clubs have such poor finances that we're likely to see a lot more of the Dundee debacles with them being poorly maintained and fcked by the crazy amount of wet weather we get here.

Be very interested to see who brought the resolution forward and what other clubs feelings are.

 

[stillAlwaysblue]

I'd love to see the back of them, but I have a feeling a good few of the clubs have such poor finances that we're likely to see a lot more of the Dundee debacles with them being poorly maintained and fcked by the crazy amount of wet weather we get here.

Be very interested to see who brought the resolution forward and what other clubs feelings are.

Agreed it is down to finan

If a club can’t stay afloat in the top league of Scottish football without having a plastic pitch to rent out during the week, then they don’t deserve to be in the top league of Scottish football.

It’s tinpot enough ffs.

Agreed. It is down to finance which the plastic pitch brings in. We tend to forget that without these clubs and their terrible pitches who would we play against. We only have about four or five clubs who make enough cash to survive without hiring out their grounds and facilities.
Us and the scum give these clubs large amounts of cash from our away support which helps to keep them going.
It is different in England but in Scotland we just dont have enough quailty teams and grounds and we need to live with what we have or just end up playing the few clubs that can survive.
What should happen is some clubs should join together with one stadium with a proper pitch
The two Dundees opposite each other is ridiculous.