I P Knightley Posted February 15, 2019 Share Posted February 15, 2019 There's certainly a problem (or risk) with the older generations of artificial grass surfaces. I know there's partly an age thing but four of my old regular fives squad have had knee trouble (involving surgery) having played for a long time on second (possibly third) generation astro. That said, I've had a bit of a run around on a 4G pitch (rugby) and the difference is night and day. There's still a difference with a muddy grass pitch with the bounce of the ball being more consistent, if a little more lively. However, I imagine that if Livi, Killie and Accies had that stuff down, there wouldn't be the same outcry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maroon Sailor Posted February 15, 2019 Share Posted February 15, 2019 The bounce of the ball is the biggest issue for me. Probably why you don't see tennis played on these type of surfaces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kila Posted February 15, 2019 Share Posted February 15, 2019 The way the ball bounces, the slide tackle feel, the shiny appearance especially under the floodlights... They’re not as good as grass. Top flight should be all grass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I P Knightley Posted February 15, 2019 Share Posted February 15, 2019 12 minutes ago, Maroon Sailor said: The bounce of the ball is the biggest issue for me. Probably why you don't see tennis played on these type of surfaces. Loads of tennis clubs have something they call "Tiger Turf" which is a bit like 2g or 3g football surfaces but, instead of rubber pellets, there is a skipload of sand. Really good surface for playing on; I'd have it ahead of clay for sure, you get a truer bounce and your gutties don't go all orange. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maroon Sailor Posted February 15, 2019 Share Posted February 15, 2019 4 minutes ago, I P Knightley said: Loads of tennis clubs have something they call "Tiger Turf" which is a bit like 2g or 3g football surfaces but, instead of rubber pellets, there is a skipload of sand. Really good surface for playing on; I'd have it ahead of clay for sure, you get a truer bounce and your gutties don't go all orange. Interesting - didn't know that about the tennis clubs Can you see this Tiger Turf being installed for Wimbledon in the future if it's as good as you say it is ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AGoodLaugh Posted February 15, 2019 Share Posted February 15, 2019 21 hours ago, GYL said: 100% agree......not sure if it can be enforced though seeing as they are FIFA/ UEFA approved surfaces? It's enforced in England. No artificial pitches in the Football League. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AGoodLaugh Posted February 15, 2019 Share Posted February 15, 2019 21 hours ago, GYL said: 100% agree......not sure if it can be enforced though seeing as they are FIFA/ UEFA approved surfaces? It's enforced in England. No artificial pitches in the Football League. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I P Knightley Posted February 15, 2019 Share Posted February 15, 2019 32 minutes ago, Maroon Sailor said: Interesting - didn't know that about the tennis clubs Can you see this Tiger Turf being installed for Wimbledon in the future if it's as good as you say it is ? Asking the AELTC to ditch grass courts would be like asking the SFA to give equal disciplinary treatment to all clubs in the league. Bear in mind that Wimbledon brings in hundreds of millions, so they can afford to maintain their grass courts to the very highest standard (nearly as high a standard as Queen's Club) for those two weeks of the year. An average club can't do that so the Tiger Turf is a good economic compromise. Very few tennis clubs have grass courts and where I've had the chance to play on some, I've done so politely but switched to hard courts or tiger turf if I want a serious game. There's parallels with football. All clubs could have grass pitches but the less well off will end up with pitches like Harrison Park or worse. I'd want the SFA to raise the standards rather than specify "it has to be grass (or hybrid)". I could be doing Harrison Park a disservice. It's more than 30 years since I had a runaround there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.hmfc. Posted February 15, 2019 Share Posted February 15, 2019 18 hours ago, King Of The Cat Cafe said: Out of curiosity, just how many of our horrendous tally of injuries this season have been picked up on an artificial pitch? Dikamona at Livingston Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jambopilms Posted February 15, 2019 Share Posted February 15, 2019 How many injuries the week after playing on plastic ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Section Q Posted February 16, 2019 Share Posted February 16, 2019 Kilmarnock played on grass for over a century, and if the only reason for installing a plastic pitch is costs, then a financial incentive for clubs with grass might be worth it. Even the health and safety aspects should be enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey1874 Posted February 16, 2019 Share Posted February 16, 2019 This is an opportunity for the football authorities to show leadership. Instead they just let things drift. Neil Doncaster SPFL Chief Executive is in the papers again today talking about grand plans. Get the basics right. https://inews.co.uk/sport/football/celtic-rangers-european-super-league-spfl-neil-doncaster-interview/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beni Posted October 11, 2020 Share Posted October 11, 2020 Artificial pitches were mentioned on the Naismith thread, so I thought I'd revive this thread for a rant. Plastic pitches should have no part in professional football imo. If teams can't make their finances work with a grass pitch then they should be in the amateur leagues. Sums up Scotland's diddy status that so many teams have them, and it gives these teams an advantage because they're more used to playing on them. Eventually Scottish football will consist of the old firm and 40 other clubs who play on plastic pithes and sell 3/4 of their ground to the visiting arse cheeks. Hamilton, Killie, Livi and to some extent St Johnstone, have already nailed their colours to this business model's mast. Diddy is as Diddy does. Rant over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Black Posted October 11, 2020 Share Posted October 11, 2020 5 minutes ago, fancy a brew said: Artificial pitches were mentioned on the Naismith thread, so I thought I'd revive this thread for a rant. Plastic pitches should have no part in professional football imo. If teams can't make their finances work with a grass pitch then they should be in the amateur leagues. Sums up Scotland's diddy status that so many teams have them, and it gives these teams an advantage because they're more used to playing on them. Eventually Scottish football will consist of the old firm and 40 other clubs who play on plastic pithes and sell 3/4 of their ground to the visiting arse cheeks. Hamilton, Killie, Livi and to some extent St Johnstone, have already nailed their colours to this business model's mast. Diddy is as Diddy does. Rant over. It may be a rant but a very accurate one. Does anyone know of any plastic pitches in any of the 4 leagues in England. If clubs can't afford them , tough. We were bottom of the league when it was shut down , these clubs said tough to us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beast Boy Posted October 11, 2020 Share Posted October 11, 2020 Agree, they should have no place in the professional game. Absolute diddy stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingantti1874 Posted October 11, 2020 Share Posted October 11, 2020 (edited) About time - devalues the product Edited October 11, 2020 by kingantti1874 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niemi’s gloves Posted October 11, 2020 Share Posted October 11, 2020 14 minutes ago, David Black said: It may be a rant but a very accurate one. Does anyone know of any plastic pitches in any of the 4 leagues in England. If clubs can't afford them , tough. We were bottom of the league when it was shut down , these clubs said tough to us. I don’t think they are allowed in the Football League in England. Didn’t Harrogate have to rip their one up (only a couple of years old) when they won promotion to League 2 this summer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hesh Posted October 11, 2020 Share Posted October 11, 2020 On 14/02/2019 at 22:46, SUTOL said: One of the problems with the artificial pitches that pro teams have is that they are often over-used and under-maintained. They are designed for something like 20 hours use per week, and should be raked etc to help keep the 'grass' upright, and shouldn't be played on with trainers, just blades or (molded) studs. Most will have the first team training on them for a couple of hours each day. The youth and academy teams at least a couple of hours each evening, plus first team and reserve team matches and maybe some academy matches as well. That's before you consider any commercial lets, and things like other pro teams possibly using it for reserve matches etc. Mind when my lad played at Gothia they used to have a wee tractor with chains they used to go over some of the pitches every day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckydug Posted October 11, 2020 Share Posted October 11, 2020 Some English clubs were among the first to have plastic pitches. Luton Town and QPR spring to mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruyff Posted October 11, 2020 Share Posted October 11, 2020 Its no really the clubs fault. It's the SFA/SPFL. If they had banned them, they wouldn't have them, it's that simple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jambof3tornado Posted October 11, 2020 Share Posted October 11, 2020 3 hours ago, David Black said: It may be a rant but a very accurate one. Does anyone know of any plastic pitches in any of the 4 leagues in England. If clubs can't afford them , tough. We were bottom of the league when it was shut down , these clubs said tough to us. Even below the 4 leagues, when you watch early rounds of the cups down south non league sides rarely have anything but beautifully manicured grass pitches!! Plastic pitches are shite, and yesterdays was up there with the worst of them. If they are used there must be a minimum standard benchmark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TyphoonJambo Posted October 11, 2020 Share Posted October 11, 2020 21 minutes ago, Jambof3tornado said: Even below the 4 leagues, when you watch early rounds of the cups down south non league sides rarely have anything but beautifully manicured grass pitches!! Plastic pitches are shite, and yesterdays was up there with the worst of them. If they are used there must be a minimum standard benchmark. Maybe our governing body will look into this 🤔🤔🤔🤔 Maybe not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manaliveits105 Posted October 11, 2020 Share Posted October 11, 2020 but but they can rent them out to walking footballers and stay afloat It is absolutely criminal that A they are allowed and B that the teams fans are prepared to pay to watch the shit quality as long as they have a wee advantage to gain points SFA /SPFL need to get them told - no real pitch next year in SPL and Championship your relegated - then get L1 and L2 done next year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingantti1874 Posted October 11, 2020 Share Posted October 11, 2020 4 hours ago, luckydug said: Some English clubs were among the first to have plastic pitches. Luton Town and QPR spring to mind. then saw sense and ripped them up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomaso Posted October 11, 2020 Share Posted October 11, 2020 On 14/02/2019 at 12:56, Footballfirst said: That's just elitism if they are deemed OK for use by full time, part time and amateur players in lower leagues. Artificial surfaces are either good enough to play on for everyone or no-one. No one it is then! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WoolfordsHearts Posted October 11, 2020 Share Posted October 11, 2020 6 hours ago, fancy a brew said: Artificial pitches were mentioned on the Naismith thread, so I thought I'd revive this thread for a rant. Plastic pitches should have no part in professional football imo. If teams can't make their finances work with a grass pitch then they should be in the amateur leagues. Sums up Scotland's diddy status that so many teams have them, and it gives these teams an advantage because they're more used to playing on them. Eventually Scottish football will consist of the old firm and 40 other clubs who play on plastic pithes and sell 3/4 of their ground to the visiting arse cheeks. Hamilton, Killie, Livi and to some extent St Johnstone, have already nailed their colours to this business model's mast. Diddy is as Diddy does. Rant over. As rants go,a very good one.👍 I agree with every word. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SomethingAboutObua Posted October 11, 2020 Share Posted October 11, 2020 As always, a blanket set up of 4 national tiers for 3 different levels of football doesnt work. Would love to see the pro teams (including Partick and Falkirk) leave and form an SPL 1 and 2, no relegation out if you're full time/professional whatever ridiculous specifics the SPFL have labeled it as, 2nd tier open to any team that can become 75% professional or whatever and go from there. I'm not quite death to artificial pitches as others if Motherwell can have a grass pitch tben any top side can Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pans Jambo Posted October 12, 2020 Share Posted October 12, 2020 Shite > Plastic Pitches Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomaso Posted October 12, 2020 Share Posted October 12, 2020 On 11/10/2020 at 15:58, Jambof3tornado said: Even below the 4 leagues, when you watch early rounds of the cups down south non league sides rarely have anything but beautifully manicured grass pitches!! Plastic pitches are shite, and yesterdays was up there with the worst of them. If they are used there must be a minimum standard benchmark. Lots of clubs down south have invested in hybrid grass pitches that guarantees a lovely surface.......wait a minute! 😳 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jambof3tornado Posted October 12, 2020 Share Posted October 12, 2020 1 hour ago, Cruickshank for Scotland said: Lots of clubs down south have invested in hybrid grass pitches that guarantees a lovely surface.......wait a minute! 😳 Lol. Guarantee if they are maintained as they should be, which means no shortcuts taken by the club and listen to groundstaff over what works need undertaken!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VikingHeart Posted October 12, 2020 Share Posted October 12, 2020 Out of curiosity, what is the most northern grass pitch being currently in use by a football club in Scotland? Could there be one in Orkney, Shetland or somewhere in the Highlands? In Norway it seems to be the Mehamn Gressbane. If you click at the link you can see how far north it is: http://www.nordicstadiums.com/mehamn-gressbane/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SUTOL Posted October 13, 2020 Share Posted October 13, 2020 23 hours ago, VikingHeart said: Out of curiosity, what is the most northern grass pitch being currently in use by a football club in Scotland? Could there be one in Orkney, Shetland or somewhere in the Highlands? In Norway it seems to be the Mehamn Gressbane. If you click at the link you can see how far north it is: http://www.nordicstadiums.com/mehamn-gressbane/ On the mainland it's probably Castletown in Caithness. https://goo.gl/maps/RqjvgxgzVJ6rWE11A I'm sure there are still grass pitches, as well as plastic used in Orkney. Not sure about Shetland. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VikingHeart Posted October 13, 2020 Share Posted October 13, 2020 2 hours ago, SUTOL said: On the mainland it's probably Castletown in Caithness. https://goo.gl/maps/RqjvgxgzVJ6rWE11A I'm sure there are still grass pitches, as well as plastic used in Orkney. Not sure about Shetland. Nice pitch, some day I might stop there on my tour of/ viking raid through the the Highlands and Islands😀 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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