djchapsticks Posted May 30 Share Posted May 30 2 hours ago, Harry Kinnear said: I would love us to have a grass pitch and the funds available to maintain it to the levels that the top flight seem to want going forward. The only issue with that is we spent £350k on a brand new pitch at the beginning of this season. If say us or Airdrie, Raith, Hamilton, Livi win the Championship before this proposal comes into place is there funds going to be made available to us all to rip up our pitch, lay a new grass one and give us support in maintaining the grass pitch. Removal and installation, yes. Maintenance, absolutely not. We are spending around £125k fully replacing the pitch at our ground and training ground this close season. It would be laughable if artifical pitch teams claimed sustenance that teams who have always had a grass pitch couldn't. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DA Baracus Posted May 30 Share Posted May 30 3 hours ago, NorthBank said: I am a member of SMiSA but abstained from the vote. I hate watching games on plastic but understand why some clubs need them to generate income. I believe all clubs at the top level should have the same surface of grass pitches. However promoted clubs should be given something towards replacing plastic pitches if that is what they have. Again, it's not just about income. A large part of it is young folk get to train and play on it them and it really boosts participation and provides a year round facility. But folk want to tell hundreds of young folk to f**k off because it "doesn't look good on TV" or "the ball bounces differently!!!!!!" or some other moronic nonsense about never seeing a good game on them. I really don't get the lies around artificial pitches. It's utterly bizarre. No one is saying folk have to love or even like them, but why do people keep lying about them? When Iceland had their resurgence and then run in the Euros a significant part of it was down to increased participation which was driven by more kids being able to play football more often due to more pitches (artificial pitches). Also in general allowing more access to sport is good for society. But nah, some folk are scared what people in England might think. Not saying you are one of these folk, but there are plenty on here who are, which is sad to see. Also, what is the 'same grass surface'? No two teams have the same grass surface. What is this surface and how can it possibly be applied across every team in the Premiership?! Do they all follow Motherwell's pitch? Do they try to clone the pitch at Tynecastle? Presumably all pitches will now all be the exact same size too? Some fans seem to think an acceptance of artificial pitches means their team will somehow be forced to get one, an odd mindset but consistent with the other lies around the issue. 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DA Baracus Posted May 30 Share Posted May 30 Why now is there suddenly a demand for pitches to all be the same? Why do folk come across as feeling threatened by artificial pitches, as if these pitches will cause the downfall of football? It drives folk to repeat utter nonsense, lies quite frankly, about them. I really don't get it. Again, no one has to like them and no club is being forced to install one, but why keep on repeating lies about them? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bairney The Dinosaur Posted May 30 Share Posted May 30 I don't have a massive issue with the SMiSA vote as they were only putting to members the proposal that will be voted on at the SPFL Board meeting. Although It would have been nice (as a fans organisation that has had fairly close ties with the Falkirk Supporters Society) to show a bit of solidarity and mentioned the lower league clubs proposal. The main issue is with the blanket yes/no proposal that clubs have put forward and will be voted on. It is fundamentally the wrong question to ask and should at the very least include caveats on support for these lower league teams, whether that be financial support, a grace period after promotion or a high minimum standards for artificial surfaces. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sergeant Wilson Posted May 31 Share Posted May 31 Grass is the same surface FACT! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugster Posted May 31 Share Posted May 31 Vote done https://spfl.co.uk/news/press-release-artificial-pitches 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RossBFaeDundee Posted May 31 Share Posted May 31 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Todd_is_God Posted May 31 Share Posted May 31 Quelle Surprise. Scottish Football loves eating itself. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PSJ.84 Posted May 31 Share Posted May 31 Self-serving c***s. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Double t Posted May 31 Share Posted May 31 So what are the Premiership teams going to do when they are drawn away in the cups against a team that has an artificial pitch. You all going to spit the dummy and insist the game gets moved to a grass pitch?? Nothing like looking after yourselves. Pathetic. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arab_R_us Posted May 31 Share Posted May 31 all for it but the Grass pitches must be of sufficient quality and if the old firm have to chip in with money they should. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Der Panzer Posted May 31 Share Posted May 31 Thought dump… I still play at a decent level at 36 years old - the best pitch I have ever played on was a hybrid - think was 95% grass 5% synthetic - also think it cost upwards of £1m. i now actually prefer the football played on an artificial surface - the lack of bobbles, divots, long patches, hills and dips makes for better football imo. Is it different to grass - yes, but not any more different than 2 grass parks can be and after a couple minutes you get the run and bounce of the ball - which again is different on any grass park (or indeed the same grass park a week later if it’s rained, been cut or not etc. ) Unfortunately - at my age I can’t last a full game on an artificial surface while I can on a grass pitch, it just absolutely does my lower body joints in. I believe newer surfaces are supposed to be better - but I’ve not encountered one yet - so until that is a reality I do think we are shortening players careers by using synthetic surfaces at the top level. It’s been notable at Dundee in recent years that some players just don’t play on these surfaces - this will be on medical advice, not a preference - so it’s arguably adding a sporting advantage to sides that have them. I do think artificial pitches - when they have improved to a level they don’t impact as much on players - should be permitted - but the stipulation should be that they can’t be any more than 3 years old - the technology is really improving - in Dundee for example you can go play on the DISC and the surface is atrocious compared to RPC and Riverside University facility. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dons_1988 Posted May 31 Share Posted May 31 I won’t miss watching games on them, but it’s a very strange decision tbh. Should be so low on the priorities list. The top flight clubs should contribute funding to increase the number of community pitches in the country, but they won’t. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GNU_Linux Posted May 31 Share Posted May 31 The SPL is back baby! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunning1874 Posted May 31 Share Posted May 31 19 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arab_R_us Posted May 31 Share Posted May 31 (edited) 5 minutes ago, Der Panzer said: Thought dump… I still play at a decent level at 36 years old - the best pitch I have ever played on was a hybrid - think was 95% grass 5% synthetic - also think it cost upwards of £1m. i now actually prefer the football played on an artificial surface - the lack of bobbles, divots, long patches, hills and dips makes for better football imo. Is it different to grass - yes, but not any more different than 2 grass parks can be and after a couple minutes you get the run and bounce of the ball - which again is different on any grass park (or indeed the same grass park a week later if it’s rained, been cut or not etc. ) Unfortunately - at my age I can’t last a full game on an artificial surface while I can on a grass pitch, it just absolutely does my lower body joints in. I believe newer surfaces are supposed to be better - but I’ve not encountered one yet - so until that is a reality I do think we are shortening players careers by using synthetic surfaces at the top level. It’s been notable at Dundee in recent years that some players just don’t play on these surfaces - this will be on medical advice, not a preference - so it’s arguably adding a sporting advantage to sides that have them. I do think artificial pitches - when they have improved to a level they don’t impact as much on players - should be permitted - but the stipulation should be that they can’t be any more than 3 years old - the technology is really improving - in Dundee for example you can go play on the DISC and the surface is atrocious compared to RPC and Riverside University facility. I know Young elite footballers who have had hip problems diagnosed when they are 17/18 because they have grew up playing Academy football on Astro. Teams like Falkirk Raith etc, training everyday o Astro cant be good for the players Edited May 31 by Arab_R_us 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arab_R_us Posted May 31 Share Posted May 31 1 minute ago, Dunning1874 said: Simpsons 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lubo_blaha Posted May 31 Share Posted May 31 Really poor from the Premiership clubs (including my own, presumably). Incredibly short sighted. - If a team with astro gets promoted, they could only have a month and a half to bed in a grass park. If this about quality of surface, that’s not going to be better than a good astro. - Any promoted team with an astro is going to be at a huge financial disadvantage from the off. Pure protectionism from the Prem. - This will have a big impact on participation as no one above part time level will be building astro pitches. Airdrie, Falkirk, Raith etc will have teams of all ages using their pitches every day and night. As a minimum, European money should have been made available for affected clubs to 1. Install a grass pitch and 2. Build a replacement astro in the vicinity to protect participation. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkey socks Posted May 31 Share Posted May 31 On 22/05/2024 at 15:18, Monkey socks said: I dislike artificial pitches even although my own club has one. The vote to ban in the top league by only consulting the 12 clubs in the SPFL is elitist , unfair and smacks of a closed door boys club. If passed, what would happen if say, Livi, Falkirk, Accies and Raith Rovers finished in the top 4 places ( arrange them in any order you like) in the Championship. Will this render the play offs redundant and save the bottom 2 SPFL teams from relegation?. Bear in mind that this could happen for more than 1 season until the finance to install undersoil heating and grass pitches is obtained. How many fans will go and support their team in the knowledge that promotion is not going to happen? The baw's on the slates if they pass this nonsense. There's room for both surfaces in the financial desert that is Scottish football. Bollocks to the SPFL, what a bunch of self serving , narrow minded arses. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swello Posted May 31 Share Posted May 31 All feels a bit grubby and protectionist TBH. I wonder how the voting went per club. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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