Passionate Posted March 20 Share Posted March 20 3 hours ago, Molotov said: “Livingston’s Premiership match against Ross County on Saturday has been postponed after a pitch inspection scheduled for Saturday morning. Match officials looked at the artificial surface at the Tony Macaroni Arena at 9.30am, with an early decision taken to call off the game due to a frozen pitch.“ Games in the top flight with grass pitches and undersoil heating were played that day. Do we still call pitches grass when the surface is 60,% caked sand and dirt 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TxRover Posted March 20 Share Posted March 20 4 hours ago, Dundee Hibernian said: Therefore, from your comments, when you earlier stated 'False' in relation to my original post, you actually meant 'True'. You are strongly in favour of artificial pitch use, I'm on the fence and see the arguments. The 'simply due to costs' part above is central to the issue, good grass is better than good artificial (and Raith have the best I've seen), but at crucial points of the year many clubs struggle to provide a good grass surface. Earlier I noted the financial benefits to clubs of operating artificial surfaces, but the present debate is about use in the top league. If all clubs get a vote on the issue, which given the structure of the SPFL I think they should, should all clubs have to follow the decision, that is, install artificial surfaces or natural grass playing areas? No, my earlier “False” was a poorly stated objected to an overly sweeping statement that was not absolutely true. I dislike artificial turf, but I see the need for it. What I object to is the attempt by a subset of “professional teams” to exclude teams that “choose” to use the artificial stuff for various valid reasons. If they changed to summer football, I’d be more willing to consider the position…if they didn’t use a hybrid pitch themselves, I’d perhaps be less cynical…if the quality of artificial surfaces hadn’t increased so much, I’d be less supportive of the use…etc. Your “all Clubs” position is fair, but needs to include a pathway to how teams can fund that goal. Scottish football is currently financially designed in a way that cannot support that mandate without folding a number of teams. Spread out the wealth that the Old Firm hoard, and it’s much more possible, but we’d sadly still lose some historical teams. -1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiegoDiego Posted March 20 Share Posted March 20 3 hours ago, Molotov said: “Livingston’s Premiership match against Ross County on Saturday has been postponed after a pitch inspection scheduled for Saturday morning. Match officials looked at the artificial surface at the Tony Macaroni Arena at 9.30am, with an early decision taken to call off the game due to a frozen pitch.“ Games in the top flight with grass pitches and undersoil heating were played that day. I realise that games on Astro are postponed occasionally, but I don't think that's down to poor maintenance as was claimed, just adverse weather conditions. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dundee Hibernian Posted March 20 Share Posted March 20 34 minutes ago, TxRover said: No, my earlier “False” was a poorly stated objected to an overly sweeping statement that was not absolutely true. We'll agree to differ on that point, and not get into semantics about which statement you found "overly sweeping". In any case get a feeling that clubs pushing for a vote on the use of artificial pitches have a different agenda from the one they claim to be pursuing. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Molotov Posted March 20 Share Posted March 20 3 minutes ago, DiegoDiego said: I realise that games on Astro are postponed occasionally, but I don't think that's down to poor maintenance as was claimed, just adverse weather conditions. Sorry it’s just an answer to the question posed. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Molotov Posted March 20 Share Posted March 20 43 minutes ago, Passionate said: Do we still call pitches grass when the surface is 60,% caked sand and dirt If you like. Others like myself would just call it a muddy pitch. Seen many games played in the past in such conditions by far superior players than we have now. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HIT THE CHANNEL Posted March 20 Author Share Posted March 20 https://falkirksupporters.org/2024/03/20/artificial-pitches-vote/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TxRover Posted March 20 Share Posted March 20 6 hours ago, Dundee Hibernian said: We'll agree to differ on that point, and not get into semantics about which statement you found "overly sweeping". In any case get a feeling that clubs pushing for a vote on the use of artificial pitches have a different agenda from the one they claim to be pursuing. Agree to disagree, absolutely…and we both agree the agenda isn’t what is represented. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie_M Posted March 20 Share Posted March 20 11 hours ago, CityDave94 said: Just the game at Motherwell. Kilmarnock played that day and have an artificial surface. I don't see any other games on the fixture list that were played that day in the top flight. Which other game were on? The only other games to survive that day in the SPFL whom have grass was at Firhill and the Caledonian Stadium, no one else did. The other two leagues, the only three games that survived were on an artificial surfaces, Hamilton, Stenhousmuir and Forfar, all the others were off. I would say Livingston pitch is an very much outlyer and not a good example of all artificial pitches. Livingston really need to sort themselves out. Falkirk game also off that week despite being artificial? Interesting point excusing Livi in the debate as an outlier whilst many are at pains to use Dundee's neglect and the burst pipe at Dunfermline in their arguments when both are also surely outliers. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie_M Posted March 20 Share Posted March 20 14 hours ago, DiegoDiego said: When was the last time a match was postponed because an artificial pitch wasn't maintained adequately? To frame the issue as "just as true" for both surfaces seems like your already acknowledge bias coming through. Wasn't that argument fired at Livi this season for the poor quality of their artificial surface? Poorly maintained or overdue replacement? I'm not sure. 1 each between artifical and grass this season if so. When was the last time that a club with a grass pitch was specifically accused of being responsible for call offs due to breaching their maintenance obligations? Before Dundee - Motherwell 2009. Just as true = rare for both. Dundee is an outlier which is what I argued. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CityDave94 Posted March 21 Share Posted March 21 21 hours ago, Jamie_M said: Falkirk game also off that week despite being artificial? Interesting point excusing Livi in the debate as an outlier whilst many are at pains to use Dundee's neglect and the burst pipe at Dunfermline in their arguments when both are also surely outliers. No excusing bad pitches, stuff happens like weather once in a while but once a pattern of call-offs is established because of the state of a pitch then its pointless making excuses. I did say Livi should sort themselves out but they are not going to anytime soon with changing out their old rug. If they beat Celtic on the last day of the month, it might be totally worth it just for the shits and giggles, especially if Celtic and their armys of darkness blame that pitch. Dens has been a tattie field for years, everyone knows that. Bad pitches are bad pitches regardless of whether they are grass or plastic. Nothing is better than a well maintained grass pitch. We used to have a bowling green like surface at Inverness for years. Nairn County, Station Park was very nice as well. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exiledjag Posted March 21 Share Posted March 21 Afraid I am biased - I just don't like artifical football surfaces. I would like to see all SPL and Championship games played on grass. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DA Baracus Posted March 22 Share Posted March 22 8 hours ago, Exiledjag said: Afraid I am biased - I just don't like artifical football surfaces. I would like to see all SPL and Championship games played on grass. Get a time machine then. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shooter McGavin Posted March 22 Share Posted March 22 8 hours ago, Exiledjag said: Afraid I am biased - I just don't like artifical football surfaces. I would like to see all SPL and Championship games played on grass. Biased and stuck in the 90s. Or 80s, you take your pick. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mac.i Posted March 22 Share Posted March 22 Article on BBC news regarding a new report which has called for artificial 3G sports pitches to be banned in Scotland due to potentially cancerous chemicals contained within them. The study by Stirling University stated that crumb rubber infill on pitches across the country should be replaced with alternative material.... BBC article 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdypar Posted March 22 Share Posted March 22 18 hours ago, Exiledjag said: Afraid I am biased - I just don't like artifical football surfaces. I would like to see all SPL and Championship games played on grass. Top flight football shouldn’t be played on artificial pitches. It’s embarrassing. Astro pitches after fine for kids and part time teams, but should be nowhere near a full time professional team. -2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Specky Ginger Posted March 22 Share Posted March 22 9 minutes ago, kdypar said: Top flight football shouldn’t be played on artificial pitches. It’s embarrassing. Astro pitches after fine for kids and part time teams, but should be nowhere near a full time professional team. Why? How are they more embarrassing than tawtie fields like Dens Park this season? If there's a proven injury risk then fair enough, but in that case they should be banned full stop as a part time player or a kid shouldn't be more exposed to injury than a full time player. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdypar Posted March 22 Share Posted March 22 53 minutes ago, Specky Ginger said: Why? How are they more embarrassing than tawtie fields like Dens Park this season? If there's a proven injury risk then fair enough, but in that case they should be banned full stop as a part time player or a kid shouldn't be more exposed to injury than a full time player. Good quality grass pitches should be the absolute minimum for a top flight team. Football on artificial grass is dire. The bounce or the ball is terrible and the home teams get used to the way they play, nothing worse than a dry poor astro pitch. -2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Specky Ginger Posted March 22 Share Posted March 22 13 minutes ago, kdypar said: Good quality grass pitches should be the absolute minimum for a top flight team. Football on artificial grass is dire. The bounce or the ball is terrible and the home teams get used to the way they play, nothing worse than a dry poor astro pitch. No need for astro pitches to be poor or dry - they're easy to water. How many clubs in Scotland currently have a "good quality grass pitch"? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumswall Posted March 22 Share Posted March 22 If we had access to the money the English clubs to maintain pitches then there would be no need for artificial surfaces. We don't though and simply due to pitches like livis being pish and the average punter seing how good the pitches in England's top flight are on tv they seem to think it's manageable to have the same up here. I'll reiterate my earlier post in this thread. If there is quality control on the artificial pitches, then I don't see the issue with them at all. They are a source of revenue for clubs on top of building community ties. In a league setup that doesn't have alot of investment, it's important for clubs to be able to utilise every avenue available to improve the game in Scotland. As long as the pitch is of a good standard then there's no reason to have a ban on them outright. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.