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Vinnie

Premiership clubs will be asked to vote for a ban on artificial pitches in Scotlands top flight next month
SPFL,s Competitions Working Group chaired by Aberdeens director of football have drawn up a resolution proposing an end to the surfaces at the AGM on April 24th
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The issue has been a hot debate and the Scottish Daily Mail say a resolution has been drawn up ahead of clubs next getting together at Hampden on April 24.

Kilmarnock and Livingston are currently the only two top flight clubs but the ayrshire men want a 2 year grace period plan on returning to a grass surface at Rugby Park by season 2025/26. Promotion-chasing Championship duo Raith Rovers and Airdrie are the only two clubs in the Championship who play on plastic with 15 of the 20 clubs in the other two senior divisions all having synthetic surfaces which are a valuable source of income.

The report states that “privately, there is an acceptance that a ban is now increasingly likely” but that Raith Rovers "harbour concerns" and “have joined forces with Livingston, Falkirk, Airdrieonians, Montrose, Cove Rangers and other lower-league teams with plastic pitches to try to find a compromise agreement”.

The SPFL board haven’t yet made it clear if a 9-3 majority will carry the day or whether the issue needs an 11-1 majority to pass.

“THIS IS LAUGHABLE.Think we all know what majority will carry the day”

Livi boss David Martindale said: “I’d rather have a grass park and if the authorities want to give us a couple of million then we’ll have one with undersoil heating and a separate training ground.

“Realistically, it’d cost us between £2m-£3m.We’re paying for VAR and energy costs have increased. Overall, we’re handing out £300,000-400,000 extra and our incoming revenue doesn’t match that. It’ll be five or 10 years before we can be where Kilmarnock are now

Now IF we were to be promoted the cost to lift and relay a new pitch along with installing VAR gear would be eye watering
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embow · Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2024 9:24 pm Post subject:

That, unfortunately, is the whole crux of the matter. Nothing to do with football ability of the team on the pitch. All to do with finances for implementing issues that are not necessary. Indeed, in our case I would think that it will hit finances heavily with the loss of pitch hires throughout the week.
Smacks of the same stupid rules regarding the need for an all seater stadium all those years ago. IIRCC didn't that scupper Falkirk for a promotion back when they still were at Brockville?
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StarksBarmy · Joined: 03 Apr 2010 Posts: 4024

It’s not the pitch hire I’m overly worried about despite it being another form of revenue lost along with all the young teams, female teams etc having nowhere to train or play…it’s the hundreds of thousands of pounds to revert back to grass, the running cost of maintaining the surface to a reasonable standard (never been easy in the past)… The return to regular postponements, the revenue lost when this happens and finally, back to not having anywhere to train and the cost involved in finding somewhere.

The only saving grace should we go up would be getting a year, maybe two to prepare. Wouldn’t make the cost any less but time to plan and also, should we be relegated in that time? Stick how we are now?

No talk of any compromise? Artificial surfaces are improving year on year. Can’t teams be required to have a certain high standard of surface or something?

Cuparman · Joined: 12 Jul 2008 Posts: 1871 Location: Irvine

Those that do not like plastic can get tae!!

The surfaces are far better than grass and only a few clubs can actually afford grass due to the costs of manpower and costly week in week out work on them.
Not even considering frozen/ waterlogged pitches and the huge problems that those problems bring with them.
ie postponements, rescheduling, pre bought tickets and refund problems/ efforts etc.
Grass is for rich clubs who have very deep pockets or very large overdraft/ loans.
I would love to know how many premier league clubs actually are in the black and making money.
I doubt there are many, more likely very few.
Rolling Eyes

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Wolfman Jack · Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2024 11:05 pm Post subject:

The only compromise I see is going hybrid.

Celtic, Hearts, possibly Rangers, Hibs and Murrayfield have it.

This involves seeding the pitch with plastic (IIRC it's 5% overall) which binds the grass somehow, then you have the cost of the trollies with the fake sunlight to encourage growth out of season.

Last season, Oldham Athletic installed a hybrid pitch, this allowed the Oldham Rugby League team to play on the pitch as well, so far it has held up well.
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Hope he's got plenty Rovers action to comment on tonight....

embow · Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2024 11:15 pm Post subject:

I'd forgotten about hybrid.
I remember now when at the QP game back in November I was given a a wee tour of Lesser Hampden and was told the pitch was hybrid so that Scotland and QP would be able to use it for training and games respectively. Just to add that the dressing rooms were somewhat plush and state of the art based on the Spurs' model.🥹
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StarksBarmy · Joined: 03 Apr 2010 Posts: 4024

Cuparman · Joined: 12 Jul 2008 Posts: 1871 Location: Irvine

Premier league will effectively be a closed shop as those that are eligible for promotion to it will likely not be able to afford it.

My guess about the whole installment and upkeep costs must be readably available already with the possible exception of “ inflation “.

I would hope that our board will be able to come up with the numbers 1 way or the other as regards affordability.

I would also like to hear the full reasoning behind why this should be forced upon smaller clubs in the first place. Confused

The gates that clubs have cannot match those of the old firm and god knows what their own finances are. My guess they are loaded with debt.!!

I would also call for the newspapers/ media to investigate the TRUE costs of going hybrid/ just grass.

This “ policy “ would not exist without the backing of the bigot brothers, that’s a fact. Evil or Very Mad

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Vinnie · Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2024 5:58 pm Post subject:

Motherwells hybrid pitch cost just under 1.2 mill in 2022/23

No idea the work required or whats involved but guessing it would be cheaper from grass to hybrid than artificial surface to hybrid
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Armagh Rover · Joined: 25 Jul 2008 Posts: 5742 Location: Nottinghamshire

This whole situation stinks of the erse cheeks bullying everyone again, it cost us shedloads to bring Starks up to their standard the last time we got promotion and where did that lead us, and just look at the state of those grass pitches in our climate with postponements right left n centre with water logged/frozen pitches.

And for us to maybe last a season or two up there is it worth any outlay

Cuparman · Joined: 12 Jul 2008 Posts: 1871 Location: Irvine

Of course the best way to appease the ugly sisters et Al……..let them pay for the costs for all the wee clubs………OR…….they can whistle Twisted Evil

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embow · Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2024 10:05 pm Post subject:

Many references tonight about the Firhill pitch not being very good. "Tricky surface" was often the quote. " Bumpy surface" another. There were times players on both sides found control difficult. But hey ho! The powers that be think that this is the way ahead in the top league.
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Cuparman · Joined: 12 Jul 2008 Posts: 1871 Location: Irvine

Wolfman Jack · Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2024 11:19 pm Post subject:

Neil M · Joined: 16 Aug 2008 Posts: 2590 Location: Aberdeen

I see some stuff heading toward the fan! Shocked