Edstar101 Posted August 15, 2014 Report Share Posted August 15, 2014 After a few clubs laid them a few years back, and then many were lifted and replaced again with grass, we seem to be witnessing a move again towards clubs installing artificial pitches. As far as I understand, groundsmen say they require more upkeep than grass, so that is not a reason for them. Fair enough, they provide a consistent, level playing surface throughout the season, but if, as many players and managers state, these artificial pitches are not good for older players and players recovering from injuries, then surely it is not a surface that should be used for top level football and therefore should not be allowed. I know that a lot of top clubs are installing the hybrid versions, and that they are the next level, but in reality the cost is way out of reach of almost every club in Scotland. I also realise that they can be used as an income generator, and that that is obviously attractive to clubs. I hate watching games on them...always feels like a friendly!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lethamsaintee Posted August 15, 2014 Report Share Posted August 15, 2014 I like playing on them but not nearly as much as playing on grass. I can see the benefits of having them though, particularly for Community clubs and the like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mainstand Posted August 15, 2014 Report Share Posted August 15, 2014 The hybrid is a grass surface with only about 7% artificial grass, Falkirks first pitch at the Falkirk stadium was a hybrid pitch, probably out of reach of most clubs I Scotland outside the old firm. The new parks like Killie and Falkirk are top range. Sure I saw a figure of about £400k. I think the SRU are even playing an international at Rugby Park this year, The fabric is quite long to allow a full stud. The fact that the clubs are all training and playing on the parks is the big bonus Falkirk have saved a fortune by moving form the University to their own stadium. The downside is that like everything that is new you will only find out the effect that it has on players in a few years time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOODLUM65 Posted August 15, 2014 Report Share Posted August 15, 2014 Read the heading "rise In artificial surfaces" only to find the plastic has not grown a millimetre. Ah well, it's like the newspapers, anything to try and grab the readers attention. I Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerthSeany Posted August 17, 2014 Report Share Posted August 17, 2014 (edited) Whenever I play on them I just end up ripping my legs to bits and end up covered in blood. It takes the slide tackle out the game. Edited August 17, 2014 by PerthSeany Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slf Posted August 17, 2014 Report Share Posted August 17, 2014 I played on falkirks recently .its shit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lethamsaintee Posted August 17, 2014 Report Share Posted August 17, 2014 Whenever I play on them I just end up ripping my legs to bits and end up covered in blood. It takes the slide tackle out the game. But definitely not the shove ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldPoster Posted August 19, 2014 Report Share Posted August 19, 2014 3G/4G/Hybrid is the way to go for sure, If teams can afford it then its a no brainer really, I know this is not directly saints related but if they had replaced the main pitch with an astro then there would have been a place to train every day of the week that they would also be using to play on so should know every bobble and blip on the pitch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ancientsaint Posted August 19, 2014 Report Share Posted August 19, 2014 3G/4G/Hybrid is the way to go for sure, If teams can afford it then its a no brainer really, I know this is not directly saints related but if they had replaced the main pitch with an astro then there would have been a place to train every day of the week that they would also be using to play on so should know every bobble and blip on the pitch Do you have to plug in your Hybrid turf to one of those machines at Broxden park n ride ? fazman1977 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jings Posted August 19, 2014 Report Share Posted August 19, 2014 Compared to a decent grass pitch, artificial is a non starter. Unfortunately, in this country we more often than not, fail to provide a decent grass surface. Surely no one would prefer watching our mudbath from a few seasons ago, to a good quality artificial pitch. I must admit, I was quite impressed by the Falkirk pitch last week, and I've always been against these in the past. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueheaven Posted August 20, 2014 Report Share Posted August 20, 2014 Always makes me laugh when you hear Scottish managers complaining about artificial pitches because the ball doesn't quite move right or bounce right - yet they seem to have no problem with the fact that for three quarters of the season loads of our "real pitches" are in an absolute mess with barely any grass on them. Does the ball move perfectly on those? If artificial surfaces became the norm, teams would soon adjust and get used to them. And it would save clubs (especially smaller clubs) a fortune if they were getting less postponements and also had pitches that they could hire out as community facilities. It's definitely the future and clubs are going to gradually head in that direction. Down my neck of the woods in the south of England, Maidstone United were told they couldn't get promoted last season because of their artificial pitch - but this season the FA have done a U-turn. So attitudes are slowly changing. Incidentally, the Maidstone situation was doubly farcical because Maidstone have probably the best stadium and facilities in their division and their pitch hosted one of the best games of football I saw last season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saintee4life Posted September 8, 2014 Report Share Posted September 8, 2014 The new one at sevenacres in Letham now up and running, long overdue but better late than never. Cracking surface for football Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nuggets Posted September 17, 2014 Report Share Posted September 17, 2014 Just hope when saints get there new pitch done, they look after it a lot better then the old one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mainstand Posted September 17, 2014 Report Share Posted September 17, 2014 In fairness Nuggets 14 years ago when the park was new it was state of the art surface. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garydavidson Posted September 24, 2014 Report Share Posted September 24, 2014 Really liked the look of the surface at Killie last night. Made the game a bit faster and would certainly work well for a counter attacking team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerthSeany Posted September 24, 2014 Report Share Posted September 24, 2014 Really liked the look of the surface at Killie last night. Made the game a bit faster and would certainly work well for a counter attacking team. It looks similar to the one at Spartans which ive played on a few times. If it is the same or similar to that then they are much better than the old ones, such as Mcd. Very good to play on. Beats the muddy winter pitch with massive bobbles. Still get the usual astro burns though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edstar101 Posted September 25, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 25, 2014 It looks similar to the one at Spartans which ive played on a few times. If it is the same or similar to that then they are much better than the old ones, such as Mcd. Very good to play on. Beats the muddy winter pitch with massive bobbles. Still get the usual astro burns though. My laddie trains on the astro at Spartans twice a week....had a hellish astro burn on Monday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cagey Posted September 25, 2014 Report Share Posted September 25, 2014 You can`t beat grass. Its a good smoke as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saintdunc Posted September 27, 2014 Report Share Posted September 27, 2014 I voted No because I could..............! Seriously though, if we are going to allow artificial surfaces then we should have a level playing field! All for one and one for all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garydavidson Posted October 2, 2014 Report Share Posted October 2, 2014 http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/29453614 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saintee4life Posted October 2, 2014 Report Share Posted October 2, 2014 Was on the one at sevenacres in Letham tonight, what a fantastic surface for football. It is a grade higher than the one Kilmarnock play spl football on. Great facility for perth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garydavidson Posted October 3, 2014 Report Share Posted October 3, 2014 Any idea where Saints new surface will feature in the grading? I read they had said it would be a UEFA/FIFA 2 star grade surface but wasn't sure what that translated to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pelosi Posted October 3, 2014 Report Share Posted October 3, 2014 Killie's surface cost them a goal already tonight....the bounce the ball took when lofted over the onrushing Cierzniak would'nt have happened on grass! It bounced so high and hit the top of the bar and went over! 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.