Battle to ban plastic pitches goes on

Coatbridge Chancellor

Well-Known Member
Union attempts to ban plastic pitches from the top tier of Scottish football are moving forward after a petition of Premiership players showed unanimous backing.

However, PFA Scotland vice-chairman Mikey Devlin doesn't believe 3G and 4G surfaces are to blame for a raft of high-profile injuries in recent years – despite a raft of claims to the contrary.

Every player in the Premiership outside of Kilmarnock , Livingston and Hamilton called for plastic pitches to be binned in the PFAs petition earlier this year. Those three clubs play on artificial surfaces and it was deemed unfair to ask their players to comment.

But the unanimous response from the hundreds of players at the other nine clubs sparked action from the union who have fired in a petition to the SPFL demanding action is taken against the unpopular synthetic surfaces.

Aberdeen defender Devlin has now revealed that the bid to make the players' wish a reality was ongoing - even though he doesn't agree with claims the parks cause more injuries.

Rangers winger Jamie Murphy's ACL rupture at Kilmarnock last August sparked a fresh debate on the safety of top level football on synthetic pitches with Steven Gerrard saying: "We all know that plastic pitches they are not as safe as grass, that’s fact, that’s simple."

But Devlin told the Evening Express : “It’s hard to tell about injuries on artificial pitches.

“The first time I did my knee Danny Ings and Joe Gomez at Liverpool both ruptured their cruciates around that time.

“Those two were playing and training on some of the best pitches in Europe.

“I think it’s difficult to pin-point the pitch – a lot of it is bad luck.

“I haven’t tried to pin-point why it happened because you’d drive yourself insane trying to find a reason for that.

“I don’t think the pitch is a massive contributor because there are a number of factors.”

Devlin - who came through the Hamilton youth ranks on Accies' synthetic surface - says the union will continue to push the players' wish to see plastic scrapped forward.

Although he doesn't believe they directly cause more injuries, the 25-year-old is firmly of the belief the product on a grass pitch is better.

“The petition was a big statement at the time and off the back of that the results were very much in our favour," he added.

“It’s something that will take a bit of time – we are working hard behind the scenes on it.

“I think after asking the players to sign a petition it’s important we use that in the best way we can and look at what the next steps are.

“It’s still very much at the forefront of what we are trying to do.

“As the PFA representing all the players in Scotland we need to work on behalf of them and do what’s best.

“The players signing the petition shows that they aren’t comfortable playing on artificial pitches.

“Fraser Wishart, the PFA chief executive, is in contact with the SPFL and putting ideas forward.

“Communication is important and we need to work with clubs as well and connect with the right people in clubs and try to work with them and the SPFL to come to a solution.

“It won’t be a short-term fix, it will be something that takes a bit of time.”

Devlin added: “It was what I was used to coming through at Hamilton.

“When you’re in an academy at any club generally you train on the artificial surfaces and most of the time you play on it as well.

“I was used to it – but I think everybody would rather play on grass.

“In the Premiership if we can get grass pitches across the board I think it makes for a better product. I also think visually on television it looks better and I think we can attract better players.”
 
Livingston, Hamilton and to a lesser extent Kilmarnock will be very reluctant to revert to grass pitches. They earn much needed income from allowing their pitches to be hired by various organisations, and more importantly, they know they have a great advantage at their home games.

Can't wait till the rule is grass only in the top flight, bring it on, and soon.
 
Livingston, Hamilton and to a lesser extent Kilmarnock will be very reluctant to revert to grass pitches. They earn much needed income from allowing their pitches to be hired by various organisations, and more importantly, they know they have a great advantage at their home games.

Can't wait till the rule is grass only in the top flight, bring it on, and soon.

If they can't afford to have a grass pitch and pay SPL wages get them to %^*&.

The Dundee clubs (spit), Dunfermline, Aye Utd etc could easily relace the 3 shite clubs you mention with no drop in standard
 
It needs to happen. There are several reasons for plastic pitches but none of them are valid for the Premiership level teams. There are good reasons against - the dramatically increase the risk of injury. The ball doesn't play right on them. It essentially gives the team used to using them an advantage over other clubs as well.

They should not be allowed at the top level and if a club is saying they cannot afford to maintain a grass pitch then simply put - they should be dropped down a level and they can think about it.
 
Surely a suitable resolution for everyone would be the league setting the standard for plastic pitches, ie the best possible one you can get. They say you either have that one or grass and that would at least stop the awful quality of plastic pitches you see being used currently being allowed and the clubs that use them can hardly argue for having a shitter one if that standard is set
 
If nothing else these disgraceful parks make our league look utterly tinpot, particularly combined with the half empty stadia at times.

Get rid.
 
Total kop out from Devlin, he knows fine well the dangers of plastic playing surfaces, I'd be very disappointed if he was my union official.
 
Should ask to see the effected clubs’ financial records, see what they make from renting out their pitches and compensate them for a couple of years for that and for new grass by cutting back on spl prize money.

They have to go away, it shouldn’t even be open for debate.
 
I think you need 8 teams to vote for something to get it passed so dont see why this is such a problem.
 
How the f@ck would a no mark like Mulraney know if the artificial surfaces were to blame or not. Too many injuries have taken place on these pitches. Even at Amateur level they are despised.
 
One of Killie goals from the weekend I believe was a long pass over the top. Was 100% due to the pitch type that it held up.
 
Not even talking about the injuries, they make the game terrible to watch. The product itself is suffering because a few teams want the advantage they gain from visitors not being able to play worth a %^*& on it. It really is no wonder the game is going down the pan in this country.
 
Livingston, Hamilton and to a lesser extent Kilmarnock will be very reluctant to revert to grass pitches. They earn much needed income from allowing their pitches to be hired by various organisations, and more importantly, they know they have a great advantage at their home games.

Can't wait till the rule is grass only in the top flight, bring it on, and soon.
This isn’t true.

I can’t speak for Livi or Killie, but in all the years Accies have had artificial pitches we’ve never hired them out. That isn’t part of the business model. Savings are made by training on the pitch instead of hiring other facilities, but nobody else uses it.
 
Livi got rid of the groundsman and its the Chairman's son who looks after the plastic pitch at Livi
 
Livi got rid of the groundsman and its the Chairman's son who looks after the plastic pitch at Livi
Again, can’t speak for Livi, but Accies still have the same groundsman, Willie Watson, and we need more maintenance, not less.
 
Livingston, Hamilton and to a lesser extent Kilmarnock will be very reluctant to revert to grass pitches. They earn much needed income from allowing their pitches to be hired by various organisations, and more importantly, they know they have a great advantage at their home games.

Can't wait till the rule is grass only in the top flight, bring it on, and soon.
Killie can go and fek themselves. They want to cut allocation and deny cash into their coffers. They could fill their stadium with us and the tramps. 4 full stadiums a season would make them enough money.
 
Increases injuries are not the whole picture ,yes I agree you get injuries on grass but from what I can see its not so much the number its that the players are far more susceptible to very bad injuries on these surfaces .
Also any halfwit can see that it levels the abilities of the two teams playing on them which gives the home team an unfair advantage
They have to go asap
 
Livingston played in the Championship with a grass pitch. They played Partick Th in the play-off`s with a grass pitch. The day after they won promotion they dug up the grass an laid down plastic. Very strange
 
If the product on show was any good, they would make enough money from gate receipts.

Scottish football is crap and getting crapper.
 
Livingston played in the Championship with a grass pitch. They played Partick Th in the play-off`s with a grass pitch. The day after they won promotion they dug up the grass an laid down plastic. Very strange


They didn’t even tell the council who owns the pitch if I remember correctly
 
Mikey Devlin doing very well there to say that the PFA support the players but at the same time not agreeing with them that it's an issue.
 
Mikey Devlin doing very well there to say that the PFA support the players but at the same time not agreeing with them that it's an issue.

He's welcome to his opinion but that shouldn't really dominate the conversation when he's speaking from his PFA role. It really detracts from the message sent out by all the other players.
 
This isn’t true.

I can’t speak for Livi or Killie, but in all the years Accies have had artificial pitches we’ve never hired them out. That isn’t part of the business model. Savings are made by training on the pitch instead of hiring other facilities, but nobody else uses it.

Thanks for clarifying that. However, it still remains that they save money by training on the pitch, which also gives them an advantage over teams that are not used to playing on plastic.

Get rid of the plastic, grass every time.
 
Total kop out from Devlin, he knows fine well the dangers of plastic playing surfaces, I'd be very disappointed if he was my union official.
It's also robbing the fans, what is played on those surfaces is dire, it's not football but a very poor form of it.
 
Plastic pitches are not any more dangerous than grass pitches.

The problem is the switching between the surfaces and the bodies inability to quickly adjust to the differences in impact.

I grew up playing on grass only, and the juvenile club I played for had an indoor hall with wooden floors that we trained on it wet weather. I also played futsal on wooden floors for years.

A few years ago I played for a club in Australia that played and trained on 3G and my first few training sessions and games it felt like my knee was about to go every time I turned. I’d never played on it before. It took me nearly a whole season to feel comfortable on it and that’s the issue here.

It should be the case that there is a level playing field (somewhat literally) in the top flight on the type of surface played on. Switching back and forth causes injuries.

The other thing is that aesthetically, football looks a lot worse on a plastic pitch than on grass. More ball bounce and slower game play.
 
Nope it's 11-1. That's why every year I want two of Killie, Livi and Hamilton relegated.

They changed the rules to 8-4 from 11-1.

Celtic were defeated recently when they tried to bring in a rule about the length of the grass and it was 9-3 against.
 
Mikey Devlin PFA Scotland Vice Chairman

Jesus, get Kirk Broadfoot in as US President while we are it.

I'm sure he went to the 'right school' to allow him to progress in Scottish football.

This needs to happen. Get them binned from the top flight.
 
I'm sure he went to the 'right school' to allow him to progress in Scottish football.

This needs to happen. Get them binned from the top flight.
It won’t happen until a few players from other clubs get put out the game for as kind as JM has.imagine the uproar if Edwardo and nae neck suffered life changing injuries the papers would have a campaign up and running within days
 
Cheaper to have grass on a ping pong table , but everyone with a brain cell tells you it's wrong for the sport.I
 
The danger from plastic pitches is there for all to see; it's a cop out from Devlin. It's simple physics. The ground moves on a grass pitch when pressure is brought from someone landing and/or sliding in. There's only one thing that's ever gonna give on a plastic pitch when it has to - and it ain't the ground.
 
This is a battle that must be won. These surfaces are a disgrace and they have no place in top flight football.
I thought there was going to be a good chance of a ban for them when a goalkeeper, an American I think, claimed they contributed, maybe caused, cancer.
 
This isn’t true.

I can’t speak for Livi or Killie, but in all the years Accies have had artificial pitches we’ve never hired them out. That isn’t part of the business model. Savings are made by training on the pitch instead of hiring other facilities, but nobody else uses it.
I know Dunfermline hired their pitch out a few years back.
I just presumed everybody did.
 
What is the financial difference in keeping a plastic pitch versus a grass pitch?
Massive savings from maintenance costs. Also can be played on non stop meani g clubs can have income coming in from renting it out. They also trsi. On it.
 
This isn’t true.

I can’t speak for Livi or Killie, but in all the years Accies have had artificial pitches we’ve never hired them out. That isn’t part of the business model. Savings are made by training on the pitch instead of hiring other facilities, but nobody else uses it.
Agreed, there’s no way any of these clubs are earning any significant amounts hiring out their pitches.
 
So why the plastic then?
It costs less to lay down, not least because it removes the need for undersoil heating.

As already stated, the club saves money through using the pitch for training and therefore substantially reducing external hires.

Accies have never had to cancel a game because of our pitch. We’ve had (as far as I recall) 2 call-offs due to the surrounding environment, but the pitch is always playable.

It gives a reliable surface with a consistent bounce and roll.
 
Im not going to get into the issue of safe or not. I don’t have any evidence either way

What I can say is that games played on plastic are horrendous viewing. Awful. The ball doesn’t bounce or run properly. It often “sticks” on the surface. It’s horrendous viewing.

That’s why I want them banned first and foremost.

We are supposed to be entertaining fans, right?
 
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