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Artificial Pitch


clarencegarter
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So looks like their will now be 2 teams in our league with artificial pitches after killie got the go ahead to install one. I know that every year the quality of them are improving but I just can't agree that they are the way forward.

They quality of football played on them isn't the same and the bounce and tackling again isn't the same.

I agree that the benefits from renting the pitch out the days that they aren't used by the club can bring in extra income but Jst don't agree that they should be used in the top flight.

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So looks like their will now be 2 teams in our league with artificial pitches after killie got the go ahead to install one. I know that every year the quality of them are improving but I just can't agree that they are the way forward.

They quality of football played on them isn't the same and the bounce and tackling again isn't the same.

I agree that the benefits from renting the pitch out the days that they aren't used by the club can bring in extra income but Jst don't agree that they should be used in the top flight.

It will be the way forward for teams to do this and i would expect more to go down this route in the future

The financial benefits will dictate this and i do agree that they are not as good as a decent grass pitch but they are getting better and better all the time.

Edited by billko
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Killie installing an artificial surface is excellent news for Thistle on a differing amount of levels.

 

1. When we visit Rugby Park we'll no longer have a rutted surface, instead the artificial surface will enhance our passing football, and since we've been playing it for several years we'll have an advantage over them.

2. Killie will now be training at Rugby Park, which will free up the Science Park at Glasgow Uni. This is an ideal time for Thistle to take up the lease on it long term(in exchange for hosting Glasgow Uni home Scottish Cup ties apparently). Glasgow Uni can be seen to be helping their local club and Thistle have a training base fit for a Premiership side. Think how much better that will look to prospective signings when we can show them our training base rather than hopping in a mini bus every day.

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Killie installing an artificial surface is excellent news for Thistle on a differing amount of levels.

 

1. When we visit Rugby Park we'll no longer have a rutted surface, instead the artificial surface will enhance our passing football, and since we've been playing it for several years we'll have an advantage over them.

 

I always feel this should be the case, yet when I recall all the games we played on plastic last season (Hamilton 3 times, Airdrie twice, Clyde and Forfar) I don't think we played well in any of them.

 

Edited to add- obviously I mean the season before last

Edited by Duke Gekantawa
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It's definitely the future and in ten years I can see half the top two divisions playing on it. Can anyone say they have never seen a dodgy bounce on a grass pitch? If anything an artificial pitch will be more consistent.

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It will be the way forward for teams to do this and i would expect more to go down this route in the future

The financial benefits will dictate this and i do agree that they are not as good as a decent grass pitch but they are getting better and better all the time.

 

The arguments for an artificial pitch usually include comments from the amateur/five a side player who'll tell us that great strides have been made in quality and they're a delight to play on. Not comments I could dispute but then again the main factor for me is that watching football played on artificial surfaces provides an inferior spectacle.

 

Another aspect worth mentioning is that if every club including ourselves installed plastic pitches the financial benefits would dictate that in relative terms we'd be worse off. That's not meant as a swipe at those who run our Club, tho' compared to other clubs we have little to zero history of success in creating revenue streams from third party use of the stadium in general. More to the point to recover the costs of installation you require to rent out the pitch. A stand alone club like Falkirk, Hamilton and Kilmarnock will arguably by having less competition stand to recoup the outlay whereas I'd fear we'd lose out.

 

The SPFL by permitting plastic pitches in the top division have once again shown that they care hee haw for the spectator/fan. But what's new? Eleventh hour rearranged fixtures, clubs being allowed to milk away fans, and of course a unique league system that guarantees repetition ad nauseam. Others feel free to argue that football in Scotland is in good hands thanks to Mssrs Doncaster & Reagan.

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The arguments for an artificial pitch usually include comments from the amateur/five a side player who'll tell us that great strides have been made in quality and they're a delight to play on. Not comments I could dispute but then again the main factor for me is that watching football played on artificial surfaces provides an inferior spectacle.

 

Another aspect worth mentioning is that if every club including ourselves installed plastic pitches the financial benefits would dictate that in relative terms we'd be worse off. That's not meant as a swipe at those who run our Club, tho' compared to other clubs we have little to zero history of success in creating revenue streams from third party use of the stadium in general. More to the point to recover the costs of installation you require to rent out the pitch. A stand alone club like Falkirk, Hamilton and Kilmarnock will arguably by having less competition stand to recoup the outlay whereas I'd fear we'd lose out.

 

The SPFL by permitting plastic pitches in the top division have once again shown that they care hee haw for the spectator/fan. But what's new? Eleventh hour rearranged fixtures, clubs being allowed to milk away fans, and of course a unique league system that guarantees repetition ad nauseam. Others feel free to argue that football in Scotland is in good hands thanks to Mssrs Doncaster & Reagan.

 

Totally agree with all of this.Even amateur players who argue the plastic is better tend to be guys who haven't played a lot on good grass pitches.

It could also be argued that a lot of players wont sign for a club who have a plastic pitch

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The arguments for an artificial pitch usually include comments from the amateur/five a side player who'll tell us that great strides have been made in quality and they're a delight to play on. Not comments I could dispute but then again the main factor for me is that watching football played on artificial surfaces provides an inferior spectacle.

 

Another aspect worth mentioning is that if every club including ourselves installed plastic pitches the financial benefits would dictate that in relative terms we'd be worse off. That's not meant as a swipe at those who run our Club, tho' compared to other clubs we have little to zero history of success in creating revenue streams from third party use of the stadium in general. More to the point to recover the costs of installation you require to rent out the pitch. A stand alone club like Falkirk, Hamilton and Kilmarnock will arguably by having less competition stand to recoup the outlay whereas I'd fear we'd lose out.

 

The SPFL by permitting plastic pitches in the top division have once again shown that they care hee haw for the spectator/fan. But what's new? Eleventh hour rearranged fixtures, clubs being allowed to milk away fans, and of course a unique league system that guarantees repetition ad nauseam. Others feel free to argue that football in Scotland is in good hands thanks to Mssrs Doncaster & Reagan.

The pitches are probably being allowed because they have improved alot in recent years to a good standard

In recent years the condition of some grass pitches in this country have been poor as has been the standard of football.

I don't see the benefit of an asset like a clubs stadium only being used once every other week when you could be using it 7 days a week and tapping into the local community and getting folk involved in and around the club.

Killie won't be leasing pitches for training for all their youth team games and training sessions and it should be a good investment for them in the longterm.

Grass will always be the natural surface for football but in this economic climate football finds itself in just now, clubs will be looking at other options and an artificial pitch will appeal to alot of them.

Edited by billko
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How often do plastic pitches have to be replaced? What are the costs (in money and in physical condition during play) of keeping one?

 

My suspicion is that, like flat roofs covered with roofing felt, regular maintenance soon gets dropped on cost grounds and because no-one close to them notices the incremental deterioration, you end up with a poorer and poorer condition being tolerated.

 

Grass doesn't have the same problem, since maintenance is costed within staffing and the appearance of the pitch alerts everyone - spectators, players and officials alike - to any need for improvement.

 

Will we ever see a referee bold enough to declare a plastic pitch unfit for purpose because of the strange bounce of a ball? I doubt it - and once clubs have bought into over-optimistic claims (literally and metaphorically), they will always refute any suggestion that they are playing on a sub-standard surface.

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I wonder what professional footballers think of artificial pitches. I can’t think of any player who has either criticised or praised plastic pitches. Seems to me they are a bit reticent about voicing an opinion.

 

Has anyone on here ever spoken to a player about plastic vs grass?

 

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I wonder what professional footballers think of artificial pitches. I can’t think of any player who has either criticised or praised plastic pitches. Seems to me they are a bit reticent about voicing an opinion.

 

Has anyone on here ever spoken to a player about plastic vs grass?

 

 

 

According to Archie we nearly lost out on Osborne because he thought we played on s plastic pitch and IIRC both welsh and possibly Conrad have said they don't like them.

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Most EPL "grass" pitches nowadays are apparently a "weave" of artificial fibres and grass - at least that it what the commentator at the Brazil game said last night - the pitch that game was being played on was normal grass and was cutting up pretty badly and was slippery. Needless to say the commentator made disparaging comments about it when comparing it to the bowling greens that the English players are apparently used to - I think it's called "getting your excuses in early".

 

Personally not a fan of artificial pitches despite their massive improvements since the frankly laughable QPR pitch, back in the day, but if it makes money (and potentially gives the home team a wee advantage) and it is deemed legal by the authorities then good luck to teams who make the investment and reap the rewards.

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Does anyone remember dunfermlines tiled artificial grass pitch? That truely was terrible. Things have moved on but I really hate watching games on the stuff. It isn't the same, the ball gets caught under feet when you dribble and spins off when you pass long distance.

 

The financial benefits are good so I welcome them in lower divisions for long term stability. But in the top league clubs should be able to afford the upkeep of grass pitches. Much better football on them.

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Does anyone remember dunfermlines tiled artificial grass pitch? That truely was terrible. Things have moved on but I really hate watching games on the stuff. It isn't the same, the ball gets caught under feet when you dribble and spins off when you pass long distance.

 

The financial benefits are good so I welcome them in lower divisions for long term stability. But in the top league clubs should be able to afford the upkeep of grass pitches. Much better football on them.

 

Remember James Grady scoring against Dunfermline on that awful tiled pitch and then instead of doing a Klinsmann-type celebration dive, lying down very slowly and gingerly to avoid burns (ie hot marks, not Alex of that ilk).

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I wonder what professional footballers think of artificial pitches. I can’t think of any player who has either criticised or praised plastic pitches. Seems to me they are a bit reticent about voicing an opinion.

 

Has anyone on here ever spoken to a player about plastic vs grass?

 

 

 

My mate played professional over here for Viking, after playing in (and for) Scotland and in England, he hated playing on them, and the other players I spoke to about it stated the recovery time after playing on them was longer, due to it being slightly harder under foot, and less give on the knees and ankles. This was the 4G versions used by several of the tippeleague clubs due to it still being arctic conditions in May

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My mate played professional over here for Viking, after playing in (and for) Scotland and in England, he hated playing on them, and the other players I spoke to about it stated the recovery time after playing on them was longer, due to it being slightly harder under foot, and less give on the knees and ankles. This was the 4G versions used by several of the tippeleague clubs due to it still being arctic conditions in May

 

Robbie Winters? ;)

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