Plastic pitches

[RicoS321]

Banned in the premiership. Self serving cunts. Ridiculous decision. 10,000 seats all over again. 

[Jute]

I have to say that this is one decision I agree with. Only caveat being teams getting promoted should get a season to replace their carpets. 
 

League should also contribute to getting a replacement Astro for community use in towns of promoted team if they allowed that usage.

A well maintained grass pitch is still better than Astro. The companies selling them do not claim otherwise. They only highlight cost savings.

[RicoS321]

1 hour ago, Jute said:

I have to say that this is one decision I agree with. Only caveat being teams getting promoted should get a season to replace their carpets. 
 

League should also contribute to getting a replacement Astro for community use in towns of promoted team if they allowed that usage.

A well maintained grass pitch is still better than Astro. The companies selling them do not claim otherwise. They only highlight cost savings.

Those caveats weren't put it in place though, and were never going to be, so why would you agree with the decision? 

That's like saying that you agree with the council's decision to knock down your house because they're replacing it with a new house with a pool, even though they're not replacing it at all.

The decision has to be taken as a whole. They are banning plastic pitches with zero compensation or assistance to those who might aspire to play in the league. We could well be in a position in a few year's time where half the league below can't be promoted. The question was never, and isn't: do you prefer grass or plastic? That would be obvious. Yet that's what people seem to be answering. It's football gerrymandering basically. Fucking rancid behaviour from the SPFL premier clubs.

[Jute]

Because although I don’t think the plan is perfect it does at least get rid of plastic pitches from top flight which is a good thing on its own. Teams now know that if they want to get up to top flight they need to start now looking at getting back to playing on grass and budget accordingly. 

[RicoS321]

3 minutes ago, Jute said:

Because although I don’t think the plan is perfect it does at least get rid of plastic pitches from top flight which is a good thing on its own. Teams now know that if they want to get up to top flight they need to start now looking at getting back to playing on grass and budget accordingly. 

Or, more likely, just remain in the championship and wait for the shite rule to go the way of the 10,000 seats rule. Plastic pitches is such a minor issue with the game. I can only assume Killie beating the scum was a step too far.

[Jute]

Just now, RicoS321 said:

Or, more likely, just remain in the championship and wait for the shite rule to go the way of the 10,000 seats rule. Plastic pitches is such a minor issue with the game. I can only assume Killie beating the scum was a step too far.

Killie were getting rid of their’s even before this. Not sure this rule will go. With plastic pitches not being able to be recycled I suspect pressure under ESG rules will see these phased out in the long term. There are also studies in the U.S. that suggest young players who are playing constantly on Astro are suffering increased wear on knee and hip joints that see them having to stop playing. 

[RicoS321]

7 hours ago, Jute said:

Killie were getting rid of their’s even before this. Not sure this rule will go. With plastic pitches not being able to be recycled I suspect pressure under ESG rules will see these phased out in the long term. There are also studies in the U.S. that suggest young players who are playing constantly on Astro are suffering increased wear on knee and hip joints that see them having to stop playing. 

But those aren't the reasons for the ban, and weren't even mentioned. Whether the rule actually goes or not is irrelevant. This is the 10,000 seat rule again, and because that rule went, there will be a decision to be made on whether it's worth replacing or waiting a few years. If I were a team in the playoffs - say Falkirk or Raith - at present income levels, I'd be politely declining to be involved in them. The investment required to get promoted would ensure straight relegation and the subsequent income loss in the championship through no longer having the pitch resource would be too heavy a risk. We'll be in the position where clubs decide that their ceiling will only be championship for financial reasons only, furthering the closed shop that is the SPFL top league. It's akin to the current situation getting into the SPFL. 

We're going through the worst period in Scottish football history, and the answer is to shut more teams out. Fairly rank like.