League One and League 2 teams have rejected the proposals made for some teams to install 3G surfaces rather than grass pitches for the 2015-16 season. Now what are people's opnions on this situation as a 3G surface enables smaller teams to be able to get daily use from it without wearing out. I understand that many people will look back at QPR and Luton's pitches of the 80's of what I'm told used to cause the balls to significantly bounce up in the air but I can tell you that technology has significantly changed. Also teams like Crawley particularly struggled with their grass pitch last season and if I remember rightly they had something like 8 games in hand over some teams due to postponements. I myself play 6aside football weekly at the Gallagher Stadium and play on the same pitch that Maidstone United plays on and I don't consider there to be too much of a difference. The small pieces of rubber which they use to protect the surface prevent the balls from bouncing miles up in the air like the previous pitches did and are much more reliable than the traditional sand based astro turf pitches. One thing I would say though is that the ball can move a lot faster when it is raining than it would if the surface dry. Also Maidstone does have a very good home record which people could say creates them an advantage when playing teams unused to the surface, now I wouldn't quite agree with that argument but I would say it does favour the more ball and passing playing teams than it does for the teams who try and hoof it. Considering my experience of the pitches,my opinion is that I think it is a great idea for the majority of non-league teamst to use 3G surfaces as it enables them to use it for their academy teams or rent it out for other activities such as franchised 5 or 6 aside football leagues. It also reduces the rent they may pay for training pitches. In the football league I could see 3G surfaces being used within the next few years, I definitely expect to see them being used by 2020. However do I think that it should be used in the league yet? Nope. Football for me has always been associated with playing on grass whether it be Wembley or just throwing your jumpers down for goalposts. Professional football for me should be played on a grass pitch. Here's the link regarding the recent rejection of the plans: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/29919748
I'm glad the surface got rejected, I am totally and utterly against anything other than football being played are grass. The modern developments in technology and are delving into our game too much. I was reading some opinions on another site yesterday and many were against, as one comment said, even in heavy snow fall you still have to get the man power to clear it, and i see it that the match could still get cancelled because the streets outside the stadium are class as unsafe for a crowd gathering. There is a lot i hate that has been introduced in modern football and this new surface is yet another step to far.
The vote had 34 votes for, 34 votes against, 4 abstentions. I think it's sad that something which could have helped a lot of teams struggling with their finances has been rejected.
Ey oop lad......and it was t' saddest day for t' game when t' old leather ball, lace and t' bladder were replaced for t' new fangled thing...........
First thing that comes to mind when we discuss alternative pitches is the advantage it appears to give the home side on its initial laying whether that be the Luton Town's of old or the Maidstone's of new. Hence surely that indicates there is a difference other than just the usual home advantage. Maybe we should change all our recreational parks to 3G to make sure the kids are getting early development for the new surface. I really just wished they would stop messing with the game in the so called aid of perfection, before it becomes as sterile as F1.
Aye.....nowt wrong wit' old boots wit' proper toe caps too. Eh.....'ow 'bout shorts below t' knees an' all..............
Things change and evolve, thats the way of the world wether you agree with it or not. Is it better to embrace change or fight it I think history shows it's probably better to embrace. So i think it will happen at some stage wether we like it or not.
Thing is with 3G pitches no matter how people try and spin it they are not as good to play on as grass, the ball does not roll as naturally the pitch feels heavier to run on and it hurts to slide on it. I know I'm not a professional footballer but I've played on identical 3G many times and it's nowhere near as good as grass and considering football clubs employ groundsmen there is no need to have them in the football league. Maybe in 20 years when they perfect the pitch perhaps bring them in but if they were allowed now I guarantee they would be being ripped up in 5 years time.
What a sad debate. 3G is the way forward and so much better to play on. There seems to be two problems here, first we are stuck in the dark ages in soccer especially money, remember Germany 1 England 5?, they and many other countries moved forward, secondly maidstone Utd have one. Well whoop de do lets worry about GFC first not what they are doing down the hill and good luck to them I say! A last though if they are so bad why do you need one to take your NGB football certificates on??? Just surprised some of ya use the computer, another bad invention!!
Please do excuse me for not being able to contribute to this debate. I opted out of the subject of History at school, so I am unsure what you mean by dark ages. I wasted my time on English grammar.
I find it slightly amusing that i see the words evolve and stuck in the dark ages within the thread. But is not modern football despite all its glamour still stuck in the dark ages and failed to evolve as a true spectator sport. Where adults cannot be trusted to drink alcohol at their seats....where adults cannot be trusted to stand safely....where adults cannot be trusted with a bottle top....where people still hark on about days of the 70's and football violence for excuses. Evolution has to work both ways. The Americans manage, Rugby manages it...but football supporters continued to be discriminated against. 3G pitches in my opinion have not reached the stage of evolution to replace grass but hopefully by the time they do, that evolution will also have reached out to the whole package of a spectator support without the dictatorship.
At the risk of being provocative.....have football supporters (as a whole) yet fully earned the right to such enlightened consideration? In a crowd environment it takes but a few idiots to put the safety of many at risk. I have heard about your bottle top incident....and I agree that was farcical. However.........adults as a whole cannot be trusted to drink alcohol in their seats....or anywhere else for that matter. You might be trustworthy, BSG, Bristol, or anyone else on here as individuals might be trustworthy but control has to be aimed at the lowest common denominator.....the moron....sadly. And football attracts more morons than either cricket, rugby or any other sport. One only has to walk the streets on a Friday or Saturday night to encounter these 'adults' who being left to their own responsible devices cause nuisance, distress, and damage let alone burden the emergency services. Are these people going to behave more responsibly just because they're in a football stadium and that you'd like them to? Sorry......unacceptable behaviour and alcohol go hand in hand....it is a British malaise....which is now catching on overseas. Possibly one of our most successful exports of the last few years.... I love a beer or three and in good company....however I am prepared to go without it for a couple of hours if it helps to ensure the safety and minimises the risk to others. Dark ages maybe....but self inflicted.
Let me put a scenario to you Windyrog....there was a Premiership game some months a go where crowd control was lost....huge numbers of supporters congested into an area which was potentially a risk. They all had the availability of alcohol or bottles tops if they required, they all were standing. The only risk that was seen was the officials that were controlling the domain. Adults behaving like adults and outside the ground where there was no restrictions. As for going without....anyone can go up the Cricks and get drunk before a game including me. The only British malaise you see is the one the British media portray...ask Burton fans from a couple of seasons ago....not a single tabloid printed those comments because it did not fit with the model they like to display.
BRB I understand your point of view from a personal perspective. My opinion is based on 32 years experience....not the media. There will always be exceptions to any generalisation and no one, especially me likes to be treated in the way that falls short of the way that we (as individuals) would 'like' to be treated. However you have to re read my post.......'the planning for these events has to consider the risk model based on the lowest common denominator.' That is obviously not you....nor is it, dare I be so bold as to say, me either.....but potentially the 'weakest link in the chain' for want of a better phrase ...as moron may offend. As for the press.......I don't buy or read newspapers, for they 'never let the truth get in the way of a good story'....and are bought by people who align themselves to the 'political' editorial style on offer. My opinion I hasten to add. An emotive subject but one open to free discussion as all opinions are valid in an open society. One that we have to thank our forefathers for.......especially today.
My personal experience of 3G pitches is nothing but positive. I enjoy playing on them and have never come across a proper argument against them. I think it's a shame that we can't try different things. It's the only way to know for sure whether something is good or bad. Dismissing things off hand without any proper experience is not the way to go my opinion. It's like saying you don't like a food if you have never tried it. Clubs should have the choice of what surface they choose to play on be it different types of grass or any other approved surface.
