Scottish Premiership Players Petition to Ban Artificial Surfaces

[ScoRoss]

Players from the nine clubs without artificial surfaces were asked to sign, and every one of them did.

The petition also calls for better standards and checks on all pitches, grass or artificial.

[Large]

I've yet to see any study that strongly supports the claim that playing on artificial turf increases the risk of injury. I had a Head of Medical make a big deal of us moving training to an artificial pitch, claiming that he had studies showing that there was increased risk of knee damage by playing on artificial pitches. What he ignored though was that almost all of the injuries were of players wearing blades, so simple solution was to wear only moulds or astros. I'm not convinced that this is really any more than people wanting football played on nothing but grass because that is what 'it's always been played on'.

[Stan]

If they go back to grass surfaces, and get rid of artificial surfaces altogether, they can't moan when there's postponed matches (due to weather) that get re-arranged and then they have to play a mad amount of games in March/April.

 

[ScoRoss]

On 14/02/2019 at 15:10, Large said:

I've yet to see any study that strongly supports the claim that playing on artificial turf increases the risk of injury. I had a Head of Medical make a big deal of us moving training to an artificial pitch, claiming that he had studies showing that there was increased risk of knee damage by playing on artificial pitches. What he ignored though was that almost all of the injuries were of players wearing blades, so simple solution was to wear only moulds or astros. I'm not convinced that this is really any more than people wanting football played on nothing but grass because that is what 'it's always been played on'.

I train on an astroturf pitch every week, and I'd far rather be on a grass pitch. It's not even about the 'impact' of the pitch, but the burns it causes on people's legs.

[ScoRoss]

11 minutes ago, Cannabis said:

Proper 4G isn't a problem, I trained on it for Everton and it was just like grass. This was back in 2008 too so the technology has probably sky-rocketed for those that can afford it. 

Will have been better than Livingston's pitch, that's for sure.

[Large]

22 minutes ago, ScoRoss said:

I train on an astroturf pitch every week, and I'd far rather be on a grass pitch. It's not even about the 'impact' of the pitch, but the burns it causes on people's legs.

That must some awfully cheap 3G then as I’ve never known anyone suffer from burns since the old sand based pitches. And that picture of the Livingstone pitch is probably an example of a poorly maintained one.. Some lazy club’s will overcrumb  their pitches so,that they do not have to refill it as often. They also believe they’ll get more use out of it. Others are just not brushing it either regularly or properly.

[ScoRoss]

9 minutes ago, Large said:

That must some awfully cheap 3G then as I’ve never known anyone suffer from burns since the old sand based pitches. And that picture of the Livingstone pitch is probably an example of a poorly maintained one.. Some lazy club’s will overcrumb  their pitches so,that they do not have to refill it as often. They also believe they’ll get more use out of it. Others are just not brushing it either regularly or properly.

Seems a legitimate argument for players wanting them banned then.

[Large]

1 minute ago, ScoRoss said:

Seems a legitimate argument for players wanting them banned then.

How? It’s no different to not looking after a grass pitch. You don’t see club’s campaigning to get rid of those when they play like they was just ploughed before kickoff. Or those that are so crap at the end of the season because they’re being shared with rugby teams.

[Smiley Culture]

28 minutes ago, ScoRoss said:

Will have been better than Livingston's pitch, that's for sure.

Unpopular opinion, pitches with the black crumbs are the best out there. They play superbly. 

[ScoRoss]

1 minute ago, Large said:

How? It’s no different to not looking after a grass pitch. You don’t see club’s campaigning to get rid of those when they play like they was just ploughed before kickoff. Or those that are so crap at the end of the season because they’re being shared with rugby teams.

Within the petition is also increased standards for grass pitches. Aberdeen manage to keep their pitch to a high standard throughout the year, and that's even when starting playing games at the end of June through to May. It's not like these other places are a most hospitable climate.

Also, can't think of a single Scottish football team that shares it's ground with a rugby team.

 

[Smiley Culture]

Read that BBC article, does that St Johnstone player have any evidence of such accusations and does he think that there’s absolutely no science behind these pitches and some fella has just blagged absolutely everyone?

[Large]

1 hour ago, ScoRoss said:

Within the petition is also increased standards for grass pitches. Aberdeen manage to keep their pitch to a high standard throughout the year, and that's even when starting playing games at the end of June through to May. It's not like these other places are a most hospitable climate.

Also, can't think of a single Scottish football team that shares it's ground with a rugby team.

 

The reference to pitch sharing is something some clubs do in England. Don’t know if it happens in Scotland but the point is still the same. Nobody suggests banning grass pitches. In fact you state yourself that the petition wants better standard grass pitches. So just ensure that any artificial ones are kept  to a high standard also. There is no conclusive study though that risk of injury in increased on artificial pitches, so it just sounds like a moan from a load of people that hark back to the day of laces in footballs and rattles.

[ScoRoss]

7 hours ago, Large said:

The reference to pitch sharing is something some clubs do in England. Don’t know if it happens in Scotland but the point is still the same. Nobody suggests banning grass pitches. In fact you state yourself that the petition wants better standard grass pitches. So just ensure that any artificial ones are kept  to a high standard also. There is no conclusive study though that risk of injury in increased on artificial pitches, so it just sounds like a moan from a load of people that hark back to the day of laces in footballs and rattles.

But would anyone prefer playing on an artificial pitch over a high standard of grass pitch?

Players at the Women's World Cup in Canada complained about turf burns, and that's at the highest level of competition.

[Large]

There are some I am sure, although currently largely in the minority, but that generally happens with change. And I do not suggest that an artifial turf is better or even as good as a highest standard grass pitch. What an artificial pitch does have though in its favour is consistency. It’s not getting cut up becasue of the rain. It will run flat and true for the whole game, compared to any grass pitch that will start bobbling in areas as the game progresses.

Regarding turf burns, from the studies I’ve seen again it suggests either poorly maintained pitches, or a prejudice from those who just don’t like change. The materials used on top class artificial pitches are rigorously tested for friction injuries, and do not cause any more than a firm grass pitch would.