Artificial Pitch

[gullane]

I know artificial surfaces have their drawbacks, but were the likes of Douglas Park and East End Park really worse than the current Fir Park pitch is now?

[weeyin]

No. Players hate them and there are many managers and coaches who believe that their long term use increases player injuries.

[steelboy]

i've said this before but red bull salzburg's artificial pitch is quality.

[Steve Diggle]

My vote is for 'Fix The Tattie Field'

[WishyWell]

Hamilton's players hated the artificial surface and blamed it for a lot of their injuries at that time.

[biggayal0]

Must say I think it is time for us to consider approaching the SPL and asking to relay our pitch with the same quality astro turf Accies had.

 

Although there would be an initial outlay in the long term this would be very cost effective –

 

· No under soil heating costs

 

· Get rid of our incompetent ground staff

 

· Use pitch to train on, no hire costs for training grounds

 

· Income from hire of pitch to public/other teams e.g. juniors, schools pub teams etc, could play games on it 7 days a week , four games a day.

 

 

Any problems with the pitch not being suitable for euro games, when we qualify again!!!, we could easily hire Airdrie’s ground again,

 

 

Let’s look into this as our pitch is a total disgrace and is only getting worse.

[Onthefringes]

My vote is for 'Fix The Tattie Field'

+ 1

[Lobey_Dosser]

Tattie field is beyond repair in my opinion.

 

Time to move ground.

[Andy_P]

I think its a question that would be mabye worth asking again if the SPL changed their rules and allowed artificial surfaces to be used again, but given the choice I would go for grass.

 

Can you imagine the squealing from Hamilton and Dunfermline if they did change the rules anytime soon?

[jonnymfc]

I think its the ground staff to blame. Clearly start of season pitch was cracking and had plenty time to bed. The groundsmen did not Heed what the contractors told them to do and humped the park. ALthough we have played better and won more!!!!

[Yabba's Turd]

Having played on Dunfermline's artificial 'pitch' it's fucking chronic, there's absolutely no substitute for a real pitch.

[Gaag]

Having played on Dunfermline's artificial 'pitch' it's fucking chronic, there's absolutely no substitute for a real pitch.

 

I presume it's 3g turf? In which case I say there's fuck all wrong with it and you get a perfectly true bounce of the ball.

 

I'm for the introduction of artificial surfaces across the board.

 

As long as it's not like the concrete with a bit of felt (and sand) on top like they've got at Hamilton Palace that's the worst surface I've played on in years.

[Bill Bones]

Tattie field is beyond repair in my opinion.

 

Time to move ground.

 

+1

 

The club have shown that they can't fix it,for whatever reason.

[Lobey_Dosser]

Could we be sued if an opposition player picks up a serious injury due to the state of the pitch? Or does the referee's decison to play the game prevent the club from being liable?

 

I fear it's only a matter of time. You just need to look at the chunk of ground that comes away from O'Brien when he crosses the ball in for the goal.

[weeyin]

There are plenty of players who have been injured on artificial pitches without ensuing lawsuits, so I presume the answer to that is no.

 

I know it's a different game, but the New York Jets and Giants laid a state-of-the-art artificial pitch a few years ago. It was ripped up pretty quickly as the players were picking up more injuries than they did on grass, mostly due to studs sticking in the turf and wrecking their ankles/calves/knees/thighs when they turned.

[Gaag]

There are plenty of players who have been injured on artificial pitches without ensuing lawsuits, so I presume the answer to that is no.

 

I know it's a different game, but the New York Jets and Giants laid a state-of-the-art artificial pitch a few years ago. It was ripped up pretty quickly as the players were picking up more injuries than they did on grass, mostly due to studs sticking in the turf and wrecking their ankles/calves/knees/thighs when they turned.

 

Artificial pitches are UEFA approved so no, they can't sue.

 

And see that last bit? Smells like shite to me. If anything you are less likely to get studs stuck in the truf on astrograss than you are on a real pitch given the fact that it's even all over.

 

Feck all wrong with them in my opinion. It's just another thing in a long line that Scottish football is resistant to change with.

[Bop]

Pish. Should be on grass and grass only. 3g pitches are alright in summer but as soon as it gets to winter the ball just skids away and doesent bounce like a pitch should

[Gaag]

but it doesn't do that on a frozen, muddy or cut up pitch in the summer or the winter....

[SJ1210]

No. Players hate them and there are many managers and coaches who believe that their long term use increases player injuries.

 

I have still to see any actual medical evidence to support this. Derek Ferguson actually made a great point on Radio Scotland on Saturday regarding fieldturf, if these claims of increased/long term injury risk are true why are all the youngsters being brought up playing on them surely that would mean then that they'd be putting them at risk of being injury far earlier in their careers than those currently playing pro.

[weeyin]

And see that last bit? Smells like shite to me. If anything you are less likely to get studs stuck in the truf on astrograss than you are on a real pitch given the fact that it's even all over.

 

Feck all wrong with them in my opinion. It's just another thing in a long line that Scottish football is resistant to change with.

It's nothing to do with being 'even all over'. It's to do with the plastic grass and underlying surface producing more friction against the boot. Plus, it's one thing having a kick about for an hour once a week, but plenty of managers have complained that playing and training on an artificial surface leads to problems like back injuries. It is just possible that the people that make their living from playing the game no a wee bit more than the punters that enjoy an occasional kickabout.

 

And if they were that great, why aren't we seeing them across world football? They are rarely used even here in the US - home of everything plastic.

[underboyleheating]

There is no way we can continue to play football on this surface year in year out.

 

I’m not sure if we should be given any more chances to get the surface in order.

 

If the SPL allowed artificial pitches I’m sure Motherwell would install one. If nothing else it would stop the grief from the media, managers, players and supporters about our excuse for a pitch.

 

Like anything players would adapt in the same way other people adapt to changes in other jobs.

 

I’ve actually bored myself trying to defend our pitch to fans of other teams. Quite frankly it’s embarassing and now when asked, I say your right it’s a fucking joke.

 

To put it bluntly... it has to be a contender as the worst pitch in Scotland. For a full time team to have that honor is nothing to be proud of. I really thought by now that there would only be threads praising our pitch. Sadly unless we do something drastic that thread is never likely happen.

[SJ1210]

Hamilton's players hated the artificial surface and blamed it for a lot of their injuries at that time.

 

Accies had less injuries during the time they used the fieldturf than the other teams in the SFL. If it was not for the SPL rule regarding having undersoil heating Accies would be still be using the fieldturf.

[Neil]

They are rarely used even here in the US - home of everything plastic.

 

Well, I'd say it's becoming much more widespread, currently 11 NFL teams have FieldTurf installed at their home stadium, and I'm pretty sure there'll be more in the future as teams re-locate.

 

It's the way forward, as seen in New England with their pitch being a mudfield much likes ours, since the installation of FieldTurf about 2 years ago now, I can't remember any injury that has been brought about solely thanks to the surface, infact, a study releasead, conducted over a5 year period found very similar injury levels between fieldturf and grass.

[johnstone]

I can't actually remember the last time I played football on a grass pitch so can't really compare, but I do think the 3rd Gen pitches at Hamilton are excellent and they are probably nowhere near as good as the pitches that these teams play on.

 

Only thing I would say is that a grass pitch gives you much more give and go than an artificial surface.

 

We cannot as a club keep forking out hundreds of thousands of pounds of fixing a pitch that looks like it cannot be fixed.

 

So in that light I am actually in favour of a artificial pitch.

[SS1886]

Astro has progressed by miles over the last couple of years. We now have 4g facilities and it is fantastic. Players can wear blades or even conventional footwear and no need for metal studs like in the past. I am amazed however at the way the pitch has been unable to cope with the snow we had. The blame must rest with the groundstaff. The pitch was fine in November so what has happened since? Grass is the best but we need to address this problem once and for all.