Thetownend.com

A pretty much non-event story with a Mark Hughes quote

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/15800406.stm

But..I didn't realise this


Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooo is my response.

3G astroturf may very well be a million miles better than the plastic fantastic Kenilworth Road,  Boundary Park and Deepdale but I feel it still gives the home team a massive advantage. And for that reason I'm out.

I know international games have been played on astro recently, but this was because the real ground was a frozen tundra of inhospitality.

Yeah, the Guardian ran a similar article yesterday.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/nov/18/artificial-pitches-football-league?INTCMP=SRCH

Bad, bad idea - I mean what would the lads with the forks do at halftime? Come out with a staple gun instead?

About 10 years ago QPR had a half grass, half 'fake' grass pitch (both fused together) - and that seemed to be OK

My thoughts are that if it can help the club raise additional revenue then it can only be a good thing. In terms of what the pitch is like to play on I don't know. Is it the same as the 3G pitches at the Link?

I know artificial pitches have come on in the last 20 years or so but for anyone that can testify, the black rubber bits get everywhere!

Plus although it maybe a novelty at first, who wouldn't want to play on the County Ground pitch. Although I would imagine the cost would have to be competitive with other local facilities to make a viable alternative.

3G pitches are awesome... not in the professional game though. I like the uncertainty of the conditions and stuff like that.

I agree, it adds something to the game.

In the old days at QPR and Oldham when we played there the bounce of the ball was unbelievable, it would bounce about twice the height to a grass pitch, the players also hated playing on them because of the friction burns causing a few players to wear leggings under their shorts.

Dont remember the mix at QPR of grass and plastic but it must help it but it does defeat the point of a plastic pitch somewhat as the teams mentioned want to cut down on upkeep of the pitches and possibly cutting down on the groundstaff as well to save on wages.

I personally dont want to see them come back if they are even a quarter as bad as they used to be.

Have you made this up?

Not sure I like the uncertainty. I play a lot of 5 a side, but when I played 11 a side for the first time in about 10 years a few weeks ago, I couldn't believe just how bobbly the surface was, it is a massive difference

Granted, but most top sides have pitches like bowling greens nowadays. It would probably only benefit teams further down the football ladder who don't have the resources to have pitches in mint condition.

and Gripfill........ :(

I think alot of modern pitches are a combination of real grass with synthetic fibres. Sure i have seen heard reports on it recently but i'm buggered if i can remember the club-clubs concerned.

Pretty certain the latest Wembley pitch was one of these combo jobs, havent heard any stories about the shit pitch there for a while so i assume its doing the job.

That's pretty different from a 100% astroturf pitch though.

I don't want these pitches back. It was a joke a few years ago when they had to dig up the plastic pitch in Moscow for the Champions League final, only to repace it with a grass pitch...and then after, they relaid a plastic pitch.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15965082

Interesting article