artifical grass

[wilts rover]

Among all the treads moaning about the pitch and match being called off, with various solutions to it - I haven't seen anyone yet mention artifical grass. Saracens are trialling a new type of astroturf at their new ground and it seems to be going down very well, providing a more even playing surface with give in it, unlike the older astroturves but similar to grass. Surely this should be the way forward?

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-union/club-rugby/synthetic-pleasures-as-saracens-step-forward-into-a-brave-new-world-8498756.html

[donnyallday]

what would costs arrive at?

[RoversAlias]

I bet the cost of installing it would be worth it when weighed against the cost of maintaining the current turf. And I use the word turf loosely.

[dknward2]

Maybe worth looking at for next season but cost would be an issue maybe could get the fa to pay for it as a trail for other English clubs

[weststander]

Maybe worth looking at for next season but cost would be an issue maybe could get the fa to pay for it as a trail for other English clubs

Crikey if all English clubs used it a trail, it would wear away in next to no time 

[dknward2]

Sorry meant Trial oops lol

[normal rules]

Some football clubs in Europe installed synthetic surfaces in the 1980s, which were called "plastic pitches" (often derisively) in countries such as England. In England, several professional club venues had adopted them; QPR's Loftus Road, Luton Town's Kenilworth Road, Oldham Athletic's Boundary Park and Preston's Deepdale. QPR had been the first team to install an artificial pitch at their stadium in 1981, but were the first to remove it when they did so in 1988. The last team to have an artificial pitch in England was Preston North End, who ripped up their pitch in 1994 after eight years in use.

Turf gained a bad reputation on both sides of the Atlantic with fans and especially with players. The first Astro turfs were a far harder surface than grass, and soon became known as an unforgiving playing surface which was prone to cause more injuries, and in particular, more serious joint injuries, than would comparatively be suffered on a grass surface. This turf was also regarded as aesthetically unappealing to many fans.

In 1981, London football club Queens Park Rangers dug up its grass pitch and installed an artificial one. Others followed, and by the mid-1980s there were four artificial surfaces in operation in the English league. They soon became a national joke: the ball pinged round like it was made of rubber, the players kept losing their footing, and anyone who fell over risked carpet burns. Unsurprisingly, fans complained that the football was awful to watch and, one by one, the clubs returned to natural grass.[

[albie]

New generation 4G pitches are greatly improved on the previous astro surfaces, and cost about £500k to install. I am not sure if the sub-base to the Desso surface could be adapted, or would need to be replaced.

Widnes RL have one, and Everton reserves play there.
About 10 clubs in Scotland have them (Airdrie, Clyde, Forfar, Annan, Alloa, Montrose, Stenhousemuir among them), where they are funded from a "proceeds of crime" kitty for community facilities.

In England, Maidstone installed one in their new stadium last summer. Main problem seems to be the football authorities in England are not sure about them. The FA allow them in some competitions, but league rules mean that they have not been adopted in the pro game here yet.

They do need replacing every few years, depending on wear and tear, so it is not just a one off outlay.

[NathanDRFC]

Its coming. 3G & 4G approved pitches will be allowed in all leagues below the Conference next season. Its in the draft standard code of rules. This includes your local Leagues both junior and adult. As I understand the Conference's sticking point is that if their member clubs have it, then currently they would be refused promotion to the Football League. Still a bit of work to be done on that, but I would not be surprised if it did not come into the Football League within the next 3 years

[viking87]

Yeh 4G is great I heard





Sadly I'm stuck with 3G on this phone

[Sheepskin Stu]

I like my grass to be real.