Why is our pitch so bad?

Many will agree with you. I’d ask how many games you’ve seen on 4G over the past few years?

ive probably seen about 100, all but 1 I dont think I’d notice it wasn’t on grass.

lower league clubs really could benefit. There’s football played day and evening bringing cash into the clubs, some non league clubs have 4 matches on the pitch over a weekend. Training sessions every night, 6 a side etc. A real community bonus with no real depredation in football quality.

 

I’ve played on them when I used to play Saturdays a couple of years ago. Trust me it’s a totally different game.

That’s true, lower league clubs could benefit from the additional funds off midweek 6 aside games or the local community booking out the pitches etc, but other businesses will suffer. In my area we have full size pitches at dearne valley college and dearne high school. Both booked out all the time.

 

Id assume you’ve not played on the latest high spec 4G then. There’s no comparison to general use. There won’t be much point in trying to change anyone’s mind though it seems, there’s a feeling they are rubbish, that’s that. The end

To believe that a lower league club would “take business” from elsewhere is a reason for not having one isn’t a reasonable position though surely, in the instance you quote would Barnsley (Let’s say if we had one) really take business from lads having a kick around at dearneside?

 

Yes I have played on the 4G pitches. I believe the one at manvers is now 4G.

But I get the feeling you won’t budge on this one so we’ll have to agree to disagree.

 

My last 11-a-side game was at Boundary Park, Oldham, in February 1991. They had an "artificial" pitch then (early days). Was quite an experience, ball bounced unbelievably high: you had to make sure you won the header from the punt - otherwise, if the ball bounced, it was complete mayhem. Other aspect was that the plastic was sanded so you came off with so much sand on your forehead it felt like you'd been laid on a beach in a sandstorm ! But, then again, I am rsther ancient

 

4G PITCHES

Fourth Generation (4G) surfaces consist of one element: synthetic turf. These surfaces are still in the early stage of development and are designed to eliminate the requirement for any infill products, whilst still meeting all the performance and testing requirements required by the sporting governing bodies. This is a relatively new innovation to the market which struggles to meet performance testing and safety standards over a long period of time compared to 2G and 3G systems.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 3G AND 4G

The main difference between 3G and 4G surfaces is that 3G pitches contain infill, whilst 4G systems do not. 3G pitches are the latest to be recognised by any accredited governing body. Therefore, you will only find 3G pitches as being publically endorsed by sports teams or influencers.

 

I used to play on old school AstroTurf every week when I was at uni in Sheffield. Once you got used to it, it was fine, especially for Uni level games. But under no circumstances should professional football ever have been played on it! However, the newer artificial surfaces I've seen look absolutely superb as technology has inevitably moved on. And yes, the sand on the old skool pitches was indeed completely bizarre!

 

Many of the top teams now use the Desso Grassmaster pitches and they hold up far better. We should defo move with the times and switch to one.

Benefits of still having a natural grass pitch but with the added stability of the artificial fibres put into the soil.

Chelsea, Man Utd, Liverpool, Villa, Arsenal, Newcastle, Everton all have them and they look and play excellent.

 

Bit of a link between those clubs you've mentioned.

Wembley is a Desso too.

 

Tranmere have one too.

 

Yes, completely funded by their Indonesian backers, at the height of the pandemic as they were laying off staff left right and centre.

 

They've got a wealthy backer, and they opted for Keith Hill? Christ.

 

thought under 23 was half grass. half artificial, because it was always waterlogged.if so you'd have thought they do main pitch too

 

Didn’t realise they cost £500k - 1M to install! Jesus.

 

And more if you need one down ASAP, in the middle of winter and in the middle of a pandemic etc...... like Swansea......Crazy money.

 

Donny and Wednesday have desso, we'll catch up soon.

 

The argument against playing on artificial pitches because of tradition is a bit of an odd one. When I was a kid pretty much every ground in the country looked like the Somme.

 

While I still don't know exactly what all that means (what's infill?) at least I'm no longer scratching my head wondering how you can play football on a mobile phone connection.

 

All w@nkers?

 

you are right, 500k is about the going rate for a starting point

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