Rugby Park Pitch

[Carheenlea]

Borderline unplayable.

One wrong slip and you could see a player out for months.

[Trinity Hibee]

These just shouldn’t be allowed in the top league

[Gatecrasher]

Are plastic pitches not banned after this season anyway? And I'm sure killie are going back to a grass pitch regardless.

[GreenCastle]

Grass next season for them.

Livi have an issue if they get promoted as need to change pitch I think.

[Donegal Hibby]

There’s no way that pitch should be allowed this season in the top flight . A real risk to players.

[gordie18]

I’ve no idea why they were allowed to play European football on that, disgrace of a surface!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Up-the-slope]

good decision to ban them - I think Killie had announced they were removing even before league decision

[Unseen work]

It’s the fact it’s not even a good 4g surface

I’ve played on loads that are actually pretty good, that things looks like it has absolutely no upkeep and is dry as anything

[JimBHibees]

It’s the fact it’s not even a good 4g surface

I’ve played on loads that are actually pretty good, that things looks like it has absolutely no upkeep and is dry as anything

Agree their pitch looks horrific

[Jim44]

Rudi was made to look stupid today because of the dangerous state of that midden. I thought it was really unfair that even folk on here were blaming him for poor play.

[Carheenlea]

Grass next season for them.

Livi have an issue if they get promoted as need to change pitch I think.

Changed their plans and are now saying it will be the season after next before they change it.

Plastic again next season.

[JimBHibees]

Changed their plans and are now saying it will be the season after next before they change it.

Plastic again next season.

Probably realise how much of an advantage it is

[Donegal Hibby]

Really is making the top flight football in Scotland look amateurish like the referees and VAR decisions are doing…

Killie will be delighted about it though as it suits the way they play and gives them a big advantage at home .

[Billy Whizz]

Changed their plans and are now saying it will be the season after next before they change it.

Plastic again next season.

I thought new rules kicked in from next season?

[Carheenlea]

I thought new rules kicked in from next season?

I thought so too, but the report informs it’s the season after next as well.
Plenty time to push that back too I guess should it takes their fancy.

[Billy Whizz]

I thought so too, but the report informs it’s the season after next as well.
Plenty time to push that back too I guess should it takes their fancy.

We just have to hope Falkirk and either Livvi or Raith don’t get up at the end of this season

[Paulie Walnuts]

If it’s as big an advantage as some claim why don’t we get one?

[GreenCastle]

If it’s as big an advantage as some claim why don’t we get one?

Well they are making top league teams move to grass ?

Next season it could easily be Killie and Falkirk with the 3g surface.

[flash]

If it’s as big an advantage as some claim why don’t we get one?

If we ever did that would be the end for me.

We are a hard enough watch on grass.

[JohnM1875]

If it’s as big an advantage as some claim why don’t we get one?

Because we're not a tinpot team? You could argue results suggest otherwise though eh!

It definitely is an advantage. Doidge said as much on a podcast after his loan spell.

Last season home vs away for them;

Home - played 19 won 10 drew 5 lost 4
Away - played 19 won 4 drew 9 lost 6

I get most teas will have a better home record, but that's more than most.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Because we're not a tinpot team? You could argue results suggest otherwise though eh!

It definitely is an advantage. Doidge said as much on a podcast after his loan spell.

Last season home vs away for them;

Home - played 19 won 10 drew 5 lost 4
Away - played 19 won 4 drew 9 lost 6

I get most teas will have a better home record, but that's more than most.

I think your first point was more where I was going with this :greengrin

I’m not suggesting we do it, but have we missed a trick by not doing it? If it’s as big an advantage as were lead to believe we could have been looking at so much more success over the last decade had we had a plastic pitch.

We’ve been dreadful for so long, and dreadful to watch, that it feels like we’d have been as well changing to one to at least receive the perceived advantage teams that have one get.

[nonshinyfinish]

We just have to hope Falkirk and either Livvi or Raith don’t get up at the end of this season

If the rule change (whenever it kicks in) has already been voted through then I don't think it matters if teams with plastic pitches get promoted. Just their existence in the league won't stop the rule coming in to force – they would need to get a new vote through, presumably by a 9–3 margin.

[Jock O]

From todays BBC gossip column coincidentally. I wouldn't soil my computer by opening the Mail to get full story but assume that is moistly clubs from lower leagues?

Seven SPFL clubs are challenging a ban on artificial pitches in the Premiership, which is scheduled to start by mid-2026. (Mail) (https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-14049345/Lower-league-clubs-threaten-legal-battle-Premiership-ban-plastic-pitches.html)

[GreenCastle]

From todays BBC gossip column coincidentally. I wouldn't soil my computer by opening the Mail to get full story but assume that is moistly clubs from lower leagues?

Seven SPFL clubs are challenging a ban on artificial pitches in the Premiership, which is scheduled to start by mid-2026. (Mail) (https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-14049345/Lower-league-clubs-threaten-legal-battle-Premiership-ban-plastic-pitches.html)

Killie
Raith
Falkirk
Livingston
Hamilton
Montrose ?
Kelty ?

[StevieT]

Killie
Raith
Falkirk
Livingston
Hamilton
Montrose ?
Kelty ?

Both Montrose and Forfar have artificial pitches and both are heavily used by the Community Trusts (I play walking football on Links Park every Monday night as an example). I'm not sure if the changes will need to be applied down to this level, but if it does then there will be a big hit on the local communities. You could argue either way as to whether or not this is important.

[Jock O]

Both Montrose and Forfar have artificial pitches and both are heavily used by the Community Trusts (I play walking football on Links Park every Monday night as an example). I'm not sure if the changes will need to be applied down to this level, but if it does then there will be a big hit on the local communities. You could argue either way as to whether or not this is important.

I thought the ban was just for top league?

[tamig]

We just have to hope Falkirk and either Livvi or Raith don’t get up at the end of this season

The cynic may suggest that that wouldn’t really affect us 😳

[nonshinyfinish]

I thought the ban was just for top league?

It is. The clubs that are protesting are presumably doing so on the basis that it would cause them problems in the event of promotion to the Premiership.

[PHeffernan]

It is. The clubs that are protesting are presumably doing so on the basis that it would cause them problems in the event of promotion to the Premiership.

Falkirk look most likely to be promoted this season and their artificial pitch was renewed only 15 months ago.
It looks a big improvement on the ones that Killie and Livingston have which appear well past their use by date. Falkirk shouldn't be bullyed into ripping up an expensive new pitch unless Cellik want to pay for the replacement.

It would be fairer for artificial pitches in the top league to be ripped up and replaced by grass when they fall below a certain standard as the Killie and Livi ones appear to have been for some time.

[Moulin Yarns]

Falkirk look most likely to be promoted this season and their artificial pitch was renewed only 15 months ago.
It looks a big improvement on the ones that Killie and Livingston have which appear well past their use by date. Falkirk shouldn't be bullyed into ripping up an expensive new pitch unless Cellik want to pay for the replacement.

It would be fairer for artificial pitches in the top league to be ripped up and replaced by grass when they fall below a certain standard as the Killie and Livi ones appear to have been for some time.

Falkirk stadium is council owned, I suspect there conditions for use to allow public use as well.

[Hibeesforever]

Falkirk stadium is council owned, I suspect there conditions for use to allow public use as well.

A fair point, although there is no way that councils should be dictating premier league policy.

[DH1875]

I get confused as don't understand it really but is our pitch not something like 60% artificial? I know it's a hybrid pitch which is very common (think most EPL sides have one, as well as Wembley) but pretty sure they aren't just made from grass.

[Paulie Walnuts]

I get confused as don't understand it really but is our pitch not something like 60% artificial? I know it's a hybrid pitch which is very common (think most EPL sides have one, as well as Wembley) but pretty sure they aren't just made from grass.

Yeah we have a hybrid pitch. Hybrid pitches are about 10% arrifivial at most. Unless there’s been some recent advancements anyway. Pretty sure ours is the type where artificial fibres are stitched into the grass. If that’s the case then ours will be about 5% artificial.

Would suspect near enough every team at a level above ours will have a hybrid pitch.

[hibstag]

A fair point, although there is no way that councils should be dictating premier league policy.

I don’t think they are Falkirk should have their own ground and the cost associated with that then surely.
As they are renting they’ll have no issue with taking their 1500 fans to stenhousemuir to suit their obligations to play on grass

[Renfrew_Hibby]

Yeah we have a hybrid pitch. Hybrid pitches are about 10% arrifivial at most. Unless there’s been some recent advancements anyway. Pretty sure ours is the type where artificial fibres are stitched into the grass. If that’s the case then ours will be about 5% artificial.

Would suspect near enough every team at a level above ours will have a hybrid pitch.

Everton have just started putting fibres into the ground at the new stadium. This video shows them laying them a couple of days ago.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=g8OAyC1Tor4&pp=ygUPZXZlcnRvbiBzdGFkaXVt

[.Sean.]

It is. The clubs that are protesting are presumably doing so on the basis that it would cause them problems in the event of promotion to the Premiership.
Well that’s just their tough tits. This is going to sound harsh as but if a club who find themselves in the top league can’t function without the need to rent their guff plastic pitch out to pensioners and children they should cut their cloth accordingly and find their rightful place in the seaside leagues where they belong. Artificial surfaces in the top league have been an embarrassment for long enough

[GreenCastle]

Well that’s just their tough tits. This is going to sound harsh as but if a club who find themselves in the top league can’t function without the need to rent their guff plastic pitch out to pensioners and children they should cut their cloth accordingly and find their rightful place in the seaside leagues where they belong. Artificial surfaces in the top league have been an embarrassment for long enough

Teams like Hibs spend money on the pitch to improve and maintain it.

Teams like Livingston get grants through community foundations to install a pitch.

I’m all for helping the local community etc but doesn’t really feel right when teams like Hibs are using money generated to drive standards and other clubs are using their funded pitches to charge people to use it. I guess that’s how clubs like Spartans also bring money back into the club renting pitch out for cup finals and international youth games etc.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Teams like Hibs spend money on the pitch to improve and maintain it.

Teams like Livingston get grants through community foundations to install a pitch.

I’m all for helping the local community etc but doesn’t really feel right when teams like Hibs are using money generated to drive standards and other clubs are using their funded pitches to charge people to use it. I guess that’s how clubs like Spartans also bring money back into the club renting pitch out for cup finals and international youth games etc.

No issue with that for me.

If you can find someone willing to pay for your pitch and then willing to let you rent it out and keep the money then fair play to you. I don’t think clubs should be criticised for finding ways to make money.

I suppose the argument again could be that there’s nothing to stop Hibs going and getting a plastic pitch and doing the same. Just because we don’t want to it shouldn’t mean others can’t.

[Moulin Yarns]

https://www.falkirk.gov.uk/places/hire/falkirk-stadium.aspx

https://www.falkirkfc.co.uk/booking-and-hire/

So it looks like Falkirk gets income from pitch rental and the council from the rest.

[Carheenlea]

While I’m glad they installed a good quality hybrid surface, I was always surprised Hearts never went down the plastic pitch route.

The Craig Levein style of footballing philosophy coupled with a plastic surface of such tight dimensions as Tynecastle would have given them a huge home advantage.

[easty]

No issue with that for me.

If you can find someone willing to pay for your pitch and then willing to let you rent it out and keep the money then fair play to you. I don’t think clubs should be criticised for finding ways to make money.

I suppose the argument again could be that there’s nothing to stop Hibs going and getting a plastic pitch and doing the same. Just because we don’t want to it shouldn’t mean others can’t.

Agree with this.

There’s not so much money kicking about in Scottish football that some clubs can turn their noses up at ways like this to save money.

[PHeffernan]

Well that’s just their tough tits. This is going to sound harsh as but if a club who find themselves in the top league can’t function without the need to rent their guff plastic pitch out to pensioners and children they should cut their cloth accordingly and find their rightful place in the seaside leagues where they belong. Artificial surfaces in the top league have been an embarrassment for long enough

It does make you sound like a Celgers fan for example complaining about diddy teams like Hibs not selling them tickets when we can't even sell out three sides of our stadium for games against them.

I agree plastic pitches should be binned from the top flight with established clubs like Kilmarnock not allowed to install another one but the likes of Falkirk shouldn't have to bin a 2 year old pitch because wealthier teams don't like them.
As I said previously if Celtic with their millions in the bank want to pay for the promoted club to replace their expensive pitch that's all well and good.

[Bristolhibby]

We just have to hope Falkirk and either Livvi or Raith don’t get up at the end of this season

We will pass them on the way down so won’t really matter.

J