Livingston announce a new playing surface to be laid ahead of 2025/26 season..

[Carheenlea]

..but it’s another plastic affair.

https://livingstonfc.co.uk/new-playing-surface-to-be-laid-ahead-of-2025-26-season/

If they are promoted, I think it’s safe to say they won’t be ripping it up again at the end of season to lay grass as we are led to believe is to be the stipulation for top flight clubs.

There will be appeals, pleads of financial hardships and the intentions to rid our top flight of such surfaces will not come to fruition.

Livingston must know they will not be forced to change their pitch in a years time should they have top flight status.

Strap in for industrial hoof-fests at Rugby Park, Falkirk and Livingston for the foreseeable future.

[NAE NOOKIE]

..but it’s another plastic affair.

https://livingstonfc.co.uk/new-playing-surface-to-be-laid-ahead-of-2025-26-season/

If they are promoted, I think it’s safe to say they won’t be ripping it up again at the end of season to lay grass as we are led to believe is to be the stipulation for top flight clubs.

There will be appeals, pleads of financial hardships and the intentions to rid our top flight of such surfaces will not come to fruition.

Livingston must know they will not be forced to change their pitch in a years time should they have top flight status.

Strap in for industrial hoof-fests at Rugby Park, Falkirk and Livingston for the foreseeable future.

To be fair, as has been said Falkirk's doesn't seem to be too bad, so if up to that standard perhaps we can live with it. As for Killie's that should have been ripped up years ago, an absolute disgrace it's in the top flight.

Anyway ... come on the Staggies.

[seanshow]

The are either not confident on winning in Dingwall tomorrow night :greengrin.

Or.....Tough sh*t the rule is in place at the start of the 26/27 season after having 2 years grace to prepare.

Livy will be ripping that plastic pitch back up again or not playing in the spl.

[Since452]

Let's hope it's in the Championship

[GreenCastle]

The are either not confident on winning in Dingwall tomorrow night :greengrin.

Or.....Tough sh*t the rule is in place at the start of the 26/27 season after having 2 years grace to prepare.

Livy will be ripping that plastic pitch back up again or not playing in the spl.

Nothing has been confirmed about 3G pitches.

It was delayed but even the Raith chairman was saying nothing has been decided yet so expect the artificial surfaces to stay.

[HendoDelivered]

Let's hope it's in the Championship

Yep

[cabbageandribs1875]

well done Livingston and good luck :agree:

[CentreForward]

One of my least favourite clubs so hope County beat them. Would have actually preferred Thistle to come up!

[bingo70]

Always think the Airdrie and Falkirk artificial pitches look pretty good and I’d guess are as good as some of the tattie fields we have to play on throughout the winter. Ross county and St Mirren’s pitches were shocking in the winter (st Mirren’s was excellent a few weeks ago tbf) so I’m not sure it’s as black and white as grass = good and Astro = bad. The Kilmarnock and Livi pitches recently have looked like the Luton one from the 80s/90s though and in Livi’s case, I struggled to even see the ball for much of the game due to the shine coming off the pitch.

[Renfrew_Hibby]

I don't think plastic pitches in the top flight are going away anytime soon unfortunately.
Raith who aspire for promotion, have recently said they will be replacing their current pitch as the one they have is now worn out. They have stated that a return to natural grass is simply a non starter as it would mean the loss of a vital and critical revenue stream.
They are still actively planning for a promotion challenge in 25/26 but will be in no position or have any desire to replace a newly laid artificial pitch with natural grass next year, the year after that or the year after that.
Basically they are here to stay. Hopefully they will continue to improve over time.

[Renfrew_Hibby]

I remember 2 or 3 years ago Jimmy Bullard going up to Livingston to do the crossbar challenge for Soccer AM.
They filmed it in the stadium and he genuinely couldn't believe the state of the pitch and that players were expected to play on it. He said he'd never seen anything like it, anywhere!

[Gatecrasher]

How can Ayr, Partick and Ross County have nice pitches but livi and raith can't? There can't be that much difference in the size of the clubs, county being in the premier aside.

Livi really are the turd that won't flush.

[Donegal Hibby]

The rules are the rules .. for to long some of these pitches have made the game look amateurish . If they want to stick with them then fair enough but not in the top flight.

Mon the Staggies

[bingo70]

How can Ayr, Partick and Ross County have nice pitches but livi and raith can't? There can't be that much difference in the size of the clubs, county being in the premier aside.

Livi really are the turd that won't flush.

Ross county pitch isn’t nice. It’s a mud bath in the winter.

Livingston academy use the stadium, if they get a grass pitch they’d need to find/build a facility for them to use.

[andrew70]

Ross county pitch isn’t nice. It’s a mud bath in the winter.

Livingston academy use the stadium, if they get a grass pitch they’d need to find/build a facility for them to use.

Like most other clubs? I get the need for artificial pitches but top level football just shouldn’t be played on them.

[GreenCastle]

The rules are the rules .. for to long some of these pitches have made the game look amateurish . If they want to stick with them then fair enough but not in the top flight.

Mon the Staggies

The whole point is there is no rule saying pitches are changing anytime soon.

Right now there are no really specific pitch regulations / standards about quality of grass or 3G.

[Cammy]

Not sure if I've missed something but the last update on the plastic pitches I can see was from the article below which will ban them after next season in the premier league, it was voted through. Has there been something official since then that makes people think the artificial pitches will be around after that?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cn0042w514do#:~:text=Scottish%20Premiership%20club s%20have%20voted%20to%20ban%20artificial,with%20ni ne%20votes%20required%20for%20it%20to%20pass.

[Donegal Hibby]

The whole point is there is no rule saying pitches are changing anytime soon.

Right now there are no really specific pitch regulations / standards about quality of grass or 3G.

No but they have been banned from top flight football after this season , have they not?

[Carheenlea]

So three plastic pitches in the Premier League next season.

The league is now considerably poorer losing St Johnstone and Ross County to be replaced by Falkirk and Livingston. Throw in Falkirk’s three sided ground and it’s all looking a bit Mickey Mouse.

[B.H.F.C]

So three plastic pitches in the Premier League next season.

The league is now considerably poorer losing St Johnstone and Ross County to be replaced by Falkirk and Livingston. Throw in Falkirk’s three sided ground and it’s all looking a bit Mickey Mouse.

The caveat to that would be that Falkirk will carry a bigger support than both going down. And watching Ross County tonight, they certainly won’t be a loss football wise.

Will miss the St Johnstone pies though.

[Mcbizz1998]

But they will need a grass pitch for 26/27 season? Are they planning on being relegated next season?

[Carheenlea]

The caveat to that would be that Falkirk will carry a bigger support than both going down. And watching Ross County tonight, they certainly won’t be a loss football wise.

Will miss the St Johnstone pies though.

And their great family ticket deals.

The Steak and Haggis pies at Dingwall will be sorely missed also.

[GreenCastle]

But they will need a grass pitch for 26/27 season? Are they planning on being relegated next season?

Nothing has been confirmed yet about grass pitches.

Killie were due to go to grass but Falkirk and Livingston (new pitch for next season) are staying 3G.

Thibk it’s all wishful thinking.

I personally just want a good surface to watch football and some grass pitches have been awful so the league need pitch standards like the EPL.

[SChibs]

Is it really going to be worse than St Johnstones pitch? It was awful for most of the stadium and games of 'industrial hoof ball' was basically all you could play on it

[Cammy]

Nothing has been confirmed yet about grass pitches.

Killie were due to go to grass but Falkirk and Livingston (new pitch for next season) are staying 3G.

Thibk it’s all wishful thinking.

I personally just want a good surface to watch football and some grass pitches have been awful so the league need pitch standards like the EPL.

You’ve said this several times. It was decided on through a vote and comes in season 26/27, what makes you believe otherwise?

[B.H.F.C]

And their great family ticket deals.

The Steak and Haggis pies at Dingwall will be sorely missed also.

Aye forgot about the pricing at St Johnstone. And the availability of tickets is plenty. Falkirk going to be another scramble as away allocation only going to be 900.

[B.H.F.C]

You’ve said this several times. It was decided on through a vote and comes in season 26/27, what makes you believe otherwise?

I think there was talk of a legal challenge on it. And Livi spending money to put down a new pitch is a bit odd if they need to rip it up in a year.

[Cammy]

I think there was talk of a legal challenge on it. And Livi spending money to put down a new pitch is a bit odd if they need to rip it up in a year.

Thanks, I haven’t seen or heard anything about that. Would be interesting to see what, if any, legal argument they have when a vote was carried.

[B.H.F.C]

Thanks, I haven’t seen or heard anything about that. Would be interesting to see what, if any, legal argument they have when a vote was carried.

I’m sure it was the Falkirk CEO or Chairman I heard talking about it, prior to them getting promoted.

[Donegal Hibby]

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/seven-spfl-clubs-challenge-scottish-34055080

[Cammy]

I’m sure it was the Falkirk CEO or Chairman I heard talking about it, prior to them getting promoted.

I see this now, still can’t see it being changed.

https://www.falkirkherald.co.uk/sport/football/falkirk-fc/falkirk-ceo-provides-update-on-pitch-row-with-spfl-5122817

[Donegal Hibby]

Problem with artificial pitches like Kilmarnock’s and Livingston’s is probably everyone is playing on them and they are overused and not getting renewed when they should because they are then being used as an advantage to them .

I don’t think anyone would argue both Killie and livi’s pitch were both well past there sell by dates for a lengthy period now which in turn I would imagine increases the risk of injury to players.I think there’s also a health issue with them as well …

https://cleanwater.org/2024/09/16/turf-artificial-harm-very-real

I think Livi renewing one is basically them putting up two fingers at the majority of clubs that don’t want them in the top flight .

[NAE NOOKIE]

Well, whatever Livvi come up with we will be playing on it next season after tonight's outcome.

Congratulations to them and congratulations to the folk who actually turn out to support them every week, they deserve to see their club do well just as much as us or fans of any other club, whether you are one of 1,500 on a Saturday or one of 60,000 doesn't matter.

What Livvi bring to the league is a different matter. As it stands a terrible pitch, an away support that brings next to nothing to the coffers of the other clubs, or to the atmosphere within their stadiums. I do not question their right to be in the top league, but that doesn't mean I can't be disappointed about how little they will bring to it on a number of levels that matter to an attractive and successful product.

Perhaps a good starting point would be to create a camera platform on the other side of the stadium, so that when they play teams outside of the big 5 it doesn't look like there's less than 1000 folk in the ground .... something that does absolutely nothing for the image of our league.

[Mcbizz1998]

Nothing has been confirmed yet about grass pitches.

Killie were due to go to grass but Falkirk and Livingston (new pitch for next season) are staying 3G.

Thibk it’s all wishful thinking.

I personally just want a good surface to watch football and some grass pitches have been awful so the league need pitch standards like the EPL.

They voted on it. Need to all be grass by 26/27.

I know there is a legal challenge but Livi must be pretty confident in it if they are prepared to lay a new artificial pitch for potentially 1 season. Seems odd.

[GreenCastle]

They voted on it. Need to all be grass by 26/27.

I know there is a legal challenge but Livi must be pretty confident in it if they are prepared to lay a new artificial pitch for potentially 1 season. Seems odd.

The latest Raith statement on page 21 says they are still awaiting Premier League clarification on pitches. But it does say they will try get funding ti help with pitch which is fine obviously if helps community but majority other clubs in league don’t do that with grass pitches.

With now 3 pitches it’s even more challenging if all stay up - but chances are 1 or 2 out of 3 will possibly go down.

https://www.raithrovers.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/RRFC_Strategy_25-26-1_compressed.pdf

[Bushwoof]

As someone else has already said, Falkirk's plastic pitch is several levels up from Livi's current abomination. Watching the Falkirk game on TV you couldn't tell it was plastic, either from the general look or the way the ball behaved. So while I'd still prefer to see grass everywhere, if Livi can match Falkirk that it's not such a big concern, and a good plastic pitch is surely better than a mudpatch.

[Bridge hibs]

I see hearts have started preparing their pitch for next season 28837

[SunshineOnLeith]

My main problem with Livi's pitch was always that people used it to slate all plastic pitches, when the truth was it was just an awful plastic pitch. If they replace it with a good one I'm not too bothered, and I'd prefer that to a badly maintained 'grass' pitch in February.