The right pitch

摘要

Clubs and officials from the Football League were due to meet this week to resume the controversial debate over whether they should be able to replace natural turf pitches in the UK with synthetic surfaces. Artificial turf was banned on competition-level pitches in the UK in 1988 due to the level of complaints over the severity of injuries and the poor playability of the pitches. But with improvements in surface production and maintenance techniques, lower-level league clubs are keen to see them implemented again, citing lower running costs and income-generating potential through community hire schemes as justification. More than 70 clubs attended a meeting in November to discuss the ban, which to be overturned would require a majority vote from League and Championship members.