Sutton Uniteds promotion push - pitch update

[Haruki]

Originally Posted by Todd Sweeney

Professional football should be played on grass in my opinion, and personally I hope that the EFL don't accept 3G in the future.

I've been to watch Wrexham at places like Sutton with 3G pitches and it is just not the same. The variations provided by different grass pitches in different weather conditions are a huge part of the game.

100% agree with this. I was at Sutton away and the pitch played a factor in the result of the game, Manny Smith got caught out for Sutton's goal by the un natural bounce of the ball.
Personally i hope these surfaces are never allowed in the football league and football is continued to be played on grass

[moynkeepthefaith]

Originally Posted by Junior Shabadoo

They are using the proper due process but there's also a PR battle to be won against the luddites; you don't do that without going public. Plus they are prepared - they've literally just announced their plans. I'm not sure what the hypothetical reaction of our fans has to do with it.

Why Luddites ? This is a rule agreed on by the football league. Are they all luddites ? The luddites were a minority group. I have stated on here before that I have watched both Wrexham and the lad play on 3/4g surfaces and ,for me, it was a different game.

[RemovedUser]

Originally Posted by Junior Shabadoo

Essentially saying that football should be played only on grass because the pitches are worse! Plenty of detractors argue that they give home teams an advantage but this argument is that variation is ok - contradictory arguments. I'm not sure what kind of argument it is that football is "not the same" on 3G is, it's a vague concept rather than a meaningful point, although it carries weight in the game for some reason.

You are obviously very passionately in favour of synthetic playing surfaces for Football and I think you have made your case very clearly.

Why don't you take your passion direct to the EFL?....they are the ones who can change their rules. Not us, nor I would guess, our Club.

[Junior Shabadoo]

Originally Posted by moynkeepthefaith

Why Luddites ? This is a rule agreed on by the football league. Are they all luddites ? The luddites were a minority group. I have stated on here before that I have watched both Wrexham and the lad play on 3/4g surfaces and ,for me, it was a different game.

I've watched plenty of games on both too. I think the idea that the game is different is overstated anyway but even if you accept this there is considerably more difference between a February mud bath and a good quality grass surface and yet this is considered part of the game. All you can ever ask is for consistency which these surfaces always provide. An artificial surface is put under scrutiny in a way that a grass surface never is, and blackballed for reasons a grass pitch never would be. The argument against them flip flops all over the place and the reason you can label those against them as luddites is because their arguments are so inconsistent and lazy.

[Junior Shabadoo]

Originally Posted by Redrobinman

You are obviously very passionately in favour of synthetic playing surfaces for Football and I think you have made your case very clearly.

Why don't you take your passion direct to the EFL?....they are the ones who can change their rules. Not us, nor I would guess, our Club.

The thread was started here, not at the EFL. The people at Sutton are taking this to the EFL more so than a random from a Wrexham messageboard - if they listened to us we'd have got our ten points back.

[cynprifathro]

Some posters need to get real! Sutton United are a forward thinking non-league club with a good team, management and governance. Rest assured, that club will aim to do the right thing to secure promotion to the EFL should it be achieved.

[krux]

Originally Posted by Junior Shabadoo

Why?

Because they are better quality, more resilient grass pitches. Therefore improvements in playing surface is achieved without going down the artificial route.

[krux]

Originally Posted by Junior Shabadoo

I've watched plenty of games on both too. I think the idea that the game is different is overstated anyway but even if you accept this there is considerably more difference between a February mud bath and a good quality grass surface and yet this is considered part of the game. All you can ever ask is for consistency which these surfaces always provide. An artificial surface is put under scrutiny in a way that a grass surface never is, and blackballed for reasons a grass pitch never would be. The argument against them flip flops all over the place and the reason you can label those against them as luddites is because their arguments are so inconsistent and lazy.

Those pitches are unacceptable too.

[Junior Shabadoo]

Originally Posted by krux

Those pitches are unacceptable too.

They aren't policed and never will be. So perfectly consistent pitches with reliability of use shouldn't be. The hybrid pitches may be better but that doesn't mean that's where the cut off should be. And as the cut off doesn't extend to ploughed fields there's no justification to apply that cut off anywhere else.