Express 3G Article Link

[harryhaddock]

Here's the article, hot off the press:

www.express.co.uk/sport/football/462909/EXCLUSIVE-Plastic-pitches-set-to-return-to-English-football

In summary, change of rules to allow in the FA Cup next season likely. Article discusses that this may lead to Conference changing its opinion, but nothing solid as yet.

[pat1969]

Great article.

[binsey]

It states fa cup but not league, there was an article in the times weeks ago so its old news However its more public now and of course good news

[rootsy]

Allowing FA Cup games opens the possibility up for League sides to consider 3G as a serious option. The likes of Wycombe etc who have all shown an interest may now pursue this further which will force the Conference into action.

Let's wait and see what the Confers announce today, I guess it will be as of next season which wouldn't be a bad thing. Lets take stock of this season and build over the summer for a serious promotion assault.

[ontheup]

But the point is, it states a conference board member saying they were waiting for guidance from above before giving the green light.....is that not a green light to simply give clubs the choice?

[russc]

Mar 4, 2014 7:11:17 GMT ontheup said:

But the point is, it states a conference board member saying they were waiting for guidance from above before giving the green light.....is that not a green light to simply give clubs the choice?

By guidance from above they probably meant that they are looking for divine intervention from the supreme supernatural entity on high...aka the Premier League

[dovergooner]

The FA's endorsement is great news for you guys, & other clubs thinking of following suit. To me, this almost makes the conference's current stance flaky at best.
Good luck with it!!

[ontheup]

As ever Dovergooner, your comments are always welcome......seen you've made a pretty big signing yourself !

[dovergooner]

Yeah, I always worry about players that have had more clubs than Peter Stringfellow. But I will give him a clean slate to start with.

[islandstone]

Dovergooner, check your pm ol'bean. Ta.

[rootsy]

Another club going for 3G www.isthmian.co.uk/historic-vote-ends-thirty-year-wait-for-dream-home-18734/

[steveh21]

Interesting phrase and choice of words used in the official Ryman review of Saturday's matches. 'Unclear' does not mean we definitely cannot compete in the play-offs?


The race for the play-offs currently sees Bognor Regis Town and AFC Hornchurch occupy the other top five spots, but with Maidstone`s situation unclear, Lowestoft Town and Kingstonian – currently sixth and seventh respectively – are far from out of it.

[ontheup]

So the FA have confirmed that 3G pitches will be allowed in all rounds of the FA Cup next season, this is of course confirmation of the Express reports.

But of course, the FA are the ones who say we can't compete in the play offs.

[steveh21]

www.express.co.uk/sport/football/466583/Sports-Minister-Helen-Grant-calls-for-change-in-rules-over-3G-pitches

[tooloow]

A couple of comments on BBC Sportsday Live (http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/26418546)

12:16


The Football Association allows all-weather 3G pitches to be used in each round of the FA Cup from next season.

Current FA Cup rules do not allow the synthetic surfaces to be used after the First Round Proper.

"We're delighted that The FA Cup committee and the professional game board have approved this rule change, as recommended by The FA board," says FA general secretary Alex Horne.

"Clubs are increasingly seeing the benefits of using 3G surfaces across the football pyramid and clubs who play on those surfaces can now retain home advantage in the competition."

13:25


Former Southampton striker Iain Dowie speaks to BBC 5 live about the FA's decision to allow synthetic pitches in the FA Cup next season: "Both my lads play and the standard of some of the pitches are an outrage. It's about time, if we're not committing any money onto proper grass pitches, you can play on 3G all the time. Why not? It helps lads technique, non league clubs would have another income stream and I think it would swell the base because more kids would be involved in it."