REACTION

Scottish league bosses have vowed to listen to players’ concerns over artificial pitches – but stressed their inspections of the surfaces have been praised for their thoroughness.

PFA Scotland has delivered a petition signed by all players from nine top-flight clubs demanding plastic pitches be scrapped in the Ladbrokes Premiership.

The support of the nine clubs would be enough to amend the rules over playing surfaces as long as there was also a 75% vote in favour among Championship clubs and also the 20 clubs in the two lower leagues.

However, no club has approached the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) about changing the regulations.

An SPFL spokesperson said: “It’s very important that we listen to the views of players.

“It’s also important to note that every one of the artificial pitches used in the SPFL is independently inspected and certified by accredited Fifa experts to ensure it meets the very strict international quality and performance standards at the highest level set by Fifa.

“Whilst there will inevitably be ongoing debate on the relative merits of grass and artificial pitches, their use is approved by the SPFL and many other leagues and national associations all over the world and is sanctioned at all levels by the laws of football.

“Ultimately, this is a matter for SPFL clubs, but we have had no approaches from any such club to change the current rules or arrangements.

“We look forward to further dialogue with PFA Scotland on this important issue.”