OLD-STYLE THINKING MUST BE PUT OUT TO GRASS

SUTTON United’s decision to scrap their 3G surface if they win promotion is a victory for the EFL – but must not signal the end of the ‘plastic pitch’ debate.

Artificial grass has been outlawed in England’s professional ranks since 1995 and a vote by EFL clubs in November upheld the ban.

Plans for a fresh ballot in June were then abandoned after a secret poll of PFA members revealed 94 per cent were against 3G pitches.

All of which left Sutton in a miserable position should they win promotion: rip up their pitch at a cost of £300,000 or reject a place in the EFL and suffer relegation to Step 6 as an added punishment.

Reluctantly, they will lay grass in the event of play-off success.

Many will argue that Sutton knew the rules before they installed their plastic pitch in 2015. This is true, but the issue is more about ethics than regulations.

Sutton’s pitch is used by 1,000 members of the community every week, from soccer schools to disabled sides. Alongside turning a modest profit, the connection and engagement has doubled gates.

When Arsenal and Alexis Sanchez arrived for an FA Cup tie last season, kids played on the very same turf just hours later. It doesn’t get more inspirational than that.

Do the Premier League and EFL really care about grassroots and community engagement? Or only when it suits them?

Think, too, of the waterlogged pitches and postponed games that so devastate the cash-flow of lower league sides. Or the 500,000 precious pounds that Rochdale recently spent on relaying Spotland to satisfy a whining Spurs.

Blows like this can cost jobs and imperil firms. Is that acceptable when an alternative is available?

Of course, the beauty of the game must be respected. But too much of the resistance is founded on myth and half-truth.

Among PFA members, the chief concern was an increased risk of injury. Yet there isn’t a single shred of evidence to suggest 3G is any more dangerous than grass.

Some claim plastic encourages direct football, yet Arsenal proved perfectly capable of knocking it around at Ostersunds this season. Go to a game on 3G and, after a while, I bet you won’t even notice.

Ultimately, we all prefer to watch players on grass. That’s the game we love. But aesthetic concerns should not take precedence over the survival of football clubs or the health of communities.

It may come too late for Sutton. But, as 3G improves, the game’s elite must have a rethink.