The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Plastic pitches ban ‘would help boost our game’
Aberdeen boss Jim Goodwin has called for artificial pitches to be outlawed from the Scottish top flight.
The Dons will play on the artificial surface at Livingston in Premiership action tonight.
Goodwin believes a grass pitch should be a criterion for playing in Scotland’s top flight.
Livingston and Kilmarnock both have artificial pitches.
In March 2019 the Professional Footballers Association, the players’ union, submitted a petition to the SPFL calling for plastic pitches to be axed.
Every player from the Premiership clubs with grass pitches called for artificial pitches to be scrapped in Scotland’s top flight.
Goodwin agrees and reckons the next step to improving the top flight is to axe artificial pitches.
He said: “I know Davie Martindale and the guys at Kilmarnock won’t be happy with me saying I don’t enjoy plastic pitches.
“We have made a lot of improvements in our game in Scotland such as the introduction of the play-off system and the top half splitting.
“Finding the finances for VAR has been good and puts us in line with some of the top European countries and leagues.
“Next on the agenda needs to be how do we get back to having grass pitches in the Premiership because there is no doubt the game is better when it is on a nice surface.”
Livingston boss Martindale recently said the artificial pitch saves his club £100,000-£150,000 a year on training facilities.
Goodwin believes a financial solution must be found to help clubs switch to grass.
He said: “I do understand Davie Martindale and I heard his comments at the weekend about how it benefits Livingston financially.
“But in the Premiership I don’t think there is any reason why we shouldn’t all have grass parks and that should be a remit.
“Hopefully at some point in the future we will have good-quality grass pitches throughout the league.
“And we will find that level of investment to make it happen.”