Premiership clubs to vote on banning plastic pitches with move now 'increasingly likely'

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Top flight clubs are set to vote on banning artificial pitches in the Scottish Premiership at next month’s SPFL general meeting, according to a report.The issue has been a hot debate and the Scottish Daily Mail say a resolution has been drawn up ahead of clubs next getting together at Hampden on April 24.Kilmarnock and Livingston are currently the only two top flight clubs but the Ayrshiremen plan on returning to a grass surface at Rugby Park by season 2025/26.

Promotion-chasing Championship duo Raith Rovers and Airdrie are the only two clubs in the Championship who play on plastic with 15 of the 20 clubs in the other two senior divisions all having synthetic surfaces which are a valuable source of income.The report states that “privately, there is an acceptance that a ban is now increasingly likely” but that Raith Rovers "harbour concerns" and “have joined forces with Livingston, Falkirk, Airdrieonians, Montrose, Cove Rangers and other lower-league teams with plastic pitches to try to find a compromise agreement”.The SPFL board haven’t yet made it clear if a 9-3 majority will carry the day or whether the issue needs an 11-1 majority to pass.Livi boss David Martindale said: “I’d rather have a grass park and if the authorities want to give us a couple of million then we’ll have one with undersoil heating and a separate training ground.“Realistically, it’d cost us between £2m-£3m.We’re paying for VAR and energy costs have increased.

Overall, we’re handing out £300,000-400,000 extra and our incoming revenue doesn’t match that. It’ll be five or 10 years before we can be where Kilmarnock are now.“We’re the only team in the Premiership that doesn’t own their stadium – the only licence we own is the one from the SFA – and since