Gary Brabin can envisage the return of ‘plastic pitches’ in English football within the next ten years.
The Luton Town boss was responding to comments by Football League chief operating officer Andy Williamson who announced this week that there is a “clear appetite” among some of his members for the use of artificial surfaces.
The Hatters were one of the few clubs who had an Astroturf pitch before they were banned in all top four divisions in 1995, but they have since been sanctioned by FIFA, UEFA and are used in many countries.
The issue has come up after a cold snap which laid waste to whole swathes of football fixtures up and down the country, including Town’s trips to Kidderminster and Forest Green Rovers.
Brabin said: “I genuinely can see that something like that could happen in the next ten years or so.” Luton famously had an artificial pitch at Kenilworth Road between 1985 and 1991 when similar ones like at QPR and Oldham were widely criticised.
But due to the weather Brabin has had to take the majority of his training sessions in the last fortnight on a third generation surface in Dunstable and he agrees that the technology has moved on.
He said: “It’s not like the Astroturf of old which was like playing on a car park with a load of sand on. It was rock hard and made a massive difference. The way it has progressed now, it’s not grass but you are getting a consistency from it.”
The Hatters boss also believes that socalled ‘plastic pitches’ can also make good business sense for clubs.
“It’s really good now,” he said. “It would stop games getting called off and would be easier to plan seasons and fixtures. It is working in Europe and there are a lot more benefits from it.
“There is revenue to be made from having it with links to local schools, councils and stuff like that, so it’s more than just a fixture thing. Long term, I think it is good business for clubs. I was at TNS where we had it and we generated a lot of money from off-field activities.
“When you see some of the clubs having financial difficulties, combine that with a better structure in terms of budgets before the season has started, backed up with an all weather pitch, then it is good business and I think it’s something that football will look into.”
However, Brabin admits he is a purist, saying: “I can see it from a business point of view but I am old fashioned and love playing on grass. I don’t think you can beat it.”
The issue will be discussed at the Football League’s summer conference being held on May 31 and June 1 when Luton will be hope to back in League Two.
