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 insists having a grass pitch should be a criteria for the 12 clubs in Scotland’s top flight.
Livingston and Kilmarnock, promoted this summer, both have artificial pitches.
In March 2019, the Professional Footballers’ Association, the player’s 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 insists the next step to improving the top flight is to axe artificial pitches.
‘The game is better when it is on a nice surface’
He said: “I know Davie Martindale (Livingston manager) and the guys at Kilmarnock won’t be happy with me saying I don’t enjoy the Astroturf.
“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.
“Everything has added real excitement to the game and commercially makes it a better saleable product.
“Finding the finances for VAR has been good and puts us in line with some of the top European countries and league.
“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.”
Grass pitches should be a remit
Livingston boss Davie Martindale recently said the artificial pitch saves his club between £100,000 to £150,000 per 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.
“If you are going to enter into the Premiership then you have got to have a surface that qualifies.
“We are probably a few years away from that happening and we have to deal with it and get on with it.
“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.”
‘The ball bounces differently’ on artificial pitches
It is understood rule change in the SPFL banning artificial surfaces in the top flight would require a 75% vote in favour from the 42 member clubs.
The Eredivisie, the Netherlands top flight, are reportedly set to ban artificial pitches by the start of the 2025/26 season.
Goodwin said: “Everyone will have a different opinion.
“There won’t be too managers or players if you done a survey who would prefer Astro to grass.
“It is completely different, the ball bounces differently and if the pitch isn’t wet and slick it becomes a very slow, mundane game.
“From a fans perspective they would prefer to watch a game on a nice grass park.”
The argument for grass over Astro
Currently, 15 of the 30 lower league clubs in the SPFL use synthetic surfaces.
Goodwin only wants a rule on grass pitches introduced in the Premiership.
He accepts artificial surfaces at lower league clubs can be fundamental to their community.
Whilst Goodwin was manager at Alloa Athletic they played on an artificial surface at Recreation Park.
Goodwin said: “When I was at Alloa it was a big thing in the community and it was open to anyone.
“But in the Premiership in years gone by there used to be a rule that you had to fit certain criteria with stands.
“And there were people having to put in temporary stands to quality. I think this should be something we look at with grass pitches.
“It makes our game look better. When you see it on TV, with the Astro, it is completely different.
“And I don’t speak for everyone at the club here, I just speak for myself.”
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